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NcStateFishermen and I went catfishing yesterday. NSF missed one and then a while later hooked into a hoss that we believe was probably 35-40+ pounds as it just wouldn't budge and eventually broke off. NSF got a nice crappie on a shad spoon and I did get this one bowfin though.
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I went back for redemption today and put the first rod out and then as I turned away to start baiting the second I hear zz....zz... and turn around and then the reel starts dumping so i run over and crank down but I missed him. Pulled in a shad with absolutely no scales from the head down and I had nose hooked him!!! I learned my lesson and hooked the next one behind the dorsal fin and threw him back into the same spot.
A few minutes later the bait starts going nuts so I pick up the rod and put it in gear and then the rod slams over in my hands. I yanked him out of the hole but on the way in my line broke. That' s what I get for reusing old line thinking it wouldn't matter. It honestly didn't feel all that big anyways.
Then about an hour later I rebait my other rod and as soon as it hits the water the bait starts going nuts. I put it in the rod holder and as I step back the tip slowly starts to bend over. I picked up the rod and then I feel a hard bump and crank down. I yanked him out of his hole and probably got him about 10 feet out and then he must have realized that something was wrong because he stopped fighting like a log, shook his head, and then the line just started peeling off the reel. This fish was on my light setup, a 6500 size akios that only puts out about 18 pounds of max drag on a 15-30 pound inshore rod. I locked down the drag and started walking up the bank but the line just started peeling off faster. I decided I would rather break the line or the rod than let him rock me up so I put both thumbs on the reel and leaned into it as hard as I could. This rod has landed 35 pound carp and 20 pound channel cats before with ease but on this flathead I really thought it was about to snap. The line was almost touching the blank along the entire rod and the tip was facing straight down towards the fish even as I leaned back into it as much as I could with the base of the rod pointing backwards probably 30 degrees from vertical. I just stood there unable to budge him on that light setup for about 15 seconds before I finally started to gain some line on him again. After a few more short runs I finally got him up. I must really have some good beginners luck because it seems like lately all my new first fish have been really solid: King, American Shad, Flathead... all have been big first fish. I know this one won't be my last though. I'm going back tomorrow after school
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I went back for redemption today and put the first rod out and then as I turned away to start baiting the second I hear zz....zz... and turn around and then the reel starts dumping so i run over and crank down but I missed him. Pulled in a shad with absolutely no scales from the head down and I had nose hooked him!!! I learned my lesson and hooked the next one behind the dorsal fin and threw him back into the same spot.
A few minutes later the bait starts going nuts so I pick up the rod and put it in gear and then the rod slams over in my hands. I yanked him out of the hole but on the way in my line broke. That' s what I get for reusing old line thinking it wouldn't matter. It honestly didn't feel all that big anyways.
Then about an hour later I rebait my other rod and as soon as it hits the water the bait starts going nuts. I put it in the rod holder and as I step back the tip slowly starts to bend over. I picked up the rod and then I feel a hard bump and crank down. I yanked him out of his hole and probably got him about 10 feet out and then he must have realized that something was wrong because he stopped fighting like a log, shook his head, and then the line just started peeling off the reel. This fish was on my light setup, a 6500 size akios that only puts out about 18 pounds of max drag on a 15-30 pound inshore rod. I locked down the drag and started walking up the bank but the line just started peeling off faster. I decided I would rather break the line or the rod than let him rock me up so I put both thumbs on the reel and leaned into it as hard as I could. This rod has landed 35 pound carp and 20 pound channel cats before with ease but on this flathead I really thought it was about to snap. The line was almost touching the blank along the entire rod and the tip was facing straight down towards the fish even as I leaned back into it as much as I could with the base of the rod pointing backwards probably 30 degrees from vertical. I just stood there unable to budge him on that light setup for about 15 seconds before I finally started to gain some line on him again. After a few more short runs I finally got him up. I must really have some good beginners luck because it seems like lately all my new first fish have been really solid: King, American Shad, Flathead... all have been big first fish. I know this one won't be my last though. I'm going back tomorrow after school
