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Posts: 252
| Two days ago, I was fishing alone and had tied my boat to the bank to fish in slow river current. A fish that I had caught and released back in early December smashed my lure about 30 feet out from my boat. It was one of those hits that I love when all of the slack goes out of your line and then a really hard yank. I fought that fish up to the boat 4 times and as I slipped my landing net under her she made a lunge, swung her head around and got the lure hung in my net. The lure was hanging on my net as she straightened out, porpoised the back end of her body out of my net, and slowly floated out of reach.
I was so completely mentally and physically messed up over losing that 50 inch fish, that I barely remember landing a 40 incher about an hour later. In fact, I can remember the fight of the one that got away move for move, but I can barely remember the one that I caught.
Anyone else remember the ones that got away better than the ones that didn't?
Losing that fish really beat me up and I doubt that I'm going to forget it any time soon... |
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Posts: 8782
| Yes, and yes. We had a day some years back where I raised the biggest fish I had ever seen, the kind that make you stop breathing. Fish didn't even try to eat, but just the sight of it had me all messed up. On to another spot where I've seen, missed, lost and or messed up at least half a dozen fish that were all blondies. We get there, the wind is perfect. 10-15 SW wind, been that way for two days straight. Not another boat in sight. I throw the perfect cast, right between two boulders, bring my bait back over the ledge into about 10 FOW. Just as I'm thinking "crap, I was sure that was going to be the cast." The lure stops. I set the hook, fish doesn't even budge. Just like setting the hook on a rock or a log, but I know there's nothing to snag there. "GOT 'EM!" Fish had other plans. Swam right at me. All I could do was reel as fast as possible trying to catch up, thinking about what's about to happen when the fish goes under the boat. It did. And it came off. Later that day on another big fish spot, I raise another fish. All of about 35"... I didn't even try to catch it. I swore at it. A lot. Told it to go get it's mother.
Not my best day... |
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Posts: 20219
Location: oswego, il | The one I will always remember was the last musky my grandfather ever hooked. It was around 52". He hooked it on a bass crankbait. He thought he was snagged so I went up by shore only to have the fish wrap the line around the lower unit. I freed it and the fish was still on. I know fish are stupid but his one didn't act like it. When it rested it did so away from the boat and never presented it's head to the net. I tried once tail first and it shot like a rocket as I would have to trolling motor to chase down the fish at rest. It stayed head lower than the tail. When it did take back off once I caught up it would continually try and wrap the trolling motor or outboard to the point I had to watch my approach to the fish. It finally got the trolling motor and when I freed it the leader material broke when the rod loaded back up.. Was a huge let down. At least the musky was not badly hooked. The bait was outside. |
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Posts: 1209
| Yes I have one that haunts me more than most I have caught brings joy. Fishing alone working my lure I saw a "big" musky pass under my lure at say 25' out, I kept on my retrieve and it struck about 15' out, after a short battle the fish was parallel to my boat at the surface, me knowing it can't be done played it cool twice as it made huge runs, on the third approach I bent over to grab the net and failed to hold enough tension. As the fish swam away I was heartbroken and will never forget. This fish is the one we all chase, I know it appeared 56-57"x27-29". (I don't care what is said, I know it was a true monster. I must admit I haven't girthed many muskies but looking at some mounted fish with girth like that is the only way to relate to it. It was not a skinny fish) |
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Posts: 343
| I can remember all the details on the biggest muskie I ever hooked. I was fishing a southern US lake, with little success. I made a cast and almost had the lure back in when my bait just stopped like I had hooked a big rock. I thought I was snagged and zanked on the lure a couple times trying to free my bait. Suddenly my rodtip was zanked into the water and line started to fly off my reel even though the drag was locked down. The fish headed towards some submerged trees close to 75 yards away, I put as much pressure on the fish as I could hoping to turn it. Just before it achieved its goal it stopped. I was pleasantly surprised and quickly started to work the fish back towards me. Just when it appeared I might get it close enough to land, it turned around and took off towards the trees again. Again I stopped it just short of the trees. The fish started to come in again, and about halfway in came up and rolled on the surface, which caused the lure to pop free and it was gone. I've never had a muskie pull that hard and run so far even once, let alone two times. It has been 15 years since the incident and I still can remember the details like it happened yesterday. I got a decent look at the fish and it would have been over 54 to possibly 56 inches and had a heavy girth and was yellowish in color, a giant by southern muskie standards. I still have an occasional dream (nightmare) about that fish. |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | saw a meltdown on a queen once ... still feel bad for the guy ... |
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Posts: 164
| I had an experience like that back in October, still get a little sick to my stomach when I think about it. I was fishing alone on a cold day in October and after toying with a 40 inch fish for a few casts I threw a cast out to the deep hole off the structure fish hit I set the hook and expected the 40 incher to be on the line. When she got to the boat I was almost in shock at what was on my bait. Would of been my biggest for sure and well over 50 with very nice girth. I had 4 chances with the net and a lot of my own errors I couldn't get her. I have never seen so many ferocious head shakes in my life. I lost the battle but I have her address. I couldn't fish or move for a good half hour afterwards and ended the day with catching the smallest musky I ever caught 31 inches. I have made progress in my recovery but she still haunts me from time to time.
Edited by colinj8899 3/27/2019 9:48 PM
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Posts: 8782
| jonnysled - 3/27/2019 7:47 PM
saw a meltdown on a queen once ... still feel bad for the guy ...
Had my share of those. Think I might have scared a few guys outta my boat forever. Might have scared my wife outta the boat once too when she said "what happened?"
I said "I lost the MOTHER%*^ FISH!! WHAT THE F DO YOU THINK JUST HAPPENED?!?"
This was shortly after she scared away the biggest fish I have seen in 18 years fishing Eagle Lake. It wasn't her fault. I mean it WAS. She started yelling and jumping up and down in the boat... "You got her, baby! You got her!!" Fish left a cloud of #*#* in the water right in front of me, and that one was comin' to eat.
I taught her everything I could think of except "don't make a lot of movement or noise or you'll scare the fish away."
My fault too...
I'm over the meltdowns. If I blew it, well, I f-ed up. Fish got off? Well, they DO do that. Shoulda coulda woulda...
Never know what the next cast will bring.... |
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Posts: 1760
Location: new richmond, wi. & isle, mn | Been involved with some true Queens in the boat. But it's funny that the fish that were lost in my network of friends are the memories that get brought up way more often then the success stories. I think the speculatory "what ifs" stand the test of time in our group at "cocktail thirty" and are what keeps our drive. Many were painful at the time, but truly after close to forty years of this game with friends, the memories and friendships are what truly matter. |
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Posts: 427
| I got a rod snagged while trolling before I got the boat stopped the other rod slowly bent and the drag went out as slow as I was moving. Great Now both rods are hung up. I went for the first rod that was snagged and started to back up on the snag. As I looked at the other rod I notice that the line is slack. Got a break I figured at least that one floated free. After I freed the hung up bait I started to reel in the other rod and realized the line was ahead of the boat. As I put a little pressure on the bait a huge fish surfaced and threw my "hung up" bait back at me. I still remember that hawg jumping and throwing my bait every time I troll past that spot. And that was 25 yrs ago.
Edited by 7ovr50 3/28/2019 4:01 AM
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Posts: 1416
Location: oconomowoc, wi | jonnysled - 3/27/2019 7:47 PM
saw a meltdown on a queen once ... still feel bad for the guy ...
which bar? Thirsty Whale? |
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Posts: 166
Location: Cedarburg, WI. | LotW 3 years ago.. My dad raised a monster up from the depths on a shallow invader off a reef. It followed super low and lazy, he got it to make 2 very lazy turns in the 8. Then it just slowly sank down out of sight. Maybe 3-4 min later my dad yells out WTF!?! from the back of the boat. I head back there to see the same fish just staring at the slow turning propeller of the outboard. Dropped a smaller bucktail in the water and tried to get her re-interested with no such luck.
The whole sequence was just strange. After seeing several mid to upper 40's in the water and in the net over the years this was the biggest fish i have ever seen by a long shot.
It really is a sobering thought to know i may never see another fish that big in my lifetime. On the flip side the thought of a fish like that will keep me grinding water for years to come and i'm truly thankful for the opportunity to see a real Canadian monster in the flesh. |
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Posts: 164
| Slopski - 3/28/2019 12:26 PM
LotW 3 years ago.. My dad raised a monster up from the depths on a shallow invader off a reef. It followed super low and lazy, he got it to make 2 very lazy turns in the 8. Then it just slowly sank down out of sight. Maybe 3-4 min later my dad yells out WTF!?! from the back of the boat. I head back there to see the same fish just staring at the slow turning propeller of the outboard. Dropped a smaller bucktail in the water and tried to get her re-interested with no such luck.
The whole sequence was just strange. After seeing several mid to upper 40's in the water and in the net over the years this was the biggest fish i have ever seen by a long shot.
It really is a sobering thought to know i may never see another fish that big in my lifetime. On the flip side the thought of a fish like that will keep me grinding water for years to come and i'm truly thankful for the opportunity to see a real Canadian monster in the flesh.
Had a similar situation this year. I was casting on my front deck and looked down at my graph I noticed a huge fish on my graph under the boat. I look down and before I know it the fish came to the surface. This wasn't a monster but a low to mid 40s fish and he literally was hypnotized by my propeller on my bow mount trolling motor. He stayed with it for a good minute or two. I was enjoying the unique experience and never put a bait in front of his face and he eventually swam back down to his hole.
Edited by colinj8899 3/28/2019 6:27 PM
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Posts: 239
Location: Elroy, Wisconsin | After doing this for 60 years, yes sixty, last Oct. lost a really big girl 53+ at the net for a friend. I,ll call my friend Flash, always neat as a pin. Anyway I trolled to a spot and caught a 47 myself. Wanting to show my buddy how good fall trolling can be, I said the next one is yours. The next hit was again on my rod, but Flash took over. He is one good fisherman period, played the big girl well. She would not cpme up witch is always a good sign.
She was a foot under water but I had a shot at the head and took it. lure and fish hooked on far sige of net so I couldn't roll the net. Lifted her up, my God she was huge. Tried to move her toward the boat. Grab the tail. She flopped and was gone. Only big fish I have lost at the net in all these tears
I have caught quite a few 50's she was bigger than anything in my boat, I t have bee a personal best for Flashand he has several 50's to his credit. All I could do was say how sorry I was for going with the net too early. I appolagized several times but it didn't make it any better. Big, I dfon't know 6 to 10 inches bigger than the 47 we did boat. I think about that girl every single day. I know where she but.....
Mudpuppy
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Posts: 1516
| Was fishing with my then son in law and he had been struggling all week so he finally hooks up a really nice fish he gets it boat side and I get a little quick on the draw with the net and hit the fish with the net and of course that caused the fish to escape. Now he was not happy with me. I still feel bad about it and if happened 6 or 8 years ago. |
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Posts: 212
| I remember one time on Presque Isle Lake, we drifted around a point and I heard a guy on the shoreline mowing his grass listening to the Wisconsin Badger football game. All of a sudden he jumped of his mower and start screaming at these guys in a boat that they stole his fish... So weird...
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