Taking over where I left off on my post above, I headed back to Pleasure Beach Fri night. This time I had the "new" TnW with the barb in tact. I ran the hook over a sharpening stone and tied on a new 50# leader before I left. If I got hit by the same monsta' that shook me the night before, I wasn't going to loose it again!
Well, I only had 5 hrs and a dozen worms to try and entice a line-sider to take. I headed right back to the spot we were got a few takers from the night before. There wasn't much going on when I got there but when the tide turned I started getting some nibbles. After letting a few worms go, to what I thought were schoolies, I took the rod out of the holder and held it so I could get a better feel. On the next pass I felt, tap tap tap, and gave the rod a yank. Boy was I surprised when I pulled up a monster porgie!
So... I'm thinking to myself... BAIT!
I could smell it around but didn't see it, until the rip moved a bit. Then, as the sun was setting I saw a lot of bait around and started to hear some nice slaps. I gave up on the TnW for a bit and tried for some surface action. Nothin' doin'. Well, time was tickin' and I still had a few worms left. So, I went back to the tube. A couple drifts past a certain rock and BANG! The freight train was leavin' the station!
After I used both hands to get the rod out of the holder, I gave a good yak and really set the hook well! Then, I gave it another yank, just in case!
Now, I have managed a fair number of schoolies, and 2 just-barely keepers this year, but now I know what it's all about. This fish was big!
How big, I'm not sure... See, this is where the "Improving Your Skills" title comes in... I don't know how or why but, after about a 10 min fight, the 50# leader I had just tied before I headed out, and had never been used, snapped between the blade and the tube. The knots were fine. I thought maybe it got rubbed off on a rock but the end of the mono, under the blade, wasn't rough. It looked like a clean cut.?.?.?
What did I do wrong??? I can't help but think I lost the 2 biggest fish I had ever had the opportunity to catch, 2 nights in a row, due to my stupidity!
Comments / suggestions???
Thanks for listening!
Tight Lines,
Rob