CBBT Big Fish! 9-13-14, Sat
I was on the water after 7 am. After yesterday’s tough weather, today was a very good day. Mostly sunny with winds 5-10 mph. Target was sheeps and flounder. I soaked frozen sand fleas as well as jigged a tandem rig with white bucktail and plastic grub worm.
It was in the afternoon, and my catch to that point was black sea bass, toads and a short flounder. Since I didn’t get much from 12 to 30 ft of water, I decided to go to deeper water.
It was about 1 pm, and I was in the middle between the 1st and 2nd SBCs jigging at 35 ft. Nothing, until I jigged the third set of pilings, and BAM!
My small low-profile baitcaster went whizzzzzzzzzzzzzzz….. I tightened the drag, and again whizzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
“What is this thing…can’t be flounder……not a ray….maybe a shark?” Wow, the fish pulled fast and had big head jerks.
Of all times, I didn’t put my other rod away. It was on my left side. I held the live rod with my right arm and between my legs. (with a big fish on!?!?) My left hand grabbed the idle rod while my right hand wound up the line. My left arm reached back and placed the rod securely in the upright holder. The line on the live rod suddenly went slack.
“Oh no, did I lose the fish?” I wound the reel up quickly; it was still on.
I reeled, the spool went whizzzz, I reeled, the spool went whizzz. Back and forth. The fish went left, right, under my yak, in front of my yak. Straight power runs. This thing was strong. More than anything I ever hooked up on.
I didn’t max out the drag for fear of overstressing the gear. “Please….gear don’t fail me…..let me see this fish,” I thought.
After about 15 minutes, it was nearing the surface. Before I could see it, it dove straight down again…..whizzzzzzzz.
After a few more minutes, it finally surfaced. My jaw dropped, “Holy crap, it’s a bull!” Again, it made a run.
After nearly 25 minutes it eventually got tired, and I pulled it up on the yak. It measured about 42 inches. Relieved, I looked up at the bridge, and it was about 500 yds away. Cool, that was a nice sleigh ride.
I heard a lot of stories about bull reds; they are great fighters. Man, this fish was strong. Now I know what those guys are talking about. Awesome fish!
I was on the water after 7 am. After yesterday’s tough weather, today was a very good day. Mostly sunny with winds 5-10 mph. Target was sheeps and flounder. I soaked frozen sand fleas as well as jigged a tandem rig with white bucktail and plastic grub worm.
It was in the afternoon, and my catch to that point was black sea bass, toads and a short flounder. Since I didn’t get much from 12 to 30 ft of water, I decided to go to deeper water.
It was about 1 pm, and I was in the middle between the 1st and 2nd SBCs jigging at 35 ft. Nothing, until I jigged the third set of pilings, and BAM!
My small low-profile baitcaster went whizzzzzzzzzzzzzzz….. I tightened the drag, and again whizzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
“What is this thing…can’t be flounder……not a ray….maybe a shark?” Wow, the fish pulled fast and had big head jerks.
Of all times, I didn’t put my other rod away. It was on my left side. I held the live rod with my right arm and between my legs. (with a big fish on!?!?) My left hand grabbed the idle rod while my right hand wound up the line. My left arm reached back and placed the rod securely in the upright holder. The line on the live rod suddenly went slack.
“Oh no, did I lose the fish?” I wound the reel up quickly; it was still on.
I reeled, the spool went whizzzz, I reeled, the spool went whizzz. Back and forth. The fish went left, right, under my yak, in front of my yak. Straight power runs. This thing was strong. More than anything I ever hooked up on.
I didn’t max out the drag for fear of overstressing the gear. “Please….gear don’t fail me…..let me see this fish,” I thought.
After about 15 minutes, it was nearing the surface. Before I could see it, it dove straight down again…..whizzzzzzzz.
After a few more minutes, it finally surfaced. My jaw dropped, “Holy crap, it’s a bull!” Again, it made a run.
After nearly 25 minutes it eventually got tired, and I pulled it up on the yak. It measured about 42 inches. Relieved, I looked up at the bridge, and it was about 500 yds away. Cool, that was a nice sleigh ride.
I heard a lot of stories about bull reds; they are great fighters. Man, this fish was strong. Now I know what those guys are talking about. Awesome fish!
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