River Monster

[clayton86]

So today I was wading the local river slaming the smallie population. I decided to go down behind my buddys house where iv fished my whole life. I casted out my crawcrank iv been catching all my bass on and just as it rolled over a downed tree I had the biggest strike of my life.

This thing dang near pulled me off the bank it hit so hard. At first I thought maybe snaping turtle. This thing hit gave me a one two head shake and just hunkerd down. I thought hell no and tried to bring it up and it ran felt like a log on the end of my line running up stream. I finally got it up to the surface and I just seen a flash of silvery goldish color and some spots. The thing was at least as big around as my thight. Just as I got it to the surface my lure came at me at light speed.

So I'm like ok probably a snapping turtle maybe a northern. I toss my crank back out and bam same thing tthis time it just starts head shaking and rolling. This time I'm bound and determind to get this sob after 10 minutes of trying to get it outa the tree making some ground then it runs and I'm hung again. At this point I'm freaking out and then the worst my line snaps.

So I re tie another lure this time rapala j9 toss it out and soon as it touches the water there's a huge explosion and I'm holding a broken line again. I never got a good eyes on the fish but I think it was a huge female northern. This was by far the biggest fish iv ever hooked. The only fish found in this river are bass and pike both northern and gar. I supose a musky could of lost its way and came up its only a few miles upstream from lake ontario. But I'm really clue less to what this thing was. My buddy said same thing happend to him last week same spot but with spoons. So I'm gonna wait till this weekend when pike season opens just incase it is a pike and go with my 7mh casting rod and some 50braid and try again. What ever it was pike musky or maybe snapper it will be the biggest tthing I have ever caught.

[gotarheelz14]

Great story! I don't know anything about Northern species but what an aggressive fish that was. I've never had a fish hit a lure, get hooked and still hook it again that many times.

So what happens if you were to hook it in before the "season" started? Would you be in trouble? I guess what I'm asking is, why do you have to wait until the season to try the spot again?

Thanks!

Carlos

[clayton86]

In new york its illegal to "target" a species if its not in season if I had landed it I woulda just had to toss it back which I do anyways I don't keep any fish regardless. Plus if I wait and its a state fish either record or just achievment pin it will count. Like bass right now are CR and only with artificial lure no live bait till end of june.

[basser89]

I'll second the great story! Entertaining to read and sorry for the loss but it does happen. Given the color and the fight description, I'd have to say it sounds like you were up against a big ole musky.

I wouldn't suggest targeting this toothy critter on regular bass tackle if you can help it. Fortunately, I haven't had any gear failure when dealing with these beasts but I've heard way too many stories of rods snapping and stripping gears on reels. When I target them, I'm using a musky rod (7'6"HM Quantum Alliance rod) on an Abu 6000 spooled with 30lb Berkley Big Game and a 18" 80lb hard mono leader (that one of my buddies hand ties).

Good luck in catching it!

[clayton86]

I was just gonna use my 7MH berkly shock rod with 50lb power pro to go after it this weekend. Only thing is muskeys usually arnt around here never hear of any one catching them unless heading east towards 1000 islands not up johnsons creek but it is fed off lake ontario so anythings possiable.

[SirSnookalot]

People hear the word muskie and they freak out, you don't need all that much to catch them. Mh spinning rod with a 4000 reel, 20# line and 40# leader( wire is better) is plenty of firepower., standard cuda equipment. We were using the above equipment to catch blackfin tuna, bonita and dolphin today, they are more to handle than cudas.

[Bluebasser86]

Sounds like a pike/muskie to me. One of the biggest pike I've ever caught hit my spinnerbait, hooked up, and came off only to come back again 3 times before I finally hooked up good on it.

[clayton86]

It was a snaping turtle! I went back last night after catching a bunch of pike all dinks but 1 but I didn't land it ill go more in depth on that later in a diffrent post. But the unknown monster was a snapping turtle about 4ft long. I was fishing and I seen what looked like a dead beavers back floating out on the bend. I went closer to investigate and its a giant snapping turtle swimming on the surface.

I got closer and noticed it had some jewelry hanging off him one of wich was my crankbait right in the corner of its mouth. Besides that he also has 2 casting spoons a inline spinner and a smithwick or like lure on the base of his neck where his shell starts.

So now thee question is how do I get my lures back this is the 3rd time iv seen this turtle there in the last 3 months so he must live in the creek bend. The red neck in me says a slug gun will retrieve the lures quite dandy that or I was thinking 4 wheeler with some cable and a hunk of chicken and some vice grips and several buddys to subdue the thing. Or I can just say the hell with it and leave him be but he's got my lucky crankbait and I want it back lol.

[Bluebasser86]

Get some heavy trotline type twine and tie up a couple stout treble hooks. Bait them up with chunks of bluegill,carp, or chicken liver. Tie it to a stout limb and toss it in the water where it can settle to the bottom and sit there. Give it a few hours before checking it and more than likely he'll be there. I used to catch tons of snapping turtles like this for people who'd buy them to make turtle soup. Once he's on it's a matter of getting him on the bank. I'd suggest either using a lasso or if the line you use is heavy enough flip him on his back and drag him up the bank. If you have a gaff that will work well too but don't try to use a net, he'll trash it. Get some really long handled pliers (a foot long at least) and drink plenty of coffee so you're reflexs are fast. Pop the baits out and then cut the line. Or line up someone who wants to eat him so you can kill it after you catch it, they're a lot easier to unhook that way .

[Redlinerobert]

Regardless of what it was, you'll never forget the experience.