Re: YOUR STORY>>>The one that got away
JB, thats a Rockwell moment! You painted a perfect picture!<br /><br /><br />The biggest ones, are the ones you never see.<br /><br />I've lost what had to be at least a 5lb smallie. Was pulling to the bottom the whole time. Ten minutes, or at least it seemed, and had her under the boat, still fighting like no tomarrow. And then she was gone. Bring my line up, and half the spinner was still there. Pulled the wire free!<br /><br />Have had a number of times, where I have hooked into something big, on the river, just heads out like you're not even hooked. Can't turn their head. Snap. I always want to believe it was a muskie, but I'm sure a couple were huge snagged carp.<br /><br />My best one, was ice fishing Oneida Lake with my dad. I was in my early teens. Back then, they allowed 10 tip-ups each, and you can leave them in overnight. Fishing about a mile out from the east end of the lake. About 25' of water. In those days, people even drove their cars on the ice. After getting back out on a Sunday AM, we started to check our tip-ups, and rebait. I of course go to flags first. My first flag, I could barely pull the tip-up out of the hole. The line was out at an angle and very taught. We used this very heavy green dacron, probably 100lb test, 50lb mono leader. My dad didn't fool around with finesse stuff! Anyway, my dad comes over, and we both pull on the line, just trying to get the line clear of the snag. Finally it breaks free. But there is still a very heavy weight on it, like we are bringing up a waterlogged fence post or an anchor. We get it all the way up to the hole, and out. Caught my first ice chisel! The fish had wrapped the line around the pipe, numerous times, and then bent the hook straight out. I still have that ice chisel, (used it twice this year) but always wish I had the fish, instead!
