So like many of my northern anglers, this year has been extremely difficult for me. Numbers and quality of fish are down. I do not know if it is due to the harsh winter or the very dry summer, but the fish are simply not cooperating.

 

Yesterday, got on the water early with my father. Hit up our favorite lake and on our second spot after bombing out a 6" BPS senko wacky rigged bait,  I got bit as soon as the lure hit the water.  Had a Medium Heavy 6'6 st croix spinning reel  with 6 lb nanofil and it felt like a freight train hit my line. I use octopus hooks so really no need to set the hook but i reel set it anyhow. I tell my Father to grab the net.

 

One minute later and I have barely moved the fish. It fought like no fish I have ever hooked. Have a 6lber and probably 40 5 lbers under my belt. This felt like a bucket of dead weight and every then so often, two twitches. He just hunkered down- I had never experienced this before. I had by then got him 5 feet away from the boat and then I make a crank of the reel thinking he is close enough to net- he fights back and runs under the boat- my line snaps and I get a fleeting glimpse of a whitish/yellowish belly on a monster fish.

 

My buddy landed a 7lb 2 oz bass from this lake earlier this year and this thing fought harder/longer than his and looked bigger from the fleeting glance I got. Fished 1 hour more but heart wasn't in it.

 

Sitting here at work today and still beating myself up about losing a toad. I think I am going to need to make a big TW order to get my head on back straight. 

That really bites man. I've been there and done that. Now you can wear that same T-shirt we all got for our trip to heartbreaksville and back. 

 

I agree though.....a TW order ALWAYS makes it better. 

 

You'll be back though, and you'll land her soon enough. 

Bummer ~ 

 

I popped a Real Good One off myself Saturday Morning: NOTHING chaps me more than parted line.

 

I'd be reviewing those events to learn exactly why it happened on the very bass you had hoped you'd hook.

 

We all know there's an extensive list of "Reason" why it happens.

 

Though we may never know for sure the exact reason or reasons, it always make me refocus myself in the attention to detail areas of my gear, terminal tackle and big fish fighting procedures.

 

A-Jay

 

 

I can feel your pain. Using 6lb nanofil  for small fish might be ok but not my line of choice for a lunker.  

Keep telling yourself it was a spirited dink, or better yet, a carp.

Josh

If I lose what I know was a really big one, and don't see it, I console myself by telling myself that it was probably a catfish. Helps a little but not much.

Hootie

If I lose what I know was a really big one, and don't see it, I console myself by telling myself that it was probably a catfish. Helps a little but not much.

Hootie

 

X2... I always know I'm lying to myself though... considering no rolling head shakes and/or no slime on the line... 

Any muskie or pike where you were at? That's kind of what that fight sounds to me like.

That does sound more like a big cat or Esox (Pike/musky genus), especially the hunkering down instead of acrobatics. I've had pike do a roll-over move and flash a big white belly at me as they snap the line. It's like the pike version of a middle finger.

Any muskie or pike where you were at? That's kind of what that fight sounds to me like.

No, basically LMB, SMB, pickerel, white and yellow perch and very few, small horn pout. Def. did not fight like a pickerel. 

i'm sorry

We NEVER seem to forget the one that got away.........

No, basically LMB, SMB, pickerel, white and yellow perch and very few, small horn pout. Def. did not fight like a pickerel. 

That's too bad. The way it let you drag it in and then shot away and broke your line sounded a lot like a move big pike and muskie seem to pull a lot when hooked on light tackle, almost like they don't even know they're hooked until they see the boat. 

Upgrade to 10lb braid close to same diameter and worlds stronger.

I have lost four fish this year that I am certain were all between 5-6 pounds. Three smallmouth and one largemouth. Two came off and two broke off in laydowns because I was too feminine to tighten the drag. All would have been well over my personal best. I know how you feel.

I had one eat a spook and wrap me up in a laydown before I could realize what was going on. She broke me off and proceeded to jump until she (Thankfully) threw the spook. 7lb fish easy. They all hurt. Same place that I had a fish of similar size come unbuttoned on a buzzbait about a month ago