When I was kid and would catch bigger Catfish, they'd "slime" the line by the way they fight, something about the tail thumping the line.

 

I lost a $20 Lucky Craft BDS 3 to a really big fish this afternoon.   Upon inspection right where the line broke cleanly (no curly cue tell tell of a failed knot), the first 12-18" had a thick coat of fish slime on it.   I've broken off a few big fish over 5lbs, last being over the summer, but never had thick slime like that.   Only time I've ever seen that is when I caught catfish as a kid. 

 

I just re spooled with Sunline 14lb mono a few days back because I didn't want to run further to a place that carries line I trust.   Not all the blame goes on the sunline potentially though as the mystery fish blew up my CB right when it was bumping into brush, and I'd say the first 5-10 seconds the fish was lightly wrapped, but quickly it took straight off into deeper open water.   Then about 30 seconds later that sickening feeling hit.   The more I think about it, the stranger the fish pulled, or fought.   Never once in that 30-45 seconds did I feel the fish was coming up, or I should be preparing for a jump.  It's been decades since I caught a catfish so I can't recall the nuance to how they feel or fight.  I just remember them fighting unique.

 

Losing a $20 bait, losing potentially a really nice LGM, both not what really bothers me, it's the fact that a 3" long crankbait with big #2s on it could be stuck in a big LGM's mouth.   Seems like it would be close to a slow death sentence.   Nothing I can do about it anyways, but I let it ruin my fishing session like a petulant child.    Kept hoping and half expecting to find the lure floating, but no bueno on that. 

 

I'm in central Alabama, I wish we had toothy long slender fish, but we don't.    The only culprits here could be a Channel Catfish or a really large Bass.

 

What says the hive:   Channel Catfish or large LGM Bass?

 

 

 

 

Big cats slime the line by twisting and wrapping up in it.   I caught a 50+ pound flathead and had slime on the first few feet of my line.   My wife caught a 27 pound Channel cat.  Her line was slimed too.  Both of these were on crankbaits.   

Cat.

If ya got slime you had a cat! 

Yeah, all the tell-tale signs of a cat. I’m not much of a cat fisherman, but the ones I have caught have all been like that. Sudden, really strong run to deep water, no jumping, the slime. They are really strong fish.

 

I’ve seen dead cats floating with bass lures in their mouth before. Most of the cats I’ve caught have been on bass lures.

Not sure about my line, but I’ve had pike and pickerel slime and stink up my entire boat lol

I've been told that Gar and Bowfin are really slimy too.  I doubt they'll twist and slime your line like a Cat does.

 

 

We had to pressure wash the carpet on my boat after both big cats.  

1. Cat

2. Pike

3. Gar

 

More than likely # 1.

 

On a side note, I never put a expensive lure on anything but braid.

Better chance of getting it back with the fish attached!

2 hours ago, Motoboss said:

1. Cat

2. Pike

3. Gar

 

More than likely # 1.

 

On a side note, I never put a expensive lure on anything but braid.

Better chance of getting it back with the fish attached!

Out of reactions, but seriously thanks to everyone for putting my mind at ease!

 

Makes me feel much better.   Hope that slimy sucker washes up and I can get my Lucky Craft back?

4 hours ago, Woody B said:

I've been told that Gar and Bowfin are really slimy too. 

I don't think that's true. I've caught a few bowfin, and I don't recall any slime. Never had the pleasure of meeting a gar. I think the catfish's lack of scales is the reason for the slime.

2 hours ago, fin said:

I don't think that's true. I've caught a few bowfin, and I don't recall any slime. Never had the pleasure of meeting a gar. I think the catfish's lack of scales is the reason for the slime.

 

Caught a number of gar (including yesterday) and many bowfin as well. Definitely not slimy, but both rock a mouth full of sharp teeth.

No slimy gar around here. Definitely a catfish. Funny it’s no big deal to kill a catfish but ruins your day to kill a bass. 
 

PS neither would ruin my day. 

Caught tons of catfish on all kinds of baits from cranks to plastics to poppers to buzzbaits. Every one of them slimed my line.