caught without my "A-Game" - today's adventure

[OldGuyAl]

OK, I'm going to start this thing off by telling you that I did NOT catch this fish but, it's still a great story!

Jared and I were fishing a big ol' brush pile at this pond and we didn't really expect to catch much. We were both fishing light tackle and small baits just having fun catching baby bass and a few bream. I'm fishing 8-lb. line on an light spinning rod - been alternating all day between that and an ultralight - both are rigged with plastic crawdads in a natural color - both have been getting bites all day.

All of sudden, Jared goes "Man! A HUGE bass just swam right past me - that thing must have been 15 pounds or more! I've never seen a bass that big!" Well, about that time, I realize that my line is moving and I've got a fish on so, I set the hook. I was already wondering how we could maybe catch that monster that Jared just saw the next time and then, I realize - I've got that fish on! Jared actually saw the fish that was swimming away with my bait! YIKES!

I've got my drag set really light (for convenience of stripping off line to re-tie baits) and I'm trying so hard to keep pressure on that fish that I'm afraid to try to adjust it. I'm getting nowhere at all with this fish - he's stripping line off my reel like crazy and my drag is in constant screaming mode. Jared is offering to help me in every way he can so I try to turn the fish towards him so maybe he can grab it. The fish comes up near the boat - still about 6 or 8 inches under the surface and we can both see it for a flash before it dives back down. Holy Moly!!! This thing is a MONSTER!

So, then I realize that he took me down and wrapped me in the brush pile but I'm still hanging on - I held pressure and adjusted the drag a little bit. He's still on but I am hopelessly wrapped up in limbs and then, he wraps me up some more. Jared and I tried everything we could think of - including reaching down and breaking off as many limbs as we could but, it was no use. Even now, I don't know whether that fish may be tied up down deep in that brush pile or if he broke off. I stayed with it for more than 15 minutes and then finally decided to give slack and see if it would unwrap itself. Nothing. I kept at it but that fight tied my line in so many knots and so much line twist that it eventually broke off without me even knowing if the fish was still there.

OK, this was one of the best fights I've ever had and definitely the biggest bass I've ever seen in person but, I didn't catch the fish. If I hadn't been lazy and careless before I set the hook and had bothered to set the drag on my reel back to where it should have been, maybe I could have kept that fish out of the deep limbs. I did not bring my "A-Game" today and it may have cost me a personal best fish.

I hope he lives for me to catch him another day!

The moral of this story is to never assume that you are not going to hook into a big fish. I love fishing light tackle when the bite is not that great, anyway but, even on light tackle, you have to at least have it set up to do your best. I didn't.

Still, I'm not bummed out too much - I know where that monster lives and some of his tricks.

Al

[dbrev42]

great story man i enjoyed the read

[dragon1]

That is awesome that you even got the chance to land this fish let alone just get it to bite and then successfully set hook.

AND...in all likelyhood, the fish broke off and will live to grow bigger and SHE will likely pass on her genes/eggs again this coming Spring.

Great story!

[OldGuyAl]

Thanks, dragon!

Yep, the more I think about it the more I'm sure that once SHE (thanks for the correction) got me wrapped up then she got the slack she needed to throw the hook.

It was awesome and I learned a valuable lesson - I'm ready for next time!

Next time, it will be a Spro Frog on my baitcaster with the STX I got from you and braided line.

Al

[dragon1]

If you can get her to bite again on that combo, I would wager that you'll have a better fightin' chance with it.

Man, I wish Colorado bass grew that big!

[Shortlite]

Oh man, good story. Bad luck there mate.

The "A" in A-game probably means active, adjust, adapt. On such light gear (which I fish almost exclusively, fresh and salt), fighting big fish from a standstill I think is where you made your second mistake. Your first was not having your drag properly set, just so you could strip line to re-tie.

By maintaining a standstill, you gave the fish all the angles and advantage. Had you tightened up a bit, gotten the boat moving away from structure and put more pressure on, you could have whipped that fish and put up a nice picture for us to see.

Anyway, better luck next time. Always have your A-game, and be ready to switch it on in a heartbeat. You'll know when, because you don't do much talking when you hook up.

[JayInGrapevine]

Big fish are a lot like big people or other mammals. They can create an amazing amount of energy in their initial burst which can put you down in a hurry if no matter how well prepared you are. Working with fish, seeing them move and hunt on a daily basis, it really makes you appreciate how powerful they are. The big bass (many in the 10-18lb range) could move 15yds in an absolute instant and with minimal effort it seems. Two swishes of the tail and they could make up ground on any prey in the tank when motivated.
The biggest fish I've ever hooked into was on Amistad. She absolutely toasted the drag on a TD-X 103HSDF on her initial run, then when she hit the blinker and headed for the brush pile she came out of initially and I lightly thumbed the drag she broke 20lb Fluoro like it was no big deal. BTW, when 20lb Sunline FC Super Sniper breaks like that, it sounds like a high powered rifle being fired. That sound is also apparently audio ipecac because I felt like throwing up all over the boat when I heard it.
Anyway, the moral of the story is, a big fish can make you feel like you've been caught with you're pants down even on the day you wore your favorite boxers. If you can make it through the first 30-45 second on the fight without getting wrapped up or broken off, you pretty much have them whipped. Their stamina just can't sustain them in a prolonged battle. Take your time and make leverage your friend.

[dragon1]

Dang Jay, you sure that it was a bass? Snapping off 20lb test, that was one big and powerful fish/bass, that's for sure!