The ones that got away

[Dietz03]

I was reminescing with some friends recently and we got on the topic of those that got away. I had fun thinking back and thought some OFFers might as well. Here's my favorite (or least favorite) story of a good lost fish, I hope other's will post their painful stories, or even stories of great lands. Just remember everyone, Fish seem to have a large growth spurt between the time it is caught and when friends are told, so lets be honest.

My senior year of high school, a small group of friend and I would get together and fish for a small wager on weekends with the simple idea that biggest bass took the cash. I was fishing some boat docks with a texas rigged roboworm and noticed my line start drifting to the side, i reeled in and set and the fight was on! It felt good, and it was. It came close, rose to the surface and jumped revealing a 6 pounder, and it threw the hook. I lost the bets.

 

[metalfisher76]

This is a good one.... Too many..... have to think.....

 

[GDBrown]

My first Fall Chinook on the Wilson river, about 1987. I had the fish hooked good and had him at my feet three times with no net and a steep bank. I could almost reach down and touch him but not quite. There was another fisherman just up river who watched the whole thing but was unable to come to my aid because of the terrain. After twenty minutes or so it finally put me out of my misery by chewing through my light leader. I learned that 10lb leader was not enough for 30# fish.

 

[Phil_Bud]

nice

 

[colbypearson]

Losing a 6lbr sucks..........losing one a lot bigger than that sucks a lot worse, I credit a lot of my drive towards fishing to some of the ones I have lost. Losing big fish is a good opportunity to learn from your mistakes.

 

[halibuthitman]

I was fishing the thorne river and hooked up with a toad of a chromer, my rod bent to the hum spot almost instantly and he just started barrel racing in the tail of the run, I could see him flashing like a ford fender on a summer day and then he pulled a red october... staight up and a free willey flop.. I finally worked him over to the shallows and my guide walked out to get him, he looked down then looked at me and his head nodded back and forth.. at that moment my fly line popped and gently shot back to me and he was gone... my guide kicked the water and somewhat lost his composer, looking at me he simply said.. that was the biggest steelhead I have ever seen, now we have all heard that from someone before, usally the 20 year old kid next to us or that friend who never seems to bank one.. but this guy had been a guide his whole life.. as his father and every other family member had, I walked off upstream and tried to hide my crushing dissapointment ( I know your supposed to be able to handle losing them.. but sometimes its just down right heart breaking) I pretended it didn't even happen and we didn't speak of it again that day. Later that night I overheard him tell another guide the fish had to go over 30 lbs... Ive hooked a lot of fish in my life... but that was the fish that hooked me-

 

[Dietz03]

As heartbreaking as it is sometimes, I just love fishing. Nothing compares to it. When I lived in California I would go out to a local lake all the time early in the morning and just relax with a rod in hand. Fishing definitely taught me patience, and a great appreciation for the outdoors. It is my meditation.

 

[steelhead1]

Two weeks ago I got the oppritunity to fish all day on the the upper nestucca. Took the fly rod and the doggy and was on the water at daybreak. the third hole I fished looked good,first drift through and I hooked up,SWEET! I played that fish for about twenty minutes, It was a buck,probably five or six pounds.The water and air temps were very low,and the fish (seemed) very lethargic,that is until I brought him in for a quick pic and release. That fish came alive like a turpentined tomcat and ran strait down the chute into some gnarly rocky rapids.Stumbling and bumbling to keep up,under trees and over rocks,heart racing and out of breath,I caught up to him in a deep calm pool.Holding the rod high and trying to regain my composure,then SNAP,my new (and most expensive) Echo four piece breaks in two places at the tip,and the fish is gone:shock:. I drove like a madman to bimart in mcminville,bought a crapper Okuma 7/8 and returned to the river for some redemption.Yep, fished until the sun went down without another take.I guess that is the way it goes sometimes