Lost a big one yesterday.

[Pferox]

I hit the Bayou yesterday to get in my physical therapy for a few hours.  Since the fish are running smaller, I have been using much lighter gear, 8lb test line, and #4 hooks.  The Gafftopsail Cats have spawned and they are very aggressive, so I am constantly catching 1 and 2 inch catfish in the mix of 4 to 12 inch salt water pan fish.



I decided it was a good time to bring out my salt water ultra light rig which is a 5'6" medium 12lb class Shakespeare Amphibian rod.  I have an older Mitchell Avocet S500UL reel paired with it, and about 80 yards of 20lb braid on it.  I backed it with a foot or two of 12lb test mono, with a one ounce sliding weight, because of the current in the Bayou, I can empty the spool on a cast.  (I have a 2000 penn fierce on it temporarily until I get some new line for the ultra light reel)



I was putting the bait about 3/4 the width of the Bayou and hitting the opposite side of the channel they have cut for the barge traffic.  That bait was dropping into the right place yesterday because most of my fish caught were on this rod.  I had one other rod out that was cast about as far, but wasn't producing as well for some reason.  Bringing in 10 inch whiting on this rod is a blast, they are great fighters, especially on lighter tackle.



I looked down the Bayou, and I see a tug coming down.  I quickly grabbed the other rod and started reeling it in.  Before I could get to the Amphibian, the tug had passed my spot.  The reel gave what few feet of line it had on it, then the rod bent in ways I didn't think was possible. I was sure that I was going to break another rod.  Then suddenly I heard that distinctive snap of line coming apart under pressure, and everything settled in like nothing had happened, except for the empty spool.  I'm pretty sure that if I tied that 20lb braid directly to the reel instead of using a lighter backing line, I would have broken something.



So now I am looking for something to put on that little reel, because 4lb test isn't going to cut it for sure, especially casting one ounce weights.  But I do have a great tale to talk about the one that got away, I bet it weighed a few tons to boot!    Just wish I could have gotten a picture of the one that got away.

[mygreenihc]

Wow.  I caught a catamaran sailboat onetime while shark fishing with a baitcaster,  but I have never caught a tugboat,  especially with very light tackle. 

Brad

[Mike Cork]

Wow, I've never caught a tug before... And from the sounds of it you haven't yet either!!! Thanks for sharing  Had me hook line and sinker 

[bassadict69]

Do you eat those gafftop?

[Pferox]

Do you eat those gafftop?

When they are big enough, they have to be 14 inches or bigger, they have a very sweet meat.

They are a great fight on medium tackle, just have to be careful about those sharp spines on the fins.
Since being sick, everything has been catch and release for the last few months, my back took a beating where they ran the scope and tools in, and it is still healing, so I can't stand in front of a cleaning table for very long.

Wow, I've never caught a tug before... And from the sounds of it you haven't yet either!!! Thanks for sharing  Had me hook line and sinker 

Yea, hopefully I won't run into that tug again, that is the biggest thing that "got away" for me to date, it surpassed the semi by a few tons.     I already have the little reel back in service, tied on some 14lb Nanofil, see how that stuff is going to fly.