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fishingkid · Joined: 04 May 2011 Posts: 340

Tonight I was fishing near the mouth of a small tidal river with bunker chunks and plugs. When it was dark, I casted out a bunker head, and a few minuets later my rod bends and my drag goes zzzzziiiiipppp. I set the hook on the thing, and I knew it would be big. It starts running like no tommorow. Thing almost spooled me. I go down on some rocks so I could land it, but it just kept running. At one point it stopped running for the most part, and I think it got stuck in some ropes and buoys across the river, as I could only retrieve a certain amount of line. I could still feel it's large weight, and then- Pop. It breaks me off. It would have been my first keeper, and it felt really big. I wish I had kept it away from the ropes Mad

. And a little while after that, I hooked into another bass off a bomber. If it wasn't a keeper, it was close to being one. When I get down to land it, I tighten up the drag too much, and my in-a-hurry knot I tied at the end of the leader popped. I lost the fish and my favorite bomber. So tonight, I missed a huge Striper ,a smaller striper and my favorite lure. But I have learned some lessons from this, and this will NOT happen again Wink

Steak And Eggs · Joined: 17 Apr 2012 Posts: 38

it's happened to all of us, and sometimes that's just what it takes to be sure and double/triple check them knots. Smile

sad to hear it, but hey, at least ya hooked up on something. I caught a crab yesterday...

Redneckangler · Joined: 05 May 2012 Posts: 851 Location: Meriden, CT

You will lose stripers for the rest of your life, but that and the ones you catch are what keep you coming back for more! Smile

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fishfinder · Joined: 19 Jun 2011 Posts: 1672 Location: Naugatuck, Ct.

Its the main reason I switched to brais so I can load up my spool with stronger line and much more of it!
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Redneckangler · Joined: 05 May 2012 Posts: 851 Location: Meriden, CT

I always run a length of heavy fluoro leader attached to my braid with an albright knot. http://www.animatedknots.com/indexfishing.php?LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com (wrap with your thinner braid around teh fluoro loop) and the Tactical Angler quick clips http://www.tacticalanglers.com/products.html. I often crimp a loop in the leader to the TA clip to eliminate a bulky knot. I carry a bunch of leaders in 5-6' sections pre-crimped on one end in ziploc baggies to quickly re-tie if one gets frayed, etc. Of course, sometimes the fish still wins the battle!
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RNA - It's in my blood.
www.redneckangler.com
Facebook @ TheRedneckangler
Weekly reports from around CT, the LIS and beyond.

ripline · Joined: 26 Feb 2012 Posts: 121 Location: Shelton

Too bad the big ones got away but honestly, very often those are the ones that make the best story. I remember many of the fish I never even saw because of how hard they fought and what they taught me.

One tip about your drag. If you are going to touch it at all, loosen it when you go to land a big fish. As you learned, it is often on those the final thrashes that they pop off or snap the line. Loosening it when they are tired will help you land the fish even it you have a nicked leader, the hook is starting to pull out, etc. They aren't going very far when exhausted anyway.

You'll land them next time!

ctfish84 · Joined: 17 Jun 2011 Posts: 4

that stink man,but thats what keeps us coming back.u will get him

fishfinder · Joined: 19 Jun 2011 Posts: 1672 Location: Naugatuck, Ct.

I also use heavy flouro leaders!
_________________
There's a fine line between fishing....

and standing on the shore like an idiot!