Lost a biggun yesterday!

[bearintex]

Set out 38 jugs yesterday morning, in two longs strings. We started at the upwind side, and just let the wind carry us, dropping one every 20-30 yards or so. Thought it was going to be good when the first one flagged about half way in to the string. Finished the first run, and motored back up to the top of the string and pulled a 16" channel off. In the box, and there are a couple more flagging at the other end. Set the remaining jugs, then head over to the first string to start running them. Pull up to the first one, and down she goes! Pops up about 3 seconds later, 10 yards away. Head over there, and just as Red is reaching for it, down she goes again! Only this time it doesn't come up. Wait, wait, wait, look, look, look. There it is! About 150 yards away, and making tracks. Only about 30 seconds to cover that distance. Fire up the motor (trolling previous to this) and give chase. Get close, she dives again, but only covers about 20 yards. Catch up again, Red grabs the jug, and pop! We are the proud owner of a straightened 4/0 stainless steel kahle hook. :hairout:

Now, how big a catfish (there are blue, channel and yellows in this lake) does it take to drag a jug (9" of pool noodle) and 3.5 pounds of concrete weight that fast?


OBTW, we ended with eleven, sized from 14" or so to 21". Left them biting. Took a hard tumble on the slimy boat ramp.

[obiewan57]

Next time, have a heavy rod n reel ready, good line, slip the line over that noodle, maybe do a double half hitch over it, before you pick it up, then when it takes off you got a rod with a little give to it so the hook will not straighten out. Big fish are noted for using that way to get free. A 20# could have straightened the hook with a direct pull and no give, but if it was dragging a 3.5# weight that far each time I would expect it could have been anything on up to 100#. Guy caught a 83# blue on Somerville this year, using worms and a #2 hook, just got to have luck on your side when the big boy s come calling. Good Luck

[shadslinger]

Yeah towing that much weight it had to be a big one.

[capn]

Sounds like a big alligator gar to me. Big cats move slower than that, and generally when I hook a good gar they pull the jugs a long ways really fast.

[Gator gar]

Yep, never get in a tug of war with a big fish. If the hook don't straighten out, the fish will most likely tear loose. Play 'em down, let the jug tire 'em out. That jug and that weight will take the fight out of them over time. Never get in a rush.

That yellow cat done the same thing the other day. The jug would go down and pop up on the other side of my boat. I grabbed the line and it took off, real hard. I let the jug go and went and messed around with the other jugs that had flagged. I would ride by and get it to work the jug. After about 30 minutes, I went and tried him again. This time I got him to the boat and got a net on him.

Mine didn't cover that much distance though. There is no telling what you had. Like someone already said, probably a big gar. They like to grab their food and run with it, before they eat it.

[redduck]

Forget that Gar talk. you probably had the lake record 250 pound catfish. That's my story and I am sticking with it.

[Fishin' Soldier]

Lol on the 250lb fish. It does sound iek big gar, by the way it acted.

[randyrandy]

Glad you didn't try to feed a gar your hand!
You ok?