Well I tangled with a couple monsters late last night. I could swear I saw a broom tale splashing after I set the hook on the first fish and the first fight lasted about 15-20 min but I could not gain on the fish. I had my stella 8000 with 300-330 yards of red powerpro 50, eventually after a lot of give and take (more give then take) I could not gain or turn the fish when it stopped running. It took me to the knot and it broke near the knot to my leader or there abouts because I was able to get most of my line back. I did feel the fish's tale hitting the line at times. Walked back to the truck pissed :fury:and exhausted and re-tied another leader, had a Pepsi and a Hershey bar (night snack of champions), rested for about 10 mins, and clipped on another plug. Made 3 casts and hooked up again!...this time I didn't see anything and it was a freight train that took me to knot in a hurry and POW! broke at the spool knot, lost everything. Walked back to the truck again:fury: and my back up rod and reel was lighter then what I was using.:wall: Took that out and set and started fishing and got high teen/low 20's bass that barely took any drag and I had them beached in no time.

What a night....What do you think were the fish that spooled me? I know of no bass that could take that kind of line under the pressure I was putting on it. I have caught surf bass to 58 so I know what big bass fight like and they never took more than a 150 yrds or so. Shark...taking a plug? It fought more like a bass then a shark but like I said, i didn't have the power to turn them and there was a good current running where I was.

I am thinking of going back tonight with the big stella that holds gobs of line. But if I catch bass that thing is overkill.

Shark. Night time, I bet it was a shark. They take plugs on the open sea, I wouldn't be surprised if they'd take one inshore.

I am thinking of going back tonight with the big stella that holds gobs of line. But if I catch bass that thing is overkill.

One lesson that's been taught to me first-hand over the last 2 years getting our tails handed to us by tuna.... don't bring a knife to a gun fight.

I'd much rather use a setup that's possibly overkill than be in a situation that finds me way under gunned.

What about a cow thats foul-hooked? If she's big enough, seems like it could cause similar problems. Was the PP frayed on the end indicating a break off? Did the knot just release? Foul hooked and her dorsal may have knicked it just right...

Just a thought...

Rosary beads. Bring them with you tonight :uhuh:

Twice in a row in one night? My thoughts go to shark, large shark. I don't know how much current you are talking about but for a bass to do that , the current would have to be real fast and the larger, quicker of the 2 bass would have to be close to 80 lbs IMO I can't see how you could NOT stop a bass with that setup Jim, unless they both were foul hooked of course. What kind of plug? Shark will take plugs. Sounds like an exciting night.

Bass bites plug, then shark bites bass, I'm guessing. It's that time of year.

Check what you max out your drag at with a boga next time.

Where you fish? Shark. Brown or blue?

If it weren't coming from someone who clearly knows the ropes, I might have guessed seal grabbed your fish, but I imagine you've experienced that more than enough times to know what it feels like.

My money would be on the Shark theory...trust your experience and original thought...no bass can accomplish that without help.

PS...What about that wierdo over sized Ray that is rare but does frequesnt your waters....then again doubt any Ray is going to hit a plug...but if it was a darter on the bottom....(:>)

I had something like that happen at RP last year. Too quick to be a seal, never figured it out. I did have it stopped at one point, then off to London!
Later,
Rick

Funny that there would be 2 sharks in one spot, I always though sharks to be loners

My guess is seals. A stella 8000 and 50 lb line is stopping any inshore shark you are likely to run into. Something that runs with steady smooth power, then stops and can't be moved, then starts again and spools you is exactly how the seals I've tangled with acted. One ate a needlefish, the other took a small bass seconds after it hit. Both left me shaking.

My guess is seals. A stella 8000 and 50 lb line is stopping any inshore shark you are likely to run into. Something that runs with steady smooth power, then stops and can't be moved, then starts again and spools you is exactly how the seals I've tangled with acted. One ate a needlefish, the other took a small bass seconds after it hit. Both left me shaking.

Agreed. My guess would be seal.

Brown Shark, On the Vineyard :grins:
If your were any where nere to EB, Or around the bend :)

Foul hooked fifty...
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Told my younger son about it and he wanted to go with me "to give me a hand if I got it again". We were talking about how the west coast guys catch those real big yellowfins on those 10 day excursion trips, they fight it on stand up gear and when they get to the end of the line, they lock up the drag and clip the entire rod and reel to ANOTHER rod and toss the first setup into the ocean and fight the fish on the second rod, when they wear down the fish, the first rod comes up and they reel it from that one. There was a guy on TV that had 3 rods in the water at one time! I told him I did not know if that would work that well from the surf and I don't really want to risk my new SEAWOLF surf rod w stella being tossed in the drink.

Slightly different night and different conditions, no sea monsters but he got a nice fish (bogoed@27) on a pretty light 7' st croix rod that I normally use for albies from the beach.

My guess: sharks. Probably duskies if you were fishing along East Beach over there. And yes, they do travel in small pods. I lost two freight trains within an hour of each other years ago like much of what you describe.. Both of them went through 45 lb. coated wire leader.

Bonds

Wow. Those are the ones we never forget. I got spooled in MaINE about 5 years ago. Same deal.....ran off about a150 yards, stopped, kept going, broke off near the leader.. Thrashed near the surface a few times. Left me shaking and setting up heavier gear. I didn't have as strong a set up as you. Can't imagine.

I hooked up with seals at/on your home base. Wouldn't surpise me if you did also. Too many sharks have been landed on the beach there to not think you couldn't do it also using 50 # PP Jim.

That picture of you son - is that an RM Needle is see?

Great Pic Jim

What about a cow thats foul-hooked? If she's big enough, seems like it could cause similar problems. Was the PP frayed on the end indicating a break off? Did the knot just release? Foul hooked and her dorsal may have knicked it just right...

Just a thought...

No bass swimming today will spool you like that. Tuna or shark

seals often start ,stop ,then go. The plague will soon be shared by all.

Maybe a big fish gave it a tail swat and you foul hooked it? IT suck when you dont get at least a peak of "what the hell was that?"

seal

I say seal or shark, I can't see a bass doing that. It's the time of year where both are very possible and with this years temps and weather I think where in for some strange species around. Lots of sharks travel in schools so hooking two is possible and then againg I have had the same thing happen to me with seal in the middle of the night at chatham light.

The seals are already out by the Island in force. My first sealing had me fooled for awhile also.

i'm saying a really, really pissed off scup.

[QUOTE=Mr. Sandman;700245]...and I don't really want to risk my new SEAWOLF surf rod w stella being tossed in the drink.QUOTE]

warranty void! do you want a 80#-class, 10' surf rod for a Stella 20k now? they do make spinning rod harnesses for that purpose.

warranty void! do you want a 80#-class, 10' surf rod for a Stella 20k now? they do make spinning rod harnesses for that purpose.

:laugha:

The gear held up fine, just ran out of rope.



After thinking about it I think they probably both were seals. We have a bunch of them around (still). They could have been sharks but I think I could have landed a small shark and the mono leader was not cut. Whatever it was it still has me up at night dreaming about it. The put up a hell of a fight! Lets make seals a game fish! I would have loved to landed one of them just to see it.

As far as all the questions: The lure was a jointed X-rap w/ upgraded hook/rings. Drag pressure was... a lot. I had a high setting and on the end of the first fish and the entire second fish had put my hand on the spinning spool to the point of burning the hell out of my hand, seawater splashing up on the spool helped a lot. I would guess 30lb steady with 40lb near the end. It was a lot. The lure on my son's rod was a yellow bomber (he loves those..and even has his bomber hat on). I suck at night photo's I still can't take a good night shot (I am better in daylight in a plane.:))

It is a sick feeling in your stomach when you feel the rod pull forward, look down and see the black tape and a knot tied to the spool.:confused:

:fishin:Jim that big seal I hooked into on the south side two yeasr took conservatively 400 to 500 feet of line before it came up and turned around to look at me with the line coming out of its mouth where the hook was embedded in its jaw. What a freight train it was. I leaned back and yelled to my brother who was casting a plug. It was a real trip. Thought I had Al Mcreynolds record catch beat by a mile, before reality set in. :wall:

Sandman, A shark might have eaten the plug or you could have hooked a big North Atlantic Stingray. I just got back from two days of fishing/diving Block Island where I filmed the biggest stingrays I've ever seen...three feet thick and 10 feet long! I also found a monster that had the majority of its tail eaten...no doubt by a shark. It's a jungle out there I tell you.

Mike

the "SANDMAN" hooked into the JUNGLE :read:

Mike, That is why I don't swim in the ocean at night. I don't know how you do it, scares the bejezzus out of me just thinking about it.

Stupid Seal

I got spooled in the canal the other night.. 65 lb power pro on a VS 275 and a 1209... there's no way a bass would own me like that.. took 500+ yrds like nothing.. the big moon tide didn't help either.. Im guessing shark or maybe seal..

I got spooled in the canal the other night.. 65 lb power pro on a VS 275 and a 1209... there's no way a bass would own me like that.. took 500+ yrds like nothing.. the big moon tide didn't help either.. Im guessing shark or maybe seal..

Or a horse mackerel ;)

Two or three people get a few minutes of excitement from a bluefin every season.

Jim,

Great picture of Bryan! He is a chip off the old block!

Keith

1321M, vs300, fireline xds 60lb if you can find it anymore, no backing no blood knots. If a fish spools that its earned the rite to swim away.

1321M, vs300, fireline xds 60lb if you can find it anymore, no backing no blood knots. If a fish spools that its earned the rite to swim away.
Amen! That's some heavy duty weaponry

1321M, vs300, fireline xds 60lb if you can find it anymore, no backing no blood knots. If a fish spools that its earned the rite to swim away.

Amen! That's some heavy duty weaponry

That's my Block Island outfit :fishin:

Had almost the same thing happen to me last week.

Sat in the boat wondering what the hell it was, then all of a sudden a stupid seal swam by with my 20 Dollar crazy crippler stuck in its face.

Seal meat tates like chicken!!! lollollollol

tatoo its all i throw, 2 setups exactly the same, had 3 but that was before they perfected the reel, cut one down to use out of the boat at night slinging eels into shore.