NY Bowhunter

Well it's one of those we'll never know stories. Went trolling last night with a buddy. We were out on one of the finger lakes here in NY. Trolling along and BAM one of the rods released. This thing hit it so dang hard you could here the whiplash of the pole straightening when it came unbent.
My buddy grabs the rod and the thing is already screaming drag. I get the other rods up and in the boat. The time it took me to get the other 3 in the boat, this fish hasn't let up a bit. I throw the boat in nuetral. My buddy is over halfway spooled by now. He's just holding the rod straight up letting this thing run. He tightened the drag just a touch to slow down how much was going out. We figured he'd spool him in no time if he didn't. A little worried about snapping it, but not many options at that point that I could think of. (maybe put it in reverse and chase it?) Oh well didn't think of that at the time. Anyway that kinda worked. The fish was still taking drag, but not near as fast as before.
Here's the freaky part and this is no lie. With more tension on the line now, this thing actually started moving the boat while taking drag!!! We figured we only had about 100 feet left on the reel. Just about the time i headed for the wheel to put it in reverse, everything went quiet. No more tension, no more drag, and no more fish.
Talk about a dejected moment!! We just sat back and bobbed around aimlessly having a beer. After the sting wore off a little he reeled in the line and the lure was still there. Slightly modified but still there. No line snap, but the 3 trebble hooks were ripped out of it and the thing was mangled. One of the more remarkable things I've witnessed trolling. My only thoughts are it could have been a gigantic Laker. About the only thing in this lake that could get that big. The lake consists of Lakers, Rainbows, Browns (get really big here for browns), Northerns, Walleye, Bass, and panfish. Or maybe something that shouldn't be down there? I don't know and we'll never know, but it was wild!! Bummer but it was cool.

Carpmaster

never heard of a laker fighting that hard....even a big one, could it have been a large muskie maybe?????? Sounds like heck of a fish though!!! We hook large steelhead everyyear on lake michigan that really kick our butts, they are fun to fight as long as you can keep them on!!!!

NY Bowhunter

me either. Even the ones in the 15-18 pound range that we've caught over the years come in like a big ole log until they get to the boat. No muskies in the lake I was in. I haven't the foggiest what it was. Maybe a scuba diver?

Carpmaster

Maybe!!!!!!DAd caught a 31# laker on lake mich one day here bout 5 years ago and that thing was a wimp. The only fish I have ever seen strip lots of line like that is steelies and permit in the gulf.

farmcntry

ROFLMBO!

Maybe it was a good thing you didn't get it in....remember Lake Placid?

ZebcoMan33

That was a cool movie, I've never heard of a fish taking off all the hooks without breaking the line, sounds a little unrealistic without snapping the line and takeing your bait. I never could have caught a fish like that with the gear I have right now. Sucks that you didn't get the fish though. Maybe next time!!!

PointingLab

Maybe Bigfoot can swim.........

NY Bowhunter

LMAO that's it!!!!!!!! Hey farmcntry we have an aquatic bigfoot up here.

exactly what we thought when we saw it. I e-mailed the company that manufactures these magical weapons and asked them what the deal is. Waiting to hear back from them. Definitely strange.

farmcntry

Getting the jon boat ready for camo as we speak!

justhrowit

sounds like a big perch or maybe a monster bluegill!!!!!!!! Just never know. Been there a couple times. Nothing worse than loosing one you KNOW is big. It will deffinately fire you up for goimg out more though. Better luck next time.

Jay