Fish that got away 8/27/2006

[Fishing machine]

Took my two brothers out catfishing Sunday morning. ( neither one of them fish ) We were there less than 15 minutes and I told John to grab the back rod. As soon as he took hold of it I herd the drag singing I knew he had a big fish on. After fighting the fish for 5 minutes or so I pulled up the anchor and the fight was on. I've caught and had some big catfish on but nothing like this one. That fish pulled my pantoon boat all over the lake. After about 45 minutes on fighing, John handed me the rod so he could rest a little. I couldn't believe how strong this fish was. After about ten minutes, John took back his fish, ( or thought ) and battled it for another 30 or 40 minutes, but still couldn't do anything with it. He handed me the rod again and I fought it for a while. After all of this, we battled this fish for 1 hour and 58 minutes only to see the line brake and the fish get away. I don't know how big this fish was but it had to be one of those that would go over 75 lbs. or more. We never could get any control on this fish. I've allways used 20 lb. test line on my reels so I can enjoy the fight but I don't like loosing the fight.
I use two spinning and one casting outfits, what kind of line would yall recommend.

 

[drc]

RE: Fish that got away

People give me funny looks, but I use 80lb braid (power pro) and have only been broke off once in three years. You'll get those big fish in the boat faster to (less stress and faster recovery).

 

[rsimms]

I use 50-lb. braid... 40 lb. Ande leader. Sometimes wonder however if I need to "size up" like drc. But I'm trying to hit a happy medium so folks can still have some fun catching smaller fish... yet not be in a mad panic when they do stick a horse. Wow! 1 hour 58... and then a line break. Now that is a heartbreaker. emoBang

 

[flip1up]

RE: Fish that got away

I have always used only mono line. This year, after some prodding from folks like 2jigs, I have slowly started changing over to braided lines. I would suggest Power Pro 65 pound test braid for these big Cats in deep water. If your using circle hooks, just a slow, steady raise of the rod upwards and the fish is hooked. Theres no stretch in the line, so you get a good solid feel of the fish immediatly. I will probably have all my baitcasters spooled with braid very soon. The only thing I dont like about it is that I cant see it very well and I'm kinda lost, being a line watcher.

A couple of questions for you guys that use braided line. 1) Is there a braid that can be seen under a black light? Its pretty expensive stuff and I would hate to have to change out line so much. 2) Is there any particular brand that is easier to see in the daytime?

Get some of this stuff, try it out once, you may be like me and see a pretty significant advantage to using it. If you dont like it go back to mono, but for that type of fishing, I would go way up in line size.

 

[flip1up]

I didnt see RSimms and drcs post before I started writing. These guys are experts on big Cats so I would think that their suggestions are tested over time and very good to follow. I fish for Bass quite a bit too so I am trying to put line sizes on my reels that will work both ways.

 

[Bprice]

Minner and I use, 80 lb Spiderwire Stealth, and a 80 lb Flouro Leader.

 

[rsimms]

flip1up - 8/28/2006 9:29 AM
I didnt see RSimms and drcs post before I started writing. These guys are experts on big Cats so I would think that their suggestions are tested over time and very good to follow. I fish for Bass quite a bit too so I am trying to put line sizes on my reels that will work both ways.

And my 2-cents worth here... going both ways doesn't work. Fortunately most of my fishing and species time out so when I switch tackle (or line), I'm doing it for a lengthy period. But if I was cattin' one day, bass fishing heavy cover the next, and chasing smallmouth at night the next, I'd be in trouble. Or at least have to go buy more rods than I've already got. And no, to my knowledge no one has made a flourescent braided line.

 

[Hair Jig]

rsimms - 8/28/2006 12:05 PM
.......... to my knowledge no one has made a flourescent braided line.

Yes, they did. emoPoke

SOMEONE made a braid back in the very early SpiderWire days that would glow in the blacklight. For the life of me, I can't remember what it was called, but I fished with it a few nights. After having to wrap it around the boat cleat to break it off when it snagged in the rocks, I quit using it. Perhaps it was an early Stren offering? Sorry, I can't remember who made it, but I know I fished with it.emoSorry emoScratch

 

[TennesseeTalker]

Wow .. Fishing Machine ... I wish you could have least had it surface to see what the heck was on the other end!!! Man that's a story.

Scale up the line and go try for it again! I'll be excited to hear about it.

TT

 

[Guest]

RE: Fish that got away

flip1up - 8/28/2006 9:23 AM

I have always used only mono line. This year, after some prodding from folks like 2jigs, I have slowly started changing over to braided lines. I would suggest Power Pro 65 pound test braid for these big Cats in deep water. If your using circle hooks, just a slow, steady raise of the rod upwards and the fish is hooked. Theres no stretch in the line, so you get a good solid feel of the fish immediatly. I will probably have all my baitcasters spooled with braid very soon. The only thing I dont like about it is that I cant see it very well and I'm kinda lost, being a line watcher.

A couple of questions for you guys that use braided line. 1) Is there a braid that can be seen under a black light? Its pretty expensive stuff and I would hate to have to change out line so much. 2) Is there any particular brand that is easier to see in the daytime?

Hey flip Spiderwire Stealth makes a line that is a bright chartruse yellow green color. It is not fluorescent but can be seen extremely well in the daylight.
The only places that I know carry it is BPS and Cabelas.

Cheez

Get some of this stuff, try it out once, you may be like me and see a pretty significant advantage to using it. If you dont like it go back to mono, but for that type of fishing, I would go way up in line size.

 

[Bavio]

Id stick with smaller line maybee 30 -40 but not 80. My thought is that its more fun if you can get them in on smaller test and tackle, but your right its never fun to lose a big one like that so you can go both ways on this one.

 

[flip1up]

I'll try it. Thanks Cheez.

 

[Southerncats]

I use 30 pound mono and 80 pound leaders, on all my anchor rods.......Most mono has higher breaking strength than marked, and you cant break 30 mono with a freshwater drag......Mono is much more abrasion resistant than the braid, but they both have their advantages.....I use Fireline XDS for drifting 50-80lb test, much more feel and it makes it easier to stay close but off the bottom when drifting in current.....I can't see fighting a catfish for over 20 minutes, I would suggest upsizing you rod & reel first......don't be scared to put some pressure on the fish expecially until he comes off the bottom several feet.....One thing I dont like about the braid is you can't put near as much pressure on the fish or the line will cut into your reel, so the bigger line doesn't always help you, because if you can't get him out of the nasty stuff he was in, to start with...he will brake anysize line.

 

[polo-dog]

I just went down and rummaged through all of my old spools of line and couldn't find the spool with the name of the flourescent braid that I had bought and couldn't find it. I used to only buy line that would flouresce because I fished at night frequently when my kids were little and when I saw a flourescent braid, it was the first braid that I ever bought. In fact, now that I think about it I used the last bit of flourescent braid on a 5500C that is in my rod locker right now. I still may find the spool but it may take a while. I don't tend to use braid much either, as someone said, it is almost impossible to break, it's a pain to tie, and it cuts my hands when I set the hook or the fish makes a run and my hand is on it. It is good for some applications like deep water and fast current and for huge fish but those situations just don't get fished much by me.

 

[xroadsbasser]

Fireline comes in a "flame green" (looks yellow to me) that will show up in a black light!!

 

[Fishin Fool]

Good Lord! An hour and 58 minutes! I'd have been heartsick over that one. I'll be that hook just gradually worn itself a hole and slipped out. As far as line goes, I've never been into a cat that big but I have caught a lot of respectable 20 to 40 lb fish on 20lb PowerPro Braid. I've never had any trouble with it and prefer it over spiderwire anytime. That is an amazing story. Just goes to show what we all know.......you never know what might take the bait. I think that "not knowing" is what makes us all love this sport so much.

 

[minner]

WOW 1 hr, 58 min. You definately need to "biggie size" your tackleemoPoke

Don't bring a knife to a gunfight. LOL

 

[hooker771]

Id use 40- braid the threads of all your shirts that you dont wear with the 40- to form a super braid! emoPoke

I promise no more jokes, but you have to take me out to see these hogs sometime! (I cant believe im fired up to go out catfishing) But I am!

 

[Guest]

minner - 8/29/2006 8:33 AM

WOW 1 hr, 58 min. You definately need to "biggie size" your tackleemoPoke

Don't bring a knife to a gunfight. LOL

In 1 hour 58 minutes the hook might have rusted outemoUpsmile

Cheez

 

[DHaun]

Fishing Machine, If your brothers don't normally fish I bet they just might have the cat scratch fever after that! That's double the time I have ever fought a fish (big Crevalle Jack in the Atlantic) so I figure the experience of you all just hanging out and fighting a battle together for that long counts for something. I use 20lb mono and figure I might need to upsize too...I know it is dissapointing but landed or not it sounds like you hooked a whale and got to show your family a good time! The fish we miss is what makes us come back for more - Great Report. emoThumbsup