Heartbreak

[Terry Heydt]

Went to the local "small-town" resevoir with the wife tonight. This is where I hooked on her bass fishing years ago. No longer stocked with anything (this is PA, remember), and the typical fisherman here has corn dangling under a bobber. Just a night out together. Grabbed the light setup with the 6-lb Trilene, and flipped a PowerCraw to a newly fallen tree extending out into the riprap end of the resevoir. "Plunk", perfect drop right in a little pocket on the deep side. "Thud". Hmmm.... Picked up the line - "THUD-D-D" Set the hook into the largest largemout I have ever seen on this tiny little impoundment. Played for about 5 minutes, and had him right up to the edge of the water...on the riprap where I was standing. Reached down s-l-o-w-l-y so as not to startle him into a run. A quick shake on the rocks, and I watched as my PowerCraw floated slowly up to the surface. Shaved my line just as I was about to grab that big ole' lower lip. Coulda swore I heard him chuckling as he slowly swam away. Argh! A bass this size on a local LAKE would have been a sweet catch. Only consolation was, they don't grow that big by eating just any old thing. Obviously doing something right. (Of course, the 6-lb Trilene came off as soon as we got home...)

 

[Andrew Zuber]

bummer!!!

but, just like I tell my 12 year-old...

If you fish, you're gonna lose some big 'uns!!!



better luck next time!!!



az

 

[TOMMY RICH]

OOOooohhhh how I know that feeling. I was at Dale Hollow back in April and lost what was definitely the biggest smallmouth of my life. I was using a Bandit 200 in Redcraw and cast it across a good lookin' clay point and WHAM...the fight was on. Now let me tell ya'...when ya' know it's a good fish on a crankbait with small trebles...ya' start sweatin' a little. Well I got to see it come to the top and go straight down. I was nearly havin' a heart attack...she made one good run at the boat and I tried to catch up(which is why I only use high speed reels for that reason) to no avail...the line went limp...and so did I. I'm not exagerating when I say that she would have probably went at least 7 lbs. Well when you lose your big one and most everyone caught at least a 5...they definitely rubbed it in a little(which I don't mind..do it myself). So I learned a little lesson...goin' to buy me a 7 foot light action rod to take the shock up a little when they decide to make a run. There's more people "heart brokin'" by losin' them right at the boat. My wife is learnin' that quickly...when they're "green"...you better play em'!

TEE

 

[Bill Hamilton]

Gee guys - I thought it was always the Heartbreak of psoriasis. Isn't that what the commerical says?



Seriously though, had many similar situations, one with a major large striper at Anna. Unfortunately, it wasn't because of line breaking but because I didn't tie a decent knot and it came out. Now that was a real bummer since I had no one to fault except myself.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

TEE,



Gotta be careful though....too much "playin" with them is dangerous for the fish's health (if you plan to c&r). Case in point, I had a 4lb lg. mouth slam me at the boat while I was in WI. Since it was right at the boat my internal "play time" clock was a little off. Like you said green at the boat is a good recipie for losing a good fish, so I pulled a Bill Dance on her and swept the rod a few times before attempting to land her. Lipper her (flippin and floppin) pulled her into the boat, had a good hookset in the top of the mouth, unhooked her and promptly put her back (gently with some reviving), she went down and promptly floated belly up. I tried reviving agagin, same thing. Fish looked very healthy so she was on the menu that night, I won't waste them. Funny thing is that I never over work a fish but I had this happen more than once in WI. Guess they need to feed those fish a little cheese and Miller beer!! Moral of the story is just to try not to overplay them. That is why the pro's use such heavy line and you see them ski them to the boat...they don't lose em and they come in without that lactic acid buildup that can kill them in the well.



TOXIC

 

[Michael S]

My dad and I where fishing a couple of weekends ago and he had about a 4.5lb bass on spinner bait. And he did what I like to call "Bill Dancein" which in my book is showboating.

And that bass came out of the water and spit that spinner bait right back at him. I rode him hard the rest of the weekend about that.

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Depends...I'll play a smally a lot more than a LM. I think there's a few on this board that will concur on smallies. I have never had a smally that didn't fair well after a long fight. True you DON'T want to do the Bill Dance thing(I always thought that was a bunch of hooey playin' them like he does) but, I think smallies have a little different attitude about boats especially.

TEE

 

[Michael S]

Could be right I was talking about LM in my post. I don't get the chance to hook into many small mouths in South Texas and South Louisiana.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

I don't get to fish for lake smallies all that much but fished river smallies very hard for 5 years straight (3-4 days a week) and could count the fish I lost (dead) on both hands, so you might be right. And most of those were from me not paying attention and gut-hooking them (hey, it happens!!) I know Rob doesn't like to play them out but those are lake smallies. Just because they fight harder, doesn't mean that they don't have the same problems... but if they aren't floating up on you, then you are doing it right!!



TOXIC

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Oh man...you have got to do it Jimbob! Me and Simnitro may be hookin' up in October at the Holler...ya' otta' come!

I'll take a 4 lb.smallmouth and tie it to the a$$ of a 6 lb. LM and would bet the LM will drown!

TEE

 

[Michael S]

Yeah thats what i keep hearing about the Small Mouths. Down here we have red fish that fight like you wouldn't believe, in our bays and marshes.