Surprise catch

[Pangolin]

Strikes me we need a few more fishermen's tales on the board, at the moment, so here's my question: What is your best story about catching one species whilst fishing for another species?

My best was to have caught a 14lb salmon on a plug, intended for pike. Surprisingly, for a salmon, it stayed deep for a long time and kept me guessing. I could tell it wasn't a pike, but for about ten minutes, I had no idea what I was fighting.

[Newt]

Pangolin:

... we need a few more fishermen's tales on the board, ..... My best was to have caught a 14lb salmon on a plug, intended for pike .....

Pangolin - that isn't a fisherman's tale.

 

Now make the salmon 74lbs and you got a tale.

 

For me it has been several times catching snapping turtles when fishing a dead bait for catfish. Never weighed the beasties (wouldn't be safe ) but one was at least 2 feet broad across the shell. Got him to the boat but still in the water and cut the line.

 

And while I was a little busy to get a pic (by my self), I want to be sure you believe they get large so here is a nice one. The jaws can crush a brick (or any body part that gets too close).

 

[*Ant*]

Just got in, see "spinning with boilies".

[severus]

Nice photo, Newt.

 

I've had a few run-ins with Mr. Snapper myself, and learned not to leave fish in the water on a stringer. They're incredibly brutal. I was fishing in a boat once and a large snapper helped himself to my stringer of fish, so I lifted the metal stringer and pumped several BB's from an air pistol at point blank range into it's head in a vain attempt to make him let go - he didn't. Once they bite they don't let go.

 

Last fall I caught a lamprey that was attached to an 8 lb steelhead. It wouldn't let go of the poor fish until we netted it, then it slithered around the deck like a snake. Viscious sets of razor-sharp teeth in its round mouth. It was a pleasure to sever the dirty bastage in two.

 

Ken

[teebee]

quote:

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pumped several BB's from an air pistol at point blank range into it's head

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[Newt]

Look at the head on that thing. BB pistol wouldn't even get it's attention. The BBs for dang sure wouldn't do any damage unless you put the barrel right on the eye and were able to shoot before it took your hand off.

[ayjay]

quote:

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Originally posted by Pangolin:

 

You meet all kinds of animal on the riverbank

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How very appropriate.

[Peter Waller]

teebee:

quote:

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pumped several BB's from an air pistol at point blank range into it's head

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American angling sometimes varies from English angling!

[poledark]

Jesus! with tales like that who can compete?

 

Now I do a bit of carping .....................no, I don't think I will bother telling that one............BB's at point blank range................A damned great chunk of wood might have more effect, but then you wouldn't want to hurt the thing would you

 

Must admit I can picture the scene though, absolute mayhem and panic, like the time I got a fairly large conger in a small boat and I thought it was going to bite through my rubber boots.

 

Thanks for a good laugh Ken,

 

Den

[severus]

Newt:

quote:

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Look at the head on that thing. BB pistol wouldn't even get it's attention. The BBs for dang sure wouldn't do any damage unless you put the barrel right on the eye and were able to shoot before it took your hand off.

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I don't recall if it had it's eyes closed or not; I was too busy lifting with one hand and shooting with the other. I'll bet that turtle weighed at least 30 lbs. His head was bigger than my fist. BTW, that was a CO2 pistol with a fresh cartridge.

 

So, did you take that turtle home to eat, Newt?

 

Ken

 

[ 22. May 2004, 11:11 AM: Message edited by: severus ]