Quote:
Originally Posted by Slipknot
I have pulled in a lot of good fish from the bottom of the canal over the years. Here is a jig I managed to land a 35 pounder on despite the bent hook. I have lost my share of monsters, this heavyweight did not get away until I released her from my hands back in the early 2000's. I think luck has a bit to do with it even though we all want to say it is our skill. BTW that is a 6 ounce ball jig, I fished it bare no pork rind.
Anyone else come close to losing a nice fish?
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Good thread Bruce, anyone that has put in enough time has lost a "monster" or 2,
I've had 2 that i would like to have another shot at..
The first was in the late 80's, I was wire line trolling a goo goo in the north rip on the incoming tide between the jettys, the wind was screaming south west, I had landed several in the ,low to mid 30's and each was an adventure. combination of wind and tide kept blowing me into the rocks, I was alone so the chore was even tougher, then the big one hit, after a lengthy battle i had the fish on top but could not get a lip gaff in it, it was every bit as big as my 61, maybe bigger hard to tell in a 5 Knot rip with a howling wind, I stuck the rod in the holder and made a stab at the fish with the gaff, i hit the line and the fish was gone...just as the boat kissed the rocks... lucky for me, the eddy swung me around and i got out of here with just a few scrapes and a pounding heart rate.
The second one,was in the early 2000's I was out on the beach ( Bruce you and Paul know where) under a jillion candle power moon, flat calm ocean, the beach was alive with fish, unfortunately all teen sized ones, pounding sand eels right in the wash, there were so many i was fishing plugs to save my eels, I moved from bar to bar looking for something more substantial, and while doing it I put on one of my giant jointed Pikies , I was about to call it a night and head back to the river when i had a take, the water exploded and the fish screamed down the beach, then ran right at the boat before circling and heading off to deeper water on the back side of the bar, the fish finally tired and i could see it in the moon light laying on its side doing lazy circles, it was big, REAL big, as i slowly worked the fish closer I reached for the net, the banging noise was enough to spook the fish and it thrashed on the surface , the leader broke , but the fish laid there, i cranked to electric but as i got close it sank out of sight, I sat and just shook for 10 minutes or so, that fish still haunts me, I've boated many "50's " and a 61, all memorable, but that one fish, because i saw it there in the moon light, will remain in my vision until I can see no more.