So yesterday I get out to one of my fav fishing rivers and decide to bottom bounce worms on a jig head. After the first catfish I flattened the barb to make removal that much easier. Landed at least 20 catfish a few small smallies (about a pound), 2 nice smallies that were about 3 lbs (lost a BIG smallie) and then it happened.
It's worth noting that I run with braid on my spinning rig and have my drag set very tight so that I can reel them in quickly and get them back into the water.
I had cast out into the river and was just about to sit my butt back on the ground when all of a sudden there was a huge swirl, my rod bent double and away she went! My drag is set that it is pretty difficult to peel off any line manually and holy crap was this fish peeling line off! It would stop for a few seconds, I would get a wind or two then off it went again. I truly thought that this fish was going to spool me as it was getting pretty close. LOL...I think it's time I respooled anyways at it's getting pretty low from cutting back worn line. The only thing that I was seeing in the water were some huge swirls and never did see the fish.
Apparently I should have let it run some more as the reason it came off is that it destroyed the hook. I don't think I've ever seen a hook straightened the way this one was. The two other people fishing fairly close by were floored by it all.
So yes, I did a long distance release on the fish...and left it there for next time, but I was jazzed just the same.
Cheers,
Cameron
