minner
Well-known member
Well after thinking over my missed opportunity of last week to land the big one, I decided to take my boat to work again and give it a late afternoon try. With Bprice in Guntersville, I took another trusty buddy, will call him Lurker, to go after the big cats. Since we were peppered with bites at the last stop last week, it was going to be first on our list today. We started control drifting the outside bend over chunk rock at 28' as it started dropping steeply to 50' I told Lurker we were getting in the danger zone from last week. 1 minute later I see his rod tip slammed but sprung back as if it were untouched. He said, "I just, got hit, should I reel up." I said, "Nah keep it down in case he comes back". No sooner had I finished my words when I was hit by the freight train. My rod bowed, and my drag began to peel line. I killed the trolling motor so we can drift faster, with the fish, and take up line. My buddy reels his line in to make room for the battle and sees his bait has been stolen by the cat. Fighting the 50lb braid, and the current of the Tennessee River, she dips and dives and in only a short moment, I holler, "Get the net............I think". Finally she rolls to the top, and I almost made the mistake of letting my guard down to admire this beast. Recalling what happened one short week earlier, I react and quickly get her to the side of the boat and dip her with the net. She filled the XXL net, and with her tail sticking out we hauled her in the boat. Hooping and hollering we quickly unbutton the 8/0 gamakatsu circle hook from the corner of her mouth, weighed the 72lb monster, took a couple quick pics, and released her. She bolted from the surface back to were she came from.
The Cabelas "bogas" would not even come close to holding the fish without coming undone.
The Cabelas "bogas" would not even come close to holding the fish without coming undone.
