Fishing story with a happy ending

[badcrawdad]

So yesterday morning I had no intentions of fishing. Then around noon time a guy I used to fish with all the time calls and wants me to meet him and his brother at a place we used to hammer them at. I haven't be doing good at this particular pond at all but since I hadn't seen him in awhile I decide to go ahead and get all my errands done early so I can meet them. Just as I'm getting ready to leave he calls and cancels. Well now I WANT TO GO FISHIN! So i decided to go to a different pond, one that I just fished last week for the first time in awhile and did quite well.

I get there and start fishing and for almost an hour its a ghost town not even a nibble. Then another friend calls. while I'm talking to him a get a nice hit on the Rage Tale Eeliminator. I set my phone on the seat and play the fish. I get a good look and its a nice one, a solid 4+lbs. Get it beside the boat and as I reach for him I start to sit down on my phone. Not wanting to break the phone I lean forward to grab the phone and my fish is gone!! AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH! Now my buddy is laughing his butt of as he can hear the splashing and me yelling. I brush it off, get off the phone and cast again. BAM fish on, this one's not getting away. A nice 3.5 lber on the eel again. Sweet back to back casts. I get a nice pic on my phone and release it. Now I take a look at my phone and the pic is gone! This is not my night! Again I cast to the same area and another bass (3 consecutive casts) 3lber. Picked up 4 more on the eel all between 2 and 3 lbs. Then they just disappeared.

I decide to head to another area of the pond. On the way I rigged a RT lobster on a keel wieghted hook. Once I got to the new spot I threw the eel right next to the weed line and set my rod down. Picked up the other rod with the craw and threw it out deeper near some logs and set the rod down. turned around picked up the first rod and fish on. I get maybe 3 turns of the reel and my other rod shoots across the boat and before a can grab it it goes right over the side. Now panicing I drop my reel with the eel and a fish and try to grab the rod with the end of my paddle but its gone!! So I pick the rod with eel back up, to my surprise fish is still on. I get it almost to the boat and see he's got another line tangled around him! So I lip him as quick as I can and start pulling in the line by hand. Good news is I got my rod back, bad news is fish is gone as well as both lobster claws. Once I get the eel fish unhooked and released I begin to deal with the cluster of rods and line now laying in the boat. Somehow in all the comotion a third rod (that I wasn't even using) ended up broken! AAAHHHHHH! Just when I thought things were getting better. At this point I have 6 in the boat all between 2 and 3.5lbs, but lost 1 over 4, 2 others and now this mystery fish.

I can't go out like that so I replace the lobster with a craw and throw back out deep near the logs. Picked up 3 more in the 2.5-3lb range. Ok, about time to leave, just one more cast. Set the rod down took a drink and as soon as I pick my rod back up KABAAAAM! This thing feels like I'm hooked on the log but its pulling me around. After what seemed like 5 minutes I see her and she's beautiful. 6.5 lbs, ok now things are better! And now I have my first RAGE TAIL HAWG! and a broken rod. 

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[Grey Wolf]

I don't know whether to feel sad or happy for you.

[gobig]

Nice fish.

WARNING UNATTENDED RODS MAY DISAPPEAR!!!!!!!!

[Dwight Hottle]

That a trophy for NH. Takes away some of the pain of the broken rod. 

[badcrawdad]

Well fortunatly it wasn't an expesive rod, just a Dicks special, so happy would be correct.

I've NEVER seen a rod take of like that. I can only imagine what could have been.

Yes thats definetly a trophy here in NH. I've been very fortunate to get my share of 5+lbers but over 6 doesn't happen too often. I thought for sure it was gonna weigh more and be my new PB. My PB is 6lb12oz also caught this year, a little over a month ago.

[Vinny Chase]

I always thought it was illegal to double fish......Congrats on the catch though

[badcrawdad]

I always thought it was illegal to double fish......Congrats on the catch though

In NH you're allowed 2 8-)

[J Francho]

Nice story, one issue....

ANY fish lost that you see away from the boat are 4 lb. Unseen fish are 3 lb., unless it pulls really hard, then its a northern pike/catfish/snagged carp and is at least 6 lbs.  In a tournament, its dink. Fish lost at the boat, by default are "6.5 lbs., or maybe bigger, since you didn't get it on a scale"

;D

[matstone7]

Nice story, one issue....

ANY fish lost that you see away from the boat are 4 lb. Unseen fish are 3 lb., unless it pulls really hard, then its a northern pike/catfish/snagged carp and is at least 6 lbs. In a tournament, its dink. Fish lost at the boat, by default are "6.5 lbs., or maybe bigger, since you didn't get it on a scale"

;D

I always assumed lost or missed fish were the biggest of the year, that's what I always tell my wife, lol.

Great fish BadCrawdad! 

[Mrs. Matstone]

Great post and pic, Congrats! ;D

[christopherjake]

Love a happy ending.  Awesome looking fish.

[Big-O]

Can you say F-A-T-T-Y, or maybe B-I-G  H-A-W-G....Yep, I believe you can  ;D  WTG Man that's a Great looking girl for any water especially where you're from 

Big O

www.ragetail.com

[Fishing Cowgirl]

Great post..Don't you just love that "One last cast"?

[northern basser]

nice fish!!!!!!!