Got smoked

[PNG]

Long hard run

fish turns back & runs at me

Second hard run

Nothing...line goes slack

Reel in the plug

Didn't expect this

[striprman]

[blackeye]

ouchhhhh

[Notaro]

now you can pop for fluke. it is a wide gap. what could have done it?

[Slipknot]

WOW! I have never seen a hook quite like that, atleast not a VMC anyway. It must have been in the bone or something. Had to be a huge bass too, too bad ya lost her but atleast you had it on for a while and you know your plug worked.

[PNG]

Thanks for your optimism Slip, the plug is a variation of one I had good luck with last year.

Its a fine line between drag, line strength and rod action but having a VMC bend like that while the fish is taking drag is beyond me....

[Christian]

damn

[Skitterpop]

Wow...must of been exciting.

What power was the trailer? Seen the Gladiator trebles at 6X?
Wonder if they make them in single hook style.

You`ll get her next time,
Mike

[fishaholic18]

WOW PNG...I feel for ya.
Keep tryin' you'll get her.

[Pete_G]

Almost all Siwash hooks make me nervous, VMC included.

[ThrowingTimber]

I feel your pain trust me

[tlapinski]

i was amazed at my first straightened VMC. now i have a pile of them.

[John E]

PNG,

I feel for you buddy. Replace the hook and get back there on the next tide before she moves on out!

I agree with Slip about the hook. If the point sticks a bone and doesn't penetrate, it puts a tremendous amount of pressure on the bend of the hook. I've had it happen with small fish using jigs and wildeyes. The hooks literally fell out once you get them on the beach and the hook is mangled.

[rwilhelm]

That sinks! Were you using braid?

[Flaptail]

More Patience, less drag and somtimes your the windshield and sometimes your the bug. I had a tremendous bass on a few years back at Pole 85 on the canal on a humid overcast breaking west tide. The fish took a yellow 3-1/2 oz. Polaris, after screaming out a hundred yards or better of 30 mono off of the conventional and bringing me west 4 poles I got impatient and tried to turn the bitch. I felt the first hook go and lightened up but the damage was done and a minute later the second one went. I saw the fish take the plug and knew she was close to fifty. When I got the plug back to the end of the rod the 4/0 on the belly ( I always put a 4/0 on the bellies of the 3.5 Polaris) and the tail 3/0 had been bent out almost straight. I have taken two 45 pound fish from the canal. One on an eel and the other at pole 195 on the yellow polaris and even though the tide was running every bit as hard as it was when I lost that fish they did not fight anywhere near as hard or have the mass that the one I dropped had. I think about that fish all the time and curse myself for being so stupid as to have let the situation cause me to lose my patience. Now I take my time on any fish I feel is worthy of it.

[tlapinski]

sometimes you have to put the stop to a fish or lose it. that is why i straighten a lot of hooks.


i almost went swimming after a fish a few weeks back. i hooked her, she turned down current, and took off! i was about as deep as i could safely go when i had to tighten down. if i hadn't been alone i would have floated after her. figures my partner for that evening would sleep in and make me head out alone. the 44" i landed on the cast before this one came in pretty "easy".

[Mike P]

I haven't tried this with bigger VMC Siwash hooks, but in 6/0 and under I can compress the barbed section back towards the shank with my fingers. And I'm not the strongest guy in the world--far from it.

Stainless Mustads don't bend---they just break. Very brittle metal. If the shank doesn't go, the eye will.

Tinned Mustad Siwashes used to be good---haven't bought them in a few years. Their trebles have gone down the tubes, tho. Something to do with having to eliminate cadmium in the alloy used, or so I've been told

[Bliz]

C'mon Chris,

Put away the new Van Stahl Pliers you bought and leave the VMC's alone!

And for Pete's sake... stop making up such ridiculous stories!

[Plug]

I'm with Pete_G, give me an O'Shaunessy.

[PNG]

Thanks for the tips!

Using 30# pwrpro

Flap a very good piece you did in the latest "Gene Borque Quarterly"

A new hook, positive attitude, found the fishing zen and some revenge was exacted

37" under a full sun

[Christian]

nice plug, nice fish

[Backbeach Jake]

I would make a mini plaque and mount that hook in homage to "The Ones that Get Away".

[Mr. Sandman]

Let me guess....braid with a graphite rod.
You would be surprised how much pressure you can put on a hook with these new materials.

VMC are pretty strong too. I would bet it wasn't hooked but just hung by the tip into bone or something hard.

I have also stayed away from SS mustads for the last 10 years because of breakage but this winter bought a bunch and they must have changed their material slightly because they don't snap as easy any more. They will bend but it take some doing. I like them for tail hooks to tie bucktails and feathers on cause they don't rust, the VMS's rust bad after use. The SS's are a pain to sharpen though. BUT they are worth another look IMO.

I have a number of habs plugs that look fine but the VMC tail hook with nice bucktail is rotted, so I change them frequently or go stainless now. Also I find the coating VMS puts on comes off quick once you catch a few fish.

I think the answer is to easy up on the tension and let her run. But this could cause other problems....like rocks. Sometimes you have to stop them or loose them.

My brother lost a beast at the #^&#^&#^&#^&shoot and the hook looked just liked that upong return after a long battle....I mounted the hook and framed it for him for Xmas