[catmann29]

I went out to Lonetree last night at 9:00 pm to try for some cats. I decided to keep it simple to I took some live waterdogs about 8-10" long and some live bluegills 7-9" long. I knew I had to pack light because I was going for a long walk. I took just two rods, my bait, my catfish bag, two rod holders and a chair. (I did say light, right?lol) I got to my usual spot on the south side of the lake on the east side of the now dried up bay. I set up my first pole with a waterdog, waded out till I was chest deep, and let it fly. Then I baited up my second pole with a bluegill and proceeded to do the same. As the night drifted by I occasionally caught a 6-7 pound cat that I turned back. I only keep them if they are between 1 and 2 pounds. By the time 12:00 am came I had caught 7 cats. 1:00am came, and after not catching a fish for an hour I decided to relocate to the east side of the lake, which was another haul. As I played with the fact in my head that I was feeling too lazy to relocate the clicker on my Ambassadeur took off. I thought to my self, "Here's another 6 or7lb fish." I ran over, wound down until I felt the fish, and set my hook. Immediately I knew that the fish I had on was not a small one. He peeled off about 75 yards before I could slow him. He finally turned and proceeded to charge right towards me. It was all I could do to keep up with him as I reeled like heck. When he got to about 30 ft from shore he finally surfaced. All I could think was, "Whoa, this guy has to be pushing 35!" I decided to make it a long fight, as I was sure that this cat could be a record. But a cat in the water after dark 30 out from shore can fool your eyes, for as I reeled him in a little farther he looked a lot smaller. I had finally settled with the fact that he was about 25 when he turned and bolted. The line flew off my drag and I couldn't turn him. I tightened down the drag all the way but this did not work either. As I thumbed the spool and tried to stop him I could see what was the inevitable: he was going to spool me. As I started to see the shinyness of the spool I knew this fight was about to end. He hit the end of my line and, even though I tied a good knot that he fought against for several minutes, it finally broke and he was gone. I stood there dumbfounded that I could not do anything to turn him or tire him. This was only the third time I have ever been spooled. I kinda felt bad for the cat. Now he has to run around for the next couple of days with 450 yds of 50lb test trailing him until the hook works its way out. Better luck next time I guess.

 

[Walking Eagle]

Re: Here we go!

Wow! That is one heck of a story. And very well told, too. I almost felt like I was out there. I bet you would give a lot to be able to weigh that rascal.

I was out at Lonetree on tuesday for a couple of hours in the mid afternoon and only picked up a couple of 2# bass and a 8-1/2 # carp. Little did I know, that I was in danger of losing all my tackle!

W. E.

 

[hooknline]

Good job eyeguy.

 

[epic]

Ahhh the one that got away!!!! How come that one is always bigger then the others? 50lb test and you couldnt turn him? What kind of rod are you using? Might want to get a larger rod or one with more leverage as you should be able to turn just about any fish here in Colorado on 50 lb test.

Hopefully the line gets caught on something and the fish can use some leverage to get the hook out otherwise the line is probably going to tangle him and he may not survive.

I love fishing like that the adreneline is running and you get all hot then you get all pissed cause he broke you off, always makes for a good story though and keeps you coming back for more.

 

[Walking Eagle]

Good job eyeguy.

??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ???

 

[Zman]

Somewhere I saw a post where someone started calling him that...

 

[Walking Eagle]

Ahhh the one that got away!!!! How come that one is always bigger then the others?

Kind of stands to reason, if you think about it...

 

[NeWcS]

WoW, What a great story eeerrrr report. I felt like I was reading a book.

Thanx


[me=Jay_In_Parker] [/me]

 

[slayerfish]

HaHa-Eyeguy-hahahahaha! I could stop a Mack truck with 50# test!

 

[fishinguitars]

maybe he called in for reinforcements .....all the 20lb cats in the lake were tugging on his line .....50lb test and a drag that kept letting line out .....looks like a problem with the reel .....if I tighten any of my drags all the way my reel will set there when the line brakes .....being a traditional colorado angler for many years when I was younger even on my catfish pole using 20lb mono I feel invinsable like nothing is gonna brake my line ......maybe now Ill go to braided lines ......still 50lb test and a 10 foot rod I think thats what you said your main rods were ......you should be able to turn a fish no matter how big in colorado ......450 yards ....was this cat related to lance armstrong ?

 

[slayerfish]

It's just that I've caught 33lb. King Salmon on 10# mono,at the worst you just clamp down on the spool and break it off and save your line.I caught a 25# carp on 6 lb mono on an ultra light rod at Flaming Gorge.I cant imagine there being a fish in Lonetree big enough to spool that much heavy line. Dont get me wrong,I WANT to believe,but its sticking in my craw...

 

[fishinguitars]

the story is a lot of fun to read ....but its a little cliff clavin for me

 

[Don In Denver]

Good job eyeguy.

;D Ha ha ha ha!!

 

[Walking Eagle]

I could stop a Mack truck with 50# test!

Sure... but you have to be able to turn it, before you run out of line!

That's why I don't go after carp with my ultralight. Even 1 pound of pressure should eventually be able to wear out a fish, but I would be out of line long before we got to that stage.

A couple of months ago I watched a guy with a bass rod and 14# line hook something at Boyd lake that we never got a look at, but it just went out in a straight line and never turned, stripped his reel, and broke it off. The rod was bent into a pretzel and he put on all the pressure he could, and it didn't help. I would love to know what that was.

 

[tbmanivong]

You guys are funny. I quest. the 50lb test line, also.

Man! I need to get out and fish.

 

[tal0362]

Yeah, I think it might have been 35 or so. 35 horses, 2 stroke Merc by the sounds of it.

Lord, suffer me to catch a fish so large
that even I, in talking of it aftward,
shall have no need to lie.

 

[Walking Eagle]

You guys are funny. I quest. the 50lb test line, also.

Man! I need to get out and fish.

So? Get out there and go fishing!

Remember, it's no longer 50 lb. line once you have tied a knot in it. I knew a guy that worked in a test lab, and they had a machine that measured the tensile strength of various materials. It had two clamps, and you clamp a piece of something by each end, and it pulled on the material until it broke, then recorded the number of pounds of pull it took to break it.

So of course we tried some mono fishing line in it. What else? The breaking strength agreed pretty well with the spool labels. But when I tied a knot in it, the strength suddenly dropped to about half, and the line always broke right at the knot. With the very best fishing knots that I knew how to tie, I never did get over about 60% of the published line strength.

 

[slayerfish]

Talo knows!

 

[don broeren]

What a story! I think hooknline, slayerfish, and TALO said it best. I once caught a 32 lb. Grass Carp on 6 lb. test monofilament. It takes some time to wear a big fish out on light line but it can easily be done. In my opinion 50 lb. test is major overkill for fishing in Colorado (unless you're muskie fishing). :

 

[Don In Denver]

In my opinion 50 lb. test is major overkill for fishing in Colorado (unless you're muskie fishing). :

In fairness to catmann29, if all you're fishing for is big cats and you fish a lot of brushy, snag infested stuff, I don't think 50 lb. braided line is overkill.

I'm reminded of a story a tackle shop owner friend tells about the fisherman who came in to his store a number of years ago asking if they carried 25 lb. test monofilament. My friend said "No" and asked what the angler wanted it for. He said "Bass fishing."  The owner said, "Gee, with 25 lb. line do you get much fight out of them?" 

To which the bass fisherman drawled, "You can play with 'em after you get 'em in the boat."