The one that got away......my fish story.

[Mike S.]

I went out to Felix's bayou, off the Grand, this morning with my dad.  I haven't been having much luck this year, and quite frankly, I'm getting pretty upset about it.  After about 3 hours, we end up underneath a bridge.  I pick up my spinning rod that has an Xtreme Muskegon Goby tube tied on, and start dragging the bottom.  On my 5th cast, I get a bite.  Oh my god, I got a bite!  I set the hook, and it was on.  The fish starts going crazy.  The rod is bent over, and my grip is getting tighter.  I'm telling my dad that I must have a big pike or dog fish.  The drag is howling at me at this point.  Oh man, I'm excited.  I get the fish close to the surface, and it jumps out of the water.  Dad and I are beside ourselves.  It's ginormous!  I have never hooked a bass this big.  I'M EXCITED!  I tell dad to get the net.  The rod is bucking, the fish is thrashing in anger.  I'm making a mess in my undies.  I get the fish to the surface again, and we are in awe.  It's huge.  Dad is dipping the net in the water and tells me that it's the biggest bass he has seen hooked in Michigan.  He tells me it looks like the 7 pounders he caught back in Louisiana when we lived there.  Oh, I'm really excited now.  This is the biggest bass I've ever caught.  I'm feeling like KVD when he got his 6th AOY award.  Can't wait to weigh it and take a couple pics, and most importantly let it go.  But, as quickly as this began, it ended.  The net goes in the water, and SNAP!  I have never felt so sick in my life.  There goes my fish.  GONE.  Way to go stupid fishing line.  Oh well, at least I got to see it.  It made my 5 1/4 pounder from Crockery look small.  Maybe next time.

[billy8878]

Oh man, what a bummer. Great story too bad it didnt end better for you.

[Waterfoul]

Change your undies and get back out there.

[Durand Dan]

You never lose a little one!

[djkimmel]

Where you using P-Line undie boy??

[Mike S.]

Nope, no P-line.  I used to use it, but I was losing a lot of lures with it.  Had lots of break offs when setting the hook.  Undie boy, that's funny.  Think that is going to become my new sig.  That will replace "Lucky number 1k".  I'm still mad about losing that fish.  Been ornery all day.  Have to go to a family reunion tomorrow in South Haven, so no fishing for me.  Thinking about calling in sick!  Oh, by the way, I'm not bad mouthing P-line, I just started having bad luck with it, so nobody get mad at me.  Undie boy is going to bed.

[mikesmiph]

Great story Mike. Wish you could have landed it. Just think, that fish is still sitting there waiting for you to come back with some P-line on your reel.

[Mike S.]

Oh, I'm going back!  Next time, I'm throwing a jig....with some 80 pound Power Pro!

[Firefighter Jeff]

In addition to being sick, I'm sure I would have rattled off a ton of explitives  @#*&%#*!*:^&^$%#$%    lolol  Sorry for your loss.  At least you got to see it real well.  You sure Dad didn't knock it off with the net  ?  LMBOOOOOO

[Mike S.]

Yeah, I used my extensive vocabulary.  Might have even made up a few more words.  I just was trying to leave that part out to keep my squeaky clean image.  HA ha ha!  As for my dad, he would have never caused me to lose a fish.  I know you were just joking about it, but he would just assume watch me catch fish.  I think that's because he was always gone up until I was 13 years old, and we never had much of a relationship when the Army kept him in another country.

[karol]

 mike, do you maybe have a cracked guide on your rod that might make your line wore too soon?

[djkimmel]

Wonder...? I use P-Line so I don't break off.

Works too!

[motocross269]

P-line and Power pro..Rock...

[Firefighter Jeff]

I used to use P-line but decided after a couple seasons it was too stiff.  And Yes Mike, of course I was joking.  That thought NEVER entered my mind when Tim Cook caught that 7.4 on St. Clair.  I was just thrilled to be in the same boat.  lolol

[Mike S.]

mike, do you maybe have a cracked guide on your rod that might make your line wore too soon?

Nope,  that rod was a Grandt, and I have already checked that.  I am pretty rough on my line.  It was just a matter of I should have retied, but was just being lazy.  That does make me wonder about a cracked guide, though.  The rod that I have always used P-Line on is a Lightning Rod, and I did read a post recently about people having problems with them.  I really liked the P-Line for several years, up until last summer.  I used the floro coated line, not the pure floro.  Maybe I will give it another shot.  I'm sure not happy with the Stren floro.

[djkimmel]

I use the Floroclear for leader material for things like my Carolina rig. Very soft but still tough with abrasions. I may use it more for light finesse this year since it has real low memory. I really like the Halo, but Floroclear is softer.

I use P-Line Halo a lot for quite a few different things - finesse, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, light to moderate pitching. "The future of fluorocarbon fishing line is Co-Fluoride which blends various pure fluorocarbon crystals. This gives anglers the best combination of strength, sensitivity, castability and invisibility under water. Halo has a higher specific gravity, giving the line a much faster sink rate."

P-Line has a new copolymer line out this year too that I have not tried yet - Voltage: "Voltage is a tournament grade copolymer line extruded with P-Line's proprietary UV-Guard technology." Looks like it might be a nice quality all around line to avoid break offs on big fish of a lifetime!

I'm intrigued by their newest fluorocarbon leader material designed by using the best available fluorocarbon crystals - coming soon - P-Line Shinsei. It may be a superior alternative for our real clear waters when the fishing is slow and tough, or when presenting a bait the fish have a long time to check out.

Of course if you really don't want to break off, you need to use the best super braid available - Spectrex IV. I've been using it for about 3 years now after trying all the other lines and it truly is the best Spectra braid - UV resistant and hydrophobic. I was one of the few persons in Brazil not to break off. Hard to believe you can break 80 pound test line on a freshwater fish, but many of the anglers did. Not me. Not once!

I love your story about having the giant one on, but I'd like to help your next story be about the giant that DIDN'T get away (including photos )!! Definitely check your Lightning rods for sharp edges around the guides. I'm wondering if it is something that is more of a problem when they are flexed? Maybe just certain models, made during a certain period?

[djkimmel]

BTW, a little later in the season you can sometimes hook salmon under that same bridge!! Talk about a nice challenge for bass tackle!!

[Mike S.]

Wow, Dan.  After reading that, I feel I am ready for a sales job for P-Line.  I will put Dan Kimmel down as the man who taught me EVERYTHING there is to know about P-Line.  They are going to be impressed with me!  Wish me luck.  Just kidding.  You have made me decide to try it one more time.  Think I will try the Halo this time.

[djkimmel]

I use a lot of Halo. I have bulk spools of 8, 10 and 20 pound test because I use those the most.

[mikesmiph]

Yes Mike, I too think Dan has stock in P-Line lol. I started using it because of the things Dan told me about it, and now I'm hooked. (please, no comments about the hook in my leg, yes that was P-Line) I wont use anything else. My general purpose line has become the CXX in moss green. I love the stuff.