The one that got away.....

If you have ever had a BIG fish that got off right at the boat or at your feet then you can relate. I lost a BIG one during our Wind Rivers trip and I have been having nightmares ever since. It was my 5th or so cast when a fish hit in a smaller lake with a deep section. I had heard about lake trout being in some of these lakes. I started to pull this fish in and I knew it was a big fish. As it got closer I saw its shadow and could not believe it. The last time I caught a fish this big it was a carp. This laker was over 3 feet long and must have been 12-15lbs. :eek2:

I yelled for the other two to come over "I NEED SOME HELP!" I yelled. I got the fish right up to the shore and it would not let me bring its head in close. I had just had 4lb test put on my reel for this trip. Usually this is all that you need. :ne_nau: Well adrenaline was flowing and I just wanted to get the fish on the shore. I told KillEmAll to get the stinger. Well the stringer was way to small for this fish and it could have swallowed his hand. We needed a deep sea fishing net to get this fish and we didn't bring one. :lol8: Hell we were ten miles in from the truck and I would have never guessed that a fish that BIG existed in the deep mountains.

Anyhow it snapped my line at my feet before we really had a plan or a prayer. We might have been able to get it with a few more minutes and some experience. I let the adrenaline get the best of me and I now just have the two witnesses. I tried to jump in but it bolted like a flash of lightning. If you look at this picture of Sombeechs fish it was about twice the size. :wallbash:

http://uutah.com/forum/files/img_0629.jpg

Anyone else have stories about the one that got away?

All I can say is
WOW.
I'll have to get up there one of these days.

I had one trip on a charter boat in Texas where I brought along my 6.5' rod and 8lb test line. I insisted to the guide I wanted to catch something with it. So I start fishing with big bucktail jigs (like a maribou on steriods). The water is clear as a montana day, and we were tethered to an oil rig. My UIL and his spouse were catching red snapper about as fast as they could get the line down. I start pitching this bucktail into the rig, and seeing what looks like snakes....they're young cobia in the 15-20lb range! If you've never caught cobia, its like hooking into a pissed off freight train. Well, I start getting hookups. Each and every one strips my line down to the feet of the rig, and snaps the line. One even straightened my hook!
Finally, after loosing 10 fish (and $3 bucktails), I hook one solid, and the guide cuts the boat loose. We drift away from the rig while I fight, so it gets me the chance to keep it. 18lbs of green cobia....yeehaa!

I was right around the corner from the boys when this happened. I came around, and everybody was wide-eyed. They said "Justin, you would not believe the fish that Scott just pulled in".

They said it looked so big, it was prehistoric. I took it with a grain of salt, because of course it was gone. But I put in my FIRST cast, and caught that 27 incher. Then I was a believer.

Man, I regret it ALMOST as bad as accadacca that he couldn't atleast have a picture of that one. Chivato and KillEmAll will both testify as well that it was over 3 feet long, and around 12 lbs. I just wish I could have seen it.

If I was accadacca, I'd still be up there camping alone trying to catch it again, but he drove us there!

I can verify the story. It was my arm I was afraid of getting bitten off. That sounds funny, but there's a bit of truth to it. It's mouth could have swollowed by whole fist. I can only imagine the teeth on it. It had to have been a 3 footer, over 12 lbs. It truly is an unbelievable story. I wish more than anything we could have figured a way to get him out so everyone could see a picture. We really had no options. I have no clue what the hell this fish was doing in that little lake. 3 of us saw it, which is good because sometimes I start doubting myself. It's impossible, but it happened.

Holy Schnikies!!!!! You're killing me w/ these stories. 3 feet!!!!! ???? !!!!!! Oh man, I wouldn't be able to sleep at night. :hail2thechief:

All I can say is WOW! What lake was this at?

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Originally Posted by Bigben

What lake was this at?

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Unfortunately, we're deciding whether or not to keep it a secret at the moment. :nono: Accadacca needs to go back and get his White Whale.

Sorry man. We can tell you that it was in the Wind Rivers, and we started at the Elkhart Park trailhead.

Even if we do let it out, it's one hell of a time getting to it.

That must've been some fish-the one on the picture is incredible! I've fished in Fremont Lake before (which is easily reached by road at the south end, so I'm sure that's not where you were!!!), via Elkhart Park, and that Windriver country is incredible. I'd like to go back some day.

We couldn't believe how big Fremont Lake was. We only saw it from the road.

How was it.

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Originally Posted by Sombeech

We couldn't believe how big Fremont Lake was. We only saw it from the road.

How was it.

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Well, it was when I was really young--around 14--and it was our Scout camp that year. I remember catching a few small ones where the river entered the lake. There's a funny story associated with that. We were fishing and one of the guys got called up to help with preparing dinner. He thought he'd leave his fishing line out in the water, hoping to catch a fish while he was gone. We reeled it in, attached an already gutted fish onto his line and cast it back out in the lake. When he returned to reel in his line he said, "I think I caught one." When he got it to shore he said, "Geez, it's already gutted." We laughed our butts off at that one.
We spent most of our time goofing off, both years I went there, but I remember the place with a great deal of pleasure.

By the way--nice avatar!

Shane

That's a pretty good prank.

Thanks about the avatar. I just made it last night.

Yeah I like that prank. We will have to try it on someone next time. :roflol: