rsimms
Well-known member
rsimms, Nickajack, Bass & Cats (including "The One That Got Away"), 08-24-2013, Matt & Chris
Matt Daugherty and his brother-in-law Chris came to town from Atlanta with the family to visit relatives. Matt and Chris managed to escape to spend a morning on the water with me.
We got off to a slow start. We soaked some live shiners looking for bass without success. We gave up on that and switched over to the chicken breast for some hefty blue cats. It took us a little while to find the sweet spot but we finally got there. Chris put his personal best fish in the boat -- not just catfish, but the biggest fish he'd ever caught (15 lbs.).
Matt said his personal best blue cat was 21 lbs. We never made it there... until one of the last efforts of our day. They'd caught lots of 5 to 15 lb. fish so I decided to size up tackle and baits and hit a big fish hole.
It didn't take very long. I was looking away but I heard Matt exclaim, "Oh my gosh!!!" I turned around to see 50 lb. braid screaming off the reel, and not stopping. emoEek I could see the fish was headed for shallower water where I knew there was some ugly structure on the bottom. I got on the trolling motor and tried to get Matt on top of the fish so he could get it off the bottom. The huge blue was having none of that. Matt couldn't budge him. He told me later, "I could feel that line ticking like it was hitting something on the bottom." You can see the final outcome in this video. http://youtu.be/oyhWle3LD9I
I couldn't believe how well Matt took it. He was a trooper... I wanted to cry. emoBawl I didn't have hold of the rod but I have little doubt that was the biggest fish that's been hooked in my boat in a long time. We'll never know how big. But FYI, later in the day I caught a 35 lb. blue with the same rod and same drag setting. Compared to what was happening to Matt, fighting that 35 lber. was like fighting a bluegill.
After Matt and Chris left I stayed on the water to "play." The remaining shiners produced four good bass... two largemouth and two smallmouth -- one about 4 lbs. Then I played with the gar for a while. That's always fun. Then as mentioned, I caught a couple of big bluegill and headed back to the big cat hole.
I got to meet CFF's wetaline... we see each other out there all the time but it was first time we exchanged more than a friendly "fishing wave." It was a pleasure. emoThumbsup
After about 30 minutes drifting, the big Ugly Stick bowed down and it was game on. A big pleasure cruiser coming up river actually stopped to watch the battle. It's weird fighting a big fish with "an audience." emoApplause I got the fish boatside, but seeing as how I don't carry a "big fish" net, it's always fun getting grabbers on them when you're by yourself. And while I'm a great "picture taker" of other folks, unlike EricM and shsimons, I am totally unequipped to do self-portraits. You'll have to settle for a picture of the fish, and my foot.
And FINALLY (in this lengthy dissertation), you will see that now, thanks to CFF's cuonthelake (and delivery boy Drumking), I have the cap to PROVE beyond all doubt that "Life is good and gettin' better every day!"
Matt Daugherty and his brother-in-law Chris came to town from Atlanta with the family to visit relatives. Matt and Chris managed to escape to spend a morning on the water with me.
We got off to a slow start. We soaked some live shiners looking for bass without success. We gave up on that and switched over to the chicken breast for some hefty blue cats. It took us a little while to find the sweet spot but we finally got there. Chris put his personal best fish in the boat -- not just catfish, but the biggest fish he'd ever caught (15 lbs.).
Matt said his personal best blue cat was 21 lbs. We never made it there... until one of the last efforts of our day. They'd caught lots of 5 to 15 lb. fish so I decided to size up tackle and baits and hit a big fish hole.
It didn't take very long. I was looking away but I heard Matt exclaim, "Oh my gosh!!!" I turned around to see 50 lb. braid screaming off the reel, and not stopping. emoEek I could see the fish was headed for shallower water where I knew there was some ugly structure on the bottom. I got on the trolling motor and tried to get Matt on top of the fish so he could get it off the bottom. The huge blue was having none of that. Matt couldn't budge him. He told me later, "I could feel that line ticking like it was hitting something on the bottom." You can see the final outcome in this video. http://youtu.be/oyhWle3LD9I
I couldn't believe how well Matt took it. He was a trooper... I wanted to cry. emoBawl I didn't have hold of the rod but I have little doubt that was the biggest fish that's been hooked in my boat in a long time. We'll never know how big. But FYI, later in the day I caught a 35 lb. blue with the same rod and same drag setting. Compared to what was happening to Matt, fighting that 35 lber. was like fighting a bluegill.
After Matt and Chris left I stayed on the water to "play." The remaining shiners produced four good bass... two largemouth and two smallmouth -- one about 4 lbs. Then I played with the gar for a while. That's always fun. Then as mentioned, I caught a couple of big bluegill and headed back to the big cat hole.
I got to meet CFF's wetaline... we see each other out there all the time but it was first time we exchanged more than a friendly "fishing wave." It was a pleasure. emoThumbsup
After about 30 minutes drifting, the big Ugly Stick bowed down and it was game on. A big pleasure cruiser coming up river actually stopped to watch the battle. It's weird fighting a big fish with "an audience." emoApplause I got the fish boatside, but seeing as how I don't carry a "big fish" net, it's always fun getting grabbers on them when you're by yourself. And while I'm a great "picture taker" of other folks, unlike EricM and shsimons, I am totally unequipped to do self-portraits. You'll have to settle for a picture of the fish, and my foot.
And FINALLY (in this lengthy dissertation), you will see that now, thanks to CFF's cuonthelake (and delivery boy Drumking), I have the cap to PROVE beyond all doubt that "Life is good and gettin' better every day!"
