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The one that got away
jonk
Member Posts: 10,121
So what are your all time 'gee I wish I had landed that one' stories?
I have 2. I don't know what was on the line either time.
1- about 10 years ago I was fishing for walleye on Lake Erie. 12 pound test, worm harnass made of 20 lb test. Something bit. It fought like a walleye- long slow pull on hooking, then not much fight. I slowly dragged on that thing for 20 minutes- and only had about 100 feet of line out, and could barely make any headway. Then snap. Whatever it was had chewed through the 20 lb leader. Either a huge Walleye- probably 10-12 pounds- or a small muskie are my only guesses.
2- just this weekend, also for walleye- something hit my mayfly rig, and started pulling off line. I had the drag set for about 6 pounds, so fairly stiff already. 10 lb line. I tightened it a bit and started fighting. The pole was bent in half and this was a stiff 7 foot rod. Increasing the drag killed me. Snap. Whatever it was it was big. I've hooked into 30 inch sheephead (freshwater drum) and 36 inch catfish already and this felt bigger, whatever it was. It did NOT fight like a walleye- fighting like hell the instant I hooked it. Gotta figure a huge sheephead, or again, maybe a muskie. Or huge cat. Might have been a good sized smallmouth too, it was in fairly shallow water and a 2 foot smallmouth fights like hell.
And, just for kicks- a 3rd entry. Not a huge fish but 'just because'- perch fishing, 2 hooks- got a double header. One perch I got in. The other fish got off at the boat. The other fish was a small steelhead, around 12" Just would have been cool because it's odd to catch a steelhead perch fishing.
I have 2. I don't know what was on the line either time.
1- about 10 years ago I was fishing for walleye on Lake Erie. 12 pound test, worm harnass made of 20 lb test. Something bit. It fought like a walleye- long slow pull on hooking, then not much fight. I slowly dragged on that thing for 20 minutes- and only had about 100 feet of line out, and could barely make any headway. Then snap. Whatever it was had chewed through the 20 lb leader. Either a huge Walleye- probably 10-12 pounds- or a small muskie are my only guesses.
2- just this weekend, also for walleye- something hit my mayfly rig, and started pulling off line. I had the drag set for about 6 pounds, so fairly stiff already. 10 lb line. I tightened it a bit and started fighting. The pole was bent in half and this was a stiff 7 foot rod. Increasing the drag killed me. Snap. Whatever it was it was big. I've hooked into 30 inch sheephead (freshwater drum) and 36 inch catfish already and this felt bigger, whatever it was. It did NOT fight like a walleye- fighting like hell the instant I hooked it. Gotta figure a huge sheephead, or again, maybe a muskie. Or huge cat. Might have been a good sized smallmouth too, it was in fairly shallow water and a 2 foot smallmouth fights like hell.
And, just for kicks- a 3rd entry. Not a huge fish but 'just because'- perch fishing, 2 hooks- got a double header. One perch I got in. The other fish got off at the boat. The other fish was a small steelhead, around 12" Just would have been cool because it's odd to catch a steelhead perch fishing.
Comments
Five or so seconds later, I had a lot of slack, but only about 50yds of line.
Not a clue what it was, but I told my brother in law it was a submarine (since it was his rod that was singing while he went back to the car). He thought that was as good a guess as any.[:D]
My best big fish on small line was a 75" sturgoen on 8lb mono! Took over an hour to get to the boat, but well worth the work!
cool, Snake or Columbia?
Neither... Rainy River on the Canadian border with MN.
Really, didn't know they had Sturgeon back there. Always thought they were unique to the Snake and the Columbia here in the states. Learn something everyday, but how big do they get? We have had some really big ones (400lbs) caught here in Idaho on the Snake in years past.
My best big fish on small line was a 75" sturgoen on 8lb mono! Took over an hour to get to the boat, but well worth the work!
Beautiful