big bass story

[bushwacker]

today 5-24-09 I was exploring the lower end of a york county wild brown stream, working my way downstream with a bugger. When I got to the mouth where the stream entered the susky there was a large deep hole. The water was crystal clear so you could see straight to the bottom even in 5' of water. As I stood gazing into the water an enormous fish, I'm guessing at least 24" slowly glided from the brown murky susky water into the clear apparantly attracted by my buggers last swing through the pool. I've been searching for a 20 + wild trout this year and thought this was my chance. Then I looked closer and realized the fish was a bass. I was still excited. So excited that I was stupid enough to not realized that the 6x tippet I was using for the 7" browns upstream couldn't possibly hold this beast. I cast 4' upstream and across from him, gave two short strips, and let the bugger hover directly in front of him. He shot upstream, stopped an inch from the fly, paused for two seconds, and slurped it in. I set the hook and my tippet broke imediately. I was so pissed I actually threw a bit of a tantrem jumping up and down and cursing. A speed boat cruised by slowly on the lake and I stopped. Then a miracle. As I stood there introvertly verbally abusing myself for making the same dumb mistake AGAIN for the hundredth time, the fish returned as if nothing ever happened. I had no more streamers of any sort. :-o So I tied on the largest, gaudiest, rubber legged stonefly nymph I had with me. I cast ahead of him again and he raced towards the nymph as soon as it hit the water. This time I made sure the line was thick and strong, this time he was mine. The bass fought hard and leapt several times. Oh, I forgot to mention that I was using a 5'8" 3wt.. It was amazing! Didn't have my net so I beached it so that half of its body was in and half out of the water. As I grabbed his lower lip to slide him further onto the shore, before I could snap a photo, he jumped violently and broke free from my grip and back into the water. I couldn't believe my luck. Lost the same fish twice in less than ten minutes. I wonder if that fish will still be around next time I return to that spot? Are bass territorial?

 

[Fishidiot]

bw,
I'd say you caught him(probably her) - just don't have the photo. And yes, there's a good chance that fish will stick around for awhile. In all likelyhood, it's a female waiting to move up on to some redds nearby. There's a good chance you can catch that fish again. Just keep in mind the law about casting into spawning redds. My view is, if the fish clearly isn't on a redd, it's okay to fish for 'em. Have your camera and landing net next time you hunt this big un. We want ot see the pictures.

 

[jayL]

Good story, but...., 7x with a bugger???

 

[JackM]

6X according to his report, but still, I would think 5X or 4X would be a better match.

 

[jayL]

JackM wrote:
6X according to his report, but still, I would think 5X or 4X would be a better match.

I fat fingered it, which is easy to do on this micro netbook.

Even so, I'd move it up a notch to 3 or 4x.

 

[tomgamber]

So excited that I was stupid enough to not realized that the 6x tippet I was using for the 7" browns upstream couldn't possibly hold this beast.

 

[jayL]

tomgamber wrote:
So excited that I was stupid enough to not realized that the 6x tippet I was using for the 7" browns upstream couldn't possibly hold this beast.

The way I interpreted it was that he was using 6x with a bugger for the 7" browns, which still isn't a good idea, but I read it hastily.

It really doesn't matter much at all though.

 

[tomgamber]

Yeah, I think he was trying to be appropriate on the tippet based on the fish and water clarity but regardless of the fly. Good way to loose some buggers though.

 

[bushwacker]

I usually don't use such light tippet with streamers. Sometimes when I switch between a nymph and streamer I'll run the risk of the light tippet if the majority of the fish are small because its just easier. Also the water was very clear and the trout were very skittish because the sun was getting high at this point of the morning.

 

[bushwacker]

Trust me, if you were to slap a fat 3 or 4X tippet over the pool I was fishing the other day every fish in it would have imediately dissappeared. Nymphing would have been more appropriate but due to the shape of the canyon I was in I couldn't get below them without spooking them and I don't like to nymph downstream. Plus I've been experimenting with streamers this year. Its just something I do every year. Last year's theme; terrestrials, all spring, summer, and fall. Hardly touched any other flies in my box. I think I need therapy :lol:

 

[Fishidiot]

bw,
Was the bass a largemouth or smallmouth?

 

[JackM]

Bushwacker, next time you find yourself in that situation of low and clear, try the larger tippet anyway. You'll be surprised how little the fish care about tippet diameter. I was only commenting though to correct Jays mistaken read of your post. I have pretty much stopped using 6X except for the smallest of flies, but if I have a good length of 5X on and want to switch to a bugger, I might do as you and just tie it on. I usually pay though with a twisted and then coiled length of tippet when I switch back.

 

[jayL]

If your bugger's landing in the water and swimming around doesn't spook them, adding a length of 4x to it shouldn't make much difference.

I fish gin clear small mountain streams with 4x all the time. It saves flies and frustration. Pressured fish are usually the only ones that notice tippet diameter, in my experience.

 

[LigonierA1]

I'm at the opposite end of this spectrum, buggers get 2x or 3x. Fishing for smallies got me into this habit and it turns out that trout don't seem to care. 0x for sculpins if the water is muddy though I used a loop knot that point You can lift stumps with that. 4x in my mind is for for #16 dries.

All that said, I've made the same darned mistake of going to a streamer or bugger and breaking off the fish of the day, perhaps year.

Great story on the fish. I'd agree with Fishidiot, you caught that one.