tbinchrist
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2011
- Messages
- 273
Some days are memories either for the good or bad, and this day was a mixture of both. Ive heard it said a good day is a good day when you have learned something, and so if this is true, I by far did have a good day!
Of course I wasn't thrilled with the weather forecast, and so I really didnt have a game plan until I started. I had some folks from Nashville to go fishing with me, but they forgot to set an alarm clock and I finally struck out solo in some great weather....HA
Wow the bite was hot!! First anchor was a long wait, but finally a rod loads up with a 40lber! Nice start to the day! emoParty (I knew he was there) Move spots and a 20 hits... of course my folks are missing a great bite! I move again, and I'm certain I saw a big fish on the graph...after about 20 minutes a rod bends and just sits there... in a few it bends some more, pauses, then bends some more. At first I thought a piece of debris rolled into the line, but I finally pick the rod up to feel deep throbbing and a huge fish that didn't know he was hooked! Without proof a fish story is just that, a fish story...so I wont even mention the weight of it. emoHoppingmad
My go pro mysteriously lost all its stored data, so all I had is what I grabbed with my phone, which was none of this fish
Still I was thrilled, and move spots to try a new pattern out. Holy smokes, three times I had a fish on all four rods at once! a 24, and a 39# are big fish on this spot, but probably boated at least 25 fish.
Finally my folks show up, and I blitz back to the water before the bite dies. Thankfully we managed a good quick trip, and got about 15 fish with 18lbs being the biggest. Still it was a first blue catfish for both Cody and Pete, and they were quickly Facebooking their friends bragging. I love when folks have fun! After an hour and a half, they are done, and we call it quits as the wind picks up.
I was going to call it a day but decided to scout the lake out a bit. Really wasn't going to fish in the wind, but I threw the rods in (just in case). I rode the swells out and began hunting. Marked some fish and put baits down. Bang, bang, bang! one blue after another about 5-10 lbs each. Sized bait up with what I had left and pulled in a 42#.
Okay, now the major lesson of the day. emoEek
The sky began to darken and the water literally turned black. Everyone was gone off the lake as the wind really picked up. I was anchored and it was stuck good. As the wind picked up and waves began to mount I realized I needed to evacuate quick. I started reeling in, then it happened...An ol Nite stick buries to the water and I'm head to toe with the biggest fish of the year. Now the deli-ma, Its getting dangerous in a bad way, but this fish is a monster!
emoScratch emoScratch emoScratch
10 minutes or so pass and I'm not making any ground on this dude. I was highly impressed by the sonar return of this thing. And then a massive wave crashes over bow of boat and I've got 20 gallons on board instantly...then another wave. I honestly panicked and made snap choice this fish aint worth it. First time in my life I've cut the line on a fish.
Took about an hour and a half to make the boat ramp going through swells probably near 6 feet a few times on the channel edge. Honestly I should have sunk. I'm not ashamed to say I was stupid for getting into this, especially when I knew it was coming. I'm a diehard, but this was my limit. I remember asking myself how long one can survive in 56 degree water. The wind was a a gale and was blowing the top off the waves off to where visibility was zero.
I had quite a battle getting boat onto trailer in the waves, and I praised the Lord I was in one piece when I left. I never would have done this with someone, and hope to never do it solo again either. I've had engines quit while flying airplanes but I'm not sure I was ever as tense as that boat ride.
So the day will probably be my biggest memory fishing for a while. Now I've got to go get my hook back emoCool
Of course I wasn't thrilled with the weather forecast, and so I really didnt have a game plan until I started. I had some folks from Nashville to go fishing with me, but they forgot to set an alarm clock and I finally struck out solo in some great weather....HA
Wow the bite was hot!! First anchor was a long wait, but finally a rod loads up with a 40lber! Nice start to the day! emoParty (I knew he was there) Move spots and a 20 hits... of course my folks are missing a great bite! I move again, and I'm certain I saw a big fish on the graph...after about 20 minutes a rod bends and just sits there... in a few it bends some more, pauses, then bends some more. At first I thought a piece of debris rolled into the line, but I finally pick the rod up to feel deep throbbing and a huge fish that didn't know he was hooked! Without proof a fish story is just that, a fish story...so I wont even mention the weight of it. emoHoppingmad
My go pro mysteriously lost all its stored data, so all I had is what I grabbed with my phone, which was none of this fish
Still I was thrilled, and move spots to try a new pattern out. Holy smokes, three times I had a fish on all four rods at once! a 24, and a 39# are big fish on this spot, but probably boated at least 25 fish.
Finally my folks show up, and I blitz back to the water before the bite dies. Thankfully we managed a good quick trip, and got about 15 fish with 18lbs being the biggest. Still it was a first blue catfish for both Cody and Pete, and they were quickly Facebooking their friends bragging. I love when folks have fun! After an hour and a half, they are done, and we call it quits as the wind picks up.
I was going to call it a day but decided to scout the lake out a bit. Really wasn't going to fish in the wind, but I threw the rods in (just in case). I rode the swells out and began hunting. Marked some fish and put baits down. Bang, bang, bang! one blue after another about 5-10 lbs each. Sized bait up with what I had left and pulled in a 42#.
Okay, now the major lesson of the day. emoEek
The sky began to darken and the water literally turned black. Everyone was gone off the lake as the wind really picked up. I was anchored and it was stuck good. As the wind picked up and waves began to mount I realized I needed to evacuate quick. I started reeling in, then it happened...An ol Nite stick buries to the water and I'm head to toe with the biggest fish of the year. Now the deli-ma, Its getting dangerous in a bad way, but this fish is a monster!
emoScratch emoScratch emoScratch
10 minutes or so pass and I'm not making any ground on this dude. I was highly impressed by the sonar return of this thing. And then a massive wave crashes over bow of boat and I've got 20 gallons on board instantly...then another wave. I honestly panicked and made snap choice this fish aint worth it. First time in my life I've cut the line on a fish.
Took about an hour and a half to make the boat ramp going through swells probably near 6 feet a few times on the channel edge. Honestly I should have sunk. I'm not ashamed to say I was stupid for getting into this, especially when I knew it was coming. I'm a diehard, but this was my limit. I remember asking myself how long one can survive in 56 degree water. The wind was a a gale and was blowing the top off the waves off to where visibility was zero.
I had quite a battle getting boat onto trailer in the waves, and I praised the Lord I was in one piece when I left. I never would have done this with someone, and hope to never do it solo again either. I've had engines quit while flying airplanes but I'm not sure I was ever as tense as that boat ride.
So the day will probably be my biggest memory fishing for a while. Now I've got to go get my hook back emoCool
