DHaun
Well-known member
I took my sweetie Nikie and my son camping on the lake Saturday afternoon and after getting the boat launched and pulling them on the kneeboard for a few hours it was time to do some fishing! We got to the spot about 6:00pm and skipjack were bustin the threadfin around us in some nice current as I anchored and pitched out 3 rods. I put 2 rods in about 35-40ft with live bream and put another with some spam into 20ft and started throwing a crankbait into the skipjack hoping to see a white bass.
I was just about to move the boat at 6:30pm when the 20ft deep spam rod doubled over and started pulling drag. I wrenched it out of the holder and knew it was a good fish from the head shakes, drag pulling, and how it was going wherever it wanted. I tightened the drag a bit and added some pressure to keep it out of the anchor rope and after several minutes it boiled about 20 yards from the boat.
Nikie and my son were both captivated seeing a fish this size throw a huge boil. I recall hearing several "Oh My! - What in the world!" yelled behind me wondering how big this shark might be...and with one flap of its tail it splashed and was back down pulling drag again. I use 20lb mono on this reel so I was taking my time.
It finally surfaced again long enough for me to see the 8/0 circle hook where it needed to be and I pulled it along side the boat. Another tail flap threw up some water into the boat and took it down again this time trying to go underneath the boat. This went on another 2 times before I could guide it into the net Nikie was holding for me. It took both of us to get it into the boat. Needless to say I was tired and all I could think about was getting it back into the water as fast as possible.
I attached the 50lb scales to the net and lifted it. It exceeded the 50lb mark but if there would have been graduated increments on the scale it would have been around 65lbs... It measured 48inches. In my haste I did not take a girth measurement but this fattie had a gut - no doubt on that. The pics show just after it was removed from the net and measured. Nikie was taking pictures one after another at this point.
I wrestled it into my lap, lifted it and then safely returned it to the lake. It was not out of the water very long and I saw it swim off strong. We went back to camp after that as I figured I was done and that was a good note to quit on. I can now say with some certainty that spam works. This is my personal best cat and I'm thinking 60plus conservatively...but I have no real data on the weight other than the fact that it bottomed out my 50lb scales and these pics. Thanks to whoever released this trophy before me - Maybe next time someone catches it will be 75 lbs! emoBigsmile.
More Camping Pics are here:
http://www.maxxcode.com/picview/Default.aspx?PicDir=album\Camping+8-26-2006
I was just about to move the boat at 6:30pm when the 20ft deep spam rod doubled over and started pulling drag. I wrenched it out of the holder and knew it was a good fish from the head shakes, drag pulling, and how it was going wherever it wanted. I tightened the drag a bit and added some pressure to keep it out of the anchor rope and after several minutes it boiled about 20 yards from the boat.
Nikie and my son were both captivated seeing a fish this size throw a huge boil. I recall hearing several "Oh My! - What in the world!" yelled behind me wondering how big this shark might be...and with one flap of its tail it splashed and was back down pulling drag again. I use 20lb mono on this reel so I was taking my time.
It finally surfaced again long enough for me to see the 8/0 circle hook where it needed to be and I pulled it along side the boat. Another tail flap threw up some water into the boat and took it down again this time trying to go underneath the boat. This went on another 2 times before I could guide it into the net Nikie was holding for me. It took both of us to get it into the boat. Needless to say I was tired and all I could think about was getting it back into the water as fast as possible.
I attached the 50lb scales to the net and lifted it. It exceeded the 50lb mark but if there would have been graduated increments on the scale it would have been around 65lbs... It measured 48inches. In my haste I did not take a girth measurement but this fattie had a gut - no doubt on that. The pics show just after it was removed from the net and measured. Nikie was taking pictures one after another at this point.
I wrestled it into my lap, lifted it and then safely returned it to the lake. It was not out of the water very long and I saw it swim off strong. We went back to camp after that as I figured I was done and that was a good note to quit on. I can now say with some certainty that spam works. This is my personal best cat and I'm thinking 60plus conservatively...but I have no real data on the weight other than the fact that it bottomed out my 50lb scales and these pics. Thanks to whoever released this trophy before me - Maybe next time someone catches it will be 75 lbs! emoBigsmile.
More Camping Pics are here:
http://www.maxxcode.com/picview/Default.aspx?PicDir=album\Camping+8-26-2006
