Use appropriate gear for the fish you target

[Geezle]

On Thursday I was out at Wab and I caught decent fish (just over 10.5lbs) I didn't see it take the bait, so I wasn't sure of the size of it when I was bringing it up, but it felt heaaaavy but wasn't pulling a lot. Eventually I get it near the hole and suddenly I see a HUGE gob of weeds that completely clogs the 8" hole I'm fishing out of. I thought that I'd lost the fish and he hooked me in the weeds, but then I felt the weeds tugging back. I used my hand to scoop all the weeds out of the hole, and there was in fact a fish behind them. When I went to unhook him and clean off all the weeds I couldn't figure out what was going on - the weeds were *really* stuck to him - then I noticed the extra line coming from its mouth. Turns out this guy had been caught by somebody else but broke off. The line in my opinion was way too light - maybe 8lb at the most judging by how easy it was to break by hand.

Now I know that some guys like the challenge of going for big fish on lighter gear, but certain situations really do call for heavier line. Maybe that 8lb line was okay for open water fishing, but when you start dragging it across the edge of a fishing hole, it won't hold up long.

I have to wonder how long this poor pike had been cruising around with 5lbs of weeds wrapped up on him. It definitely didn't have the strength to put up the kind of fight I'd expect from a 10lb pike.

I realize that sometimes a fish will get broken off no matter what we do, but if you use the appropriate gear it should be a very rare occurrence.

[beetlebailey]

Just like the guys that use light line and pickerel rigs fishing for sturgeon.

[Big Red 250]

If it had 5 lbs of weeds on him, how did it manage to bite your hook? It might of caught up them weeds fighting with you. Maybe whoever broke it off was fishing for walleye or other species where lighter tackle is the norm. I'm sure we've all had bite offs with out knowing what had bit our lure unless your fishing in a lake with pike only.

[Dust1n]

or vise versa but ya pickeral rigs for stugeon LOL unless your in the reddeer river but thats still underkill by along shot cause theres nothin stopping these beasts

[sco22]

Quite regularly,when I fished Wab before the oil spill, I would have a big pike take my tear drop or wire worm on 6 pound test when I was targetting whites. You can't assume that someone was targetting pike with light gear.

Cheers.

[WayneChristie]

Originally Posted by beetlebailey

Just like the guys that use light line and pickerel rigs fishing for sturgeon.

you are SUCH an expert!!!!! at trolling that is.

[WayneChristie]

Originally Posted by sco22

Quite regularly,when I fished Wab before the oil spill, I would have a big pike take my tear drop or wire worm on 6 pound test when I was targetting whites. You can't assume that someone was targetting pike with light gear.

Cheers.

tis a valid point, last winter I was trying for whites, with a wireworm and 4 pound line and the frikkin pike were the only things that showed up.

[Geezle]

Originally Posted by sco22

Quite regularly,when I fished Wab before the oil spill, I would have a big pike take my tear drop or wire worm on 6 pound test when I was targetting whites. You can't assume that someone was targetting pike with light gear.

Cheers.

Good point...I sometimes forget that there are fish other than pike in that lake!

[honda450]

I have caught a few trout with flys in their lip. If that counts. Take the old fly out and my fly and let em go. I think some of them even know the routine. hehe