02-07-2016, 07:07 AM
I might have been able to have caught it, however if it would have kept going like that for another 150' he might have spooled me.
Couple years back I was fishing in the Wind rivers and was up on a 12-15' cliff when I hooked a hog. I had a small reel with a 5.5' rod, however it had braid on with 8 lb leader. I was prepared for the usual 14" brookies and all of a sudden I had a 36" Mac on. That fish ran like this one did and I let it free wheel backwards until I was down to my last 3 wraps of line on the spool. I fought it back until I had a little safety margin and it took off again, this time it took me to my final wrap of line before I turned it. Fought it in again to where I could see it and started too panic, and it took another run to where I only had a couple wraps left and this time I could tell it was getting tired. So I fought it out to where it was just exhausted, then I had one of my young men come over and help me. He held my rod while I shimmied down a crack in the cliff to a small rock platform at water level. It was so small I was verily able to squat down and grab the fish. I tossed the fish up on top and yes I kept that fish and we ate it, but I think I had worn it out so bad it wouldn't have survived, plus it was hooked deep and bleeding badly. Anyway I'll attach a picture so you know the story isn't complete bull.
I like your heavy line deal and typically do that on everything, but I geared lighter for ice season because I don't like the braid freezing on my reel spool when I ice fish this was the fishes lucky day, it picked the pole I couldn't muscle it with. Sure a lot of what ifs, but it is what it is and I lost. Anyway thank you for the post. Later J
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Couple years back I was fishing in the Wind rivers and was up on a 12-15' cliff when I hooked a hog. I had a small reel with a 5.5' rod, however it had braid on with 8 lb leader. I was prepared for the usual 14" brookies and all of a sudden I had a 36" Mac on. That fish ran like this one did and I let it free wheel backwards until I was down to my last 3 wraps of line on the spool. I fought it back until I had a little safety margin and it took off again, this time it took me to my final wrap of line before I turned it. Fought it in again to where I could see it and started too panic, and it took another run to where I only had a couple wraps left and this time I could tell it was getting tired. So I fought it out to where it was just exhausted, then I had one of my young men come over and help me. He held my rod while I shimmied down a crack in the cliff to a small rock platform at water level. It was so small I was verily able to squat down and grab the fish. I tossed the fish up on top and yes I kept that fish and we ate it, but I think I had worn it out so bad it wouldn't have survived, plus it was hooked deep and bleeding badly. Anyway I'll attach a picture so you know the story isn't complete bull.
I like your heavy line deal and typically do that on everything, but I geared lighter for ice season because I don't like the braid freezing on my reel spool when I ice fish this was the fishes lucky day, it picked the pole I couldn't muscle it with. Sure a lot of what ifs, but it is what it is and I lost. Anyway thank you for the post. Later J
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