I take back everything...

fishnfun · 04-15-2009, 05:04 PM

I have ever said about the biggest largemouth not fighting the best. Today I got my butt handed to me by a giant. I was throwing a jig alongside a dock when about two hops in it visibly shoots under the dock. I set the hook, knowing this was a pig, and the fight was on. I got the fish out from under the dock

and out into open water. He came up and splashed around a little and then went broadside, I just about lost it when I saw the size of the fish. It was at least 25 or 26 inches long, easily the biggest bass I have ever come upon.
This is when things started to go downhill for me, the fish shook its massive head and dove down once again. At this point I had pretty much lost all control of this fish and it was doing as it pleased. It decided to head back to the dock, it ripped out drag, got to the dock, did a little headshake thing and got off

This all happened with my heavy action flippin' stick and 16lb flouro, so I was really putting the pressure to this fish and it still beat me into submission. Oh well, cant get them all in...

Super Fluke · 04-15-2009, 05:12 PM

Oh well, cant get them all in...[/quote] I agree,but thats the one you wanted to get in

Seems like it always happens to the big ones!Thanks for the story.

Dave Smith · 04-15-2009, 05:16 PM

16 pound flouro??? I hate it when I'm right.........

flippinbaits · 04-15-2009, 05:50 PM

way to nab the fish...too bad on the fight. least you enjoyed it for the time

next time, tightening the drag down on the reel. that fish in open water wont break 16lb fluro.

good luck!

BlackBass · 04-15-2009, 06:27 PM

When im fishing heavy, flippin or pitching, i always tighten down the drag all the way! I very rarely have fish pull drag when im fishing heavy! Sounds like it was a hog, bummer deal on losing your personal best!

Dave Smith · 04-15-2009, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackBass

When im fishing heavy, flippin or pitching, i always tighten down the drag all the way! I very rarely have fish pull drag when im fishing heavy! Sounds like it was a hog, bummer deal on losing your personal best!

BlackBass is right. I am so sorry for your loss, but I say it over and over and every year: you need to gear up if you want to land big bass. Once in a while somebody gets lucky and lands one on light line and for whatever reason, that's what everyone remembers. If you read through the archives, there are countless sad stories similar to yours. Unfortunately, most are broken off. The problem with 16 pound flouro is, you can't set the hook hard enough to get the job done. You also can't tighten the drag down with that line like you need to. It's great that you didn't break her off. Let her sulk for a while, and then go catch her! She probably isn't going to fall for the same thing again, but she has to eat so another approach might get her and I hope it does. It's also great news that the body of water is capable of growing a gronk like that, so there are probably others. Good luck.
DS

fishnfun · 04-15-2009, 08:46 PM

Thanks for the support guys. I'm going this weekend with my senko rod to get it done.

hunter9 · 04-15-2009, 09:02 PM

GL fishfun

arkansasbasser · 04-15-2009, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Smith

The problem with 16 pound flouro is, you can't set the hook hard enough to get the job done. You also can't tighten the drag down with that line like you need to.

What do you recommend Dave? Braided?

flippinbaits · 04-15-2009, 10:31 PM

ds,

no disrespect, just another opinion. i personally feel that 16lb fluro is plentyl i feel that he just didn't have the drag set down tight enough. many of the BASS anglers and FLW fish 17lb fluro as leader and as there main line. it is plenty strong enough. specially sense you said it ran for deeper water. i feel u just need to tighten it.

fishermen need to adjust to their surroundings. if you are fishing heavy cover, go with a bigger line, maybe braid. if you have open water, fish ligther line as you will get more bites.

good luck

IslandBass · 04-15-2009, 11:09 PM

I'm with flippin baits. An increase of the drag setting should have sealed the deal. If it were a typical casting reel, it proabably has a max drag of say for arguement's sake, 10-12 lbs. Even at max setting, if the line were in good shape, there is no way 16# fc would break. In addition, I bet that the line's strength was probably underrated as many makers do, so its true breaking point might have been 20#.

Ex 6# Yozuri has a line strength of over 11 #.

Sorry about the loss. I'd still be dwelling on it if I were you.

Dave Smith · 04-16-2009, 06:27 AM

Well, those are both good points and another one, if I may argue against myself, too (lol!), is that one lost fish isn't a sure sign that something is wrong, especially since he didn't break it off.
I'll leave it at this, though: 16 lb flouro is great for 95% of the fish that you will hook, as long as it doesn't have a nick in it and it doesn't rake over rocks or brush. What's dissapointing, though, is hearing about these guys finally hooking the fish of their lifetime and then loosing them. It's gut-wrenching to read about and it happens every spring and it's so needless. Even those pros will admit they are NOT geared up for a 25 or 26 inch long bass.
DS

bad habit · 04-16-2009, 02:22 PM

95%.....thats pretty good odds. Then again that 1 lunker may reside in that other 5% it is possible that when this lunker dove under the dock that you may have knicked your line. one thing for certain-there is too many variables..... One should be prepare for it all. Out of MY 5 poles of death, I have light line , all the way up to 60#braid. Everything in the middle is usually10-15lb mono and/or flouro. then again when fishing in oregon,considering our state record is basically half of cali"s record bass, I would say heavy line isnt for big bass, but more for,logs,trees, dense weeds,etc.....

arkansasbasser · 04-18-2009, 06:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Smith

one lost fish isn't a sure sign that something is wrong, especially since he didn't break it off.

True. It happens. This fish simply came unbuckled. If he had been using well rope for line this could still happen. You can say he should have tightened the drag but then you risk him simply tearing away from the hook. A big fish can jet away ike a turbo-charged freight train. You can do things to tip the scales in your favor but no matter how well you balance the drag, line and rod, this is going to happen. It's one thing that keeps you going back.

Tar Heel · 04-19-2009, 01:24 AM

Yeah, but can you imagine if we were fishing around docks and brush piles for smallies with the 8 lb test most of us use? I'll take a 4lb smallie over a 5lb large mouth any day.