OMG it was so big. But I need a suggestion.

[mogfisher]

Hey guys. My buddy and I had one of the best nights of fishing we'd had in a long time last night. We left the dock about 6pm. By 8 we had around 15 bass between us ranging from 2 to 4 pounds. Not bad. Especially for us!

I run 12 lb line and the 4 pounders would take some line when they ran but the smaller ones usually didnt take much at all. Well, towards the end of the night at about 10 the fish had stopped biting as much and I threw on my "what do you think your gonna catch with that stupid thing" bait. It is a very large Senko. Not sure what size but it's big. Well, after about 3 or 4 casts I get a bite that scared me. My pole bent hard and it was pulling line like the bail was open. Then I lost it. He must have spit it. So I tried again. About 3 more casts about 100 yards away from the first bite I get the same thing. This time I gave it a good hard hook set with my thumb on the spool to get it good and hooked. Then I wrestled the thing for another 20 or so seconds. Same thing. It was pulling hard and taking a lot of line. Then my line snapped. I was so angry I cant express it here.

Come to find out, this lake has been recently stocked with Pike. I did not know they were in there but apparently so. I'm thinking that it must have been what I latched on to and maybe the line snapped on his teeth. There were no weeds in the area but some rocks probably. The line was not damaged or visibly chaffed by rocks.

So how am I going to land this thing? I dont want to put on a steel leader because I'm afraid it will destroy the action of the Senko. I plan to put on some aggressive braid for my next attempt but I've had pickerel chew through that so I need a leader of some sort. Does anyone have any suggestions for me? Thanks!

Adam

 

[j_martin]

Re: OMG it was so big. But I need a suggestion.

Hey guys. My buddy and I had one of the best nights of fishing we'd had in a long time last night. We left the dock about 6pm. By 8 we had around 15 bass between us ranging from 2 to 4 pounds. Not bad. Especially for us!

I run 12 lb line and the 4 pounders would take some line when they ran but the smaller ones usually didnt take much at all. Well, towards the end of the night at about 10 the fish had stopped biting as much and I threw on my "what do you think your gonna catch with that stupid thing" bait. It is a very large Senko. Not sure what size but it's big. Well, after about 3 or 4 casts I get a bite that scared me. My pole bent hard and it was pulling line like the bail was open. Then I lost it. He must have spit it. So I tried again. About 3 more casts about 100 yards away from the first bite I get the same thing. This time I gave it a good hard hook set with my thumb on the spool to get it good and hooked. Then I wrestled the thing for another 20 or so seconds. Same thing. It was pulling hard and taking a lot of line. Then my line snapped. I was so angry I cant express it here.

Come to find out, this lake has been recently stocked with Pike. I did not know they were in there but apparently so. I'm thinking that it must have been what I latched on to and maybe the line snapped on his teeth. There were no weeds in the area but some rocks probably. The line was not damaged or visibly chaffed by rocks.

So how am I going to land this thing? I dont want to put on a steel leader because I'm afraid it will destroy the action of the Senko. I plan to put on some aggressive braid for my next attempt but I've had pickerel chew through that so I need a leader of some sort. Does anyone have any suggestions for me? Thanks!

Adam

Use 20 or 30 lb firewire, and a pole with a medium heavy to heavy action. It works pretty good for horsing big bass out of the lily pads too.

20 lb firewire will cast and look like 6 lb mono. 30 lb is about like 8. It's pretty amazing stuff. It'll still cut on teeth, but not near as easily, and you will probably gain a little action on the salt worm.

 

[Peteypablo]

Re: OMG it was so big. But I need a suggestion.

If by firewire you mean braided line then I agree....I use braided line on all my poles..a bit more expensive but well worth it as it hardly EVER breaks and I never lose lures on snags and such...I usually bite my regular line after tying a knot and with this braided line I need to use a knife cause I cant bit through it...So I would recommend that to at least help with the pikes teeth...and keep the "action" in your lures at the same time...I use spyderwire..Hope this helps

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: OMG it was so big. But I need a suggestion.

If you are *targeting* the pike, steel leaders are tougher than braided or mono. But I fish a lot for walleye and don't really like steel leaders as it seems to lower my catch rate, but we have boated a number of pike and an occasional smallmouth while walleye fishing. Sometimes you can net a pike without a steel leader, or they release themselves- sometimes a bonus!

 

[gonefishie]

Re: OMG it was so big. But I need a suggestion.

Use it with a circle hook, hook set not necessary, just pull back the rod and start reeling. It will hook in the corner of the mouth so less chance of the line/teeth contact. Back off the drag and let it wear itself down since you don't have heavy cover to worry about. Unless you're equipped to do so, NEVER horse a big fish.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: OMG it was so big. But I need a suggestion.

Got any Bowfin in your area? Sounds like a Bowfin strike.

Depending on how fast you were reeling it might have been a pike. We have a saying while Bass fishing...... if you catch a Pike you were reeling in too fast.

 

[mogfisher]

Re: OMG it was so big. But I need a suggestion.

That's interesting about the reeling speed. I fish senkos super slow actually. I let them fall, sit for about 10 or so seconds, pick it up and maybe 2 turns with the reel and let it fall again. Sometimes I just give it a little twitch. I hop it back to the boat like this most of the time. This time I picked it up to hop it back and there it was.

Whats a bowfin? I'll have to google it. I'm in southern NH. Dont know if we have those. Never heard of em. I did catch a beautifully colored pickerel earlier in the day. Maybe a little Pike. I didn't really give it a second look since I didn't know pike were possible in this lake.

The braid I have is Suffix and I'm going to try that next time. I'll also try the circle hooks. I have some of those in the box so I'll give it a shot. We'll see. I'd have loved to at least gotten a look at this thing. maybe I'll get my chance. Thanks for the help. I'll get back to you if I land it!

 

[TerryMSU]

Re: OMG it was so big. But I need a suggestion.

That's interesting about the reeling speed. I fish senkos super slow actually. I let them fall, sit for about 10 or so seconds, pick it up and maybe 2 turns with the reel and let it fall again. Sometimes I just give it a little twitch. I hop it back to the boat like this most of the time. This time I picked it up to hop it back and there it was.

Whats a bowfin? I'll have to google it. I'm in southern NH. Dont know if we have those. Never heard of em. I did catch a beautifully colored pickerel earlier in the day. Maybe a little Pike. I didn't really give it a second look since I didn't know pike were possible in this lake.

The braid I have is Suffix and I'm going to try that next time. I'll also try the circle hooks. I have some of those in the box so I'll give it a shot. We'll see. I'd have loved to at least gotten a look at this thing. maybe I'll get my chance. Thanks for the help. I'll get back to you if I land it!

Bowfin = dogfish = lawyer. I caught my first one just 3 days ago. Your description could be a dogfish. They do hit hard and can be hard on line.

TerryMSU

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: OMG it was so big. But I need a suggestion.

Great suggestions, I'd use fireline and a steel leader since I hate line snaps.

It sure sounds like either a pike or bowfin. You'll know if you even get a glimpse as they are very different in appearance.

Watch the teeth on it either way, those dogfish bite like a doberman

 

[scipper77]

Re: OMG it was so big. But I need a suggestion.

Since we are speculating it could also have been a Gar. They have VERY bony mouths and are hard to set the hook on.

 

[gonefishie]

Re: OMG it was so big. But I need a suggestion.

You guys have gars up there?

 

[Woodstock60]

Re: OMG it was so big. But I need a suggestion.

Well I have to say that if they "recently" stocked pike They would probably be rather small, It would take a pike 5 or 6 years to reach the 10 to 12 pound range, and pike rarely feed actively at night. Quag

 

[scipper77]

Re: OMG it was so big. But I need a suggestion.

You guys have gars up there?

I don't know where in NH the OP is, but we have gar here in NY. I've never caught one but I want one bad. Most fisherman regard them as garbage fish, but to me it's the #1 fish in my area that I have never got and want. They are beautiful fish in my opinion.

Stole these photo's off the web from a local site. Don't now the guy in the pictures.

 

[rjn cajun]

Re: OMG it was so big. But I need a suggestion.

I agree with the braided line 30 to 40 and if it breaks that I`d get off the water quick. I don`t know where you live either but it sounds like a gar. I`ve caught plenty of pike and never had them break my line and I use 12lbs mono on all but three reels. Hate them pike. But maybe it was a biggin.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: OMG it was so big. But I need a suggestion.

Yes, Lake Champlain has Gar and I had a friend catch one on a foul hook a few years ago...... quite the fighter.

AND

Yes NH has Bowfin

 

[Bass2Reds]

Re: OMG it was so big. But I need a suggestion.

A line setup can never be judged by what it says on the box. A lot of things come into play with that. If you are fishing around rocks you don't want braid what-so-ever. I can't begin to tell you how many times I've had braid break on rocks. This is because of braids diameter. What I've used to wrestle in all my big fish and even 8 + foot gators is spiderwire 20 pound stealth, but your line strength lies in the 24 inches from the bait up, and in the knots you tie. (Even 100lb line won't last with bad knots) I usually use florocarbon leader line. (especially with fish that have teeth) I use 50 lb to my 20lb braid. Gives you a hell of a smooth cast as well. The two things you need to be sure of in this situation is your leader line with-standing teeth/rocks , and Your Knots! Oh and don't wrestle the fish in like you're a world beater, take you're time, and let the fish take line if he wants it. (Adjust your drag accordingly) Go back out there and get em'.

 

[Wingedwheel]

Re: OMG it was so big. But I need a suggestion.

Nice needle-nose Gar. I used to catch quite a few when I lived down south. I've also seen an Alligator Gar that I'm sure would have gone 40-50 lbs pulled out of a lake in LA. The'll eat dead or live bait on a bobber and are a riot to catch, just hard as hell to hook, When the bass and Walleye fishing is slow here I always throw a spinner for pike. The spinner helps keep the teeth off the line and a big one is fun to play with. Last year in a Bass tourney the darn things kept hitting my plastics and as soon as I would set the hook the line was cut. That was a little aggravating.

 

[evinice66]

Re: OMG it was so big. But I need a suggestion.

just use 6 pound FIRELINE CRYSTAL, take it from me thats all youll need. dont use bigger pound test because you cant cast as far!!! fireline crystal is the only one that will not spook fish in the daylight so then you can use it for other things too. dont need 20 pound test because that is way too much.
northerns do bite at night and thats when we get the big ones too.
good luck man! EDIT ::: TIE THE POLOMAR KNOT!!! THATS THE ONLY KNOT THAT WORKS WITH BRAID!!!!! OTHERWISE IT WILL SLIP

 

[muskie hunter]

Re: OMG it was so big. But I need a suggestion.

I fish for muskie in Ohio. The only line I use is 80 pound power pro line. trust me you could load your boat on the trailer with this stuff. Its kinda pricy though.

 

[gonfishn]

Re: OMG it was so big. But I need a suggestion.

Hey Muskie Hunter. From Ohio here to. Fish Alum,Piedmont and a few others. We probably know each other. Power pro is the only way to go. If ya hook em there yours unless your netter gets to excited. What ever took a hankering to your line was big and had some teeth to.