Did some night fishing off of our dock this weekend. I was so jacked to be at our cabin I quickly tied on my baits and scurried down to the pier.

A little after midnight Saturday AM I hooked into an absolute beast. I was tossing a black and blue spinnerbait on a Megabass X4 Destruction.

The Destruction is rated up to 3 1/4 oz, so it's a pretty stout stick...well that thing was bent over from the weight of this hawg.

I got it about ten feet from the dock, then slack line...it had gotten off. I literally got weak in the knees. It felt like a possible PB.

Lesson learned: use those trailer hooks!

Ouch. That's the worst.

Night fishing is so much fun

Are you sure it was a bass, did you see the fish?

Night fishing is so much fun

Are you sure it was a bass, did you see the fish?

Never saw the fish, but it definitely felt like a bass. I would have been happy just to see the leviathan.

Night fishing and fishing a spinnerbait for smallmouth or spots are the only time I'll use a trailer hook, even then I don't use them all the time though. Just try to tell yourself it wasn't a bass. I've seen all 3 species of catfish, huge drum, carp, big wipers, even snapping turtles caught on spinnerbaits night fishing for bass. 

Night fishing and fishing a spinnerbait for smallmouth or spots are the only time I'll use a trailer hook, even then I don't use them all the time though. Just try to tell yourself it wasn't a bass. I've seen all 3 species of catfish, huge drum, carp, big wipers, even snapping turtles caught on spinnerbaits night fishing for bass.

Same here. We've caught giant turtles, foul hooked catfish, and the whole nine at night. Kinda awesome fighting a 8+lb cat fish and thinking you might have the biggest bass of your life.

I feel your pain for sure I have lost possibly new state records a few times now. My p b 10lbs. These were bigger.

If I'm fishing a spinnerbait, it's got a trailer hook on it!

That sucks. Have been there before.

I am with the other posters in that I convince myself it isn't a bass lol

 

 

I feel your pain for sure I have lost possibly new state records a few times now. My p b 10lbs. These were bigger.

 

I guess your tips from the other thread aren't 100% foolproof on how to not lose any fish

If I'm fishing a spinnerbait, it's got a trailer hook on it!

Ditto

Mike

There are only two times I don't use a trailer hook.  One is in the spring before the spawn, in which case I'll opt for a plastic trailer like a Kalin's Lunker Grub to slow it down and give it a larger profile.  The other is when I'm fishing timber and I'll likely switch over to a square bill anyway.