Another Daytime AV Duct Slay and A Monster That Got Away

[yolo]

Went out last night to fish with a buddy for a couple of hours. Nothing for either of us. Was butt cold and freezing. The only bite last night was frost bite, lol. Got a text last night from ferno wanting to fish and since he hasn't seen my neighbor in awhile and fished with us that the three of us would give it a shot in the morning. Well my neighbor flaked last minute but ferno and I pressed on looking for those duct stripers. Striper senses were kicking in most of the morning and a cold morning it was as you will see the icicles on one of the gate shots I took.

First spot fish for 20 minutes and nothing. Second spot after a few casts I get hit and can't stick it but keep retrieving and it hits again. Swing and it's hook up time. Land the first fish of the day. A few casts later and hit and hook up again. Land fish #2. Work the spot for a few more minutes and nothing so off to spot three. There ferno's striper senses are telling him to walk up flow for a bit and try there. Man the sense were working overtime cause off in the distance I see him struggling and I am on the phone with my wife and tell her I have to go cause there is a fish on. Run over to ferno and it is bendo and drag burning like I have never seen. He had his heavy swim bait rod with bigger conventional reel spooled with 20lb and the yolo tickler on. I will let him describe the feeling and outcome because it took him 45 minutes of battling. I was exhausted just watching and in awe that a fish like that lives in the duct.

Next spot nothing. The following spot I get a hit on the bottom and land fish #3 for me and the smallest of the day at 20". Nothing else there so we move to the final spot. It was not looking good but ferno nails one and has his first fish on deck. I walk down a ways to try some calmer water. I am working the yolo tickler and get a soft hit and miss. I cast out again and get hit and miss. I keep reeling it and working it and it hits again but the swing worked this time. It is on and a good battle ensues and as it gets closer, I see 3 other fish darting around it and with it as if they wanted to snatch the food right out of the other ones mouth (nice thing about day fishing is that you can see this stuff happening). I land fish #4 for me. I am waving my arm to ferno to get over here and cast cause I found a school. He comes over and is casting while I try to get my tickler out of the fishes throat (damn that sounds weird but true, lol). It swallowed it whole and the hook was poked through the back of the eye and sucking the eyeball in. I notice he is hooked up and there are fish following his hooked fish. He lands #2 for him. I am casting and hook another and land it (#5 for me) but no one tagging along with this fish.

It seems to slow down for a bit but we know there were more fish there because we saw more than we landed so we hang out and work it still. I decide to move up flow a little bit and get bit again but miss but keep working the tickler and it gets slammed again. Land fish #6 for me. Ferno is starting to get aches and pains from his epic 45 minute battle so he walks back to the truck about a 1/4 mile away to take a break. I keep working it and hook up again and land fish #6. Keep working it but it slowed down again. maybe 10 minutes pass and ferno comes back and is ready for a bit more casting. he gets bit but doesn't stick. I am working the lure and as it approaches near me at the edge, I see a striper come and t-bone my tickler and I swing and hook up. Land fish #7 for me and the only one that was released. We had enough fish and thought we might hook some more but it died after that. Maybe the released fish warned the rest or they moved on or we caught all that were in the area?

What a day at the duct. Man I am still in awe of what was on for 45 minutes. I will never forget it. No way I could have even managed it for 10 minutes with my bad elbow. Ferno is my hero cause he hung in there and battled it to the end when it was almost in sight and about to give up. Damn that was so close bro!

Fish landed ranged from 20" for the smallest to 28" for the biggest.

Gate shot with icicles


One of the fish with the tickler inhaled


All the fish that were kept

[cutbait]

badass!!!!

[M@M]

NICE CATCH!!........ 45min. fight That's one strong fish!! Would of been nice to see that one.....

[yolo]

It was so close. I mean when it spit it with the bare hook and lure ripped off it didn't take too many cranks to get the line in. It was just out of sight but oh so close. The rig is internal jig head and it is a tough lure but still got torn off. At least the knot, line, reel, drag and rod did not fail. It couldn't spit it when it was farther and battling back and forth but when it got almost near and in, the line went limp and our hearts sank. It stayed on the bottom the whole time. It would not come up at all to the surface.

We had a perfect time stamp too because I looked back and saw what time I talked to my wife on my incoming calls time and that is when it was hooked and when it got off I looked at the time on my phone and it was 45 minutes. It was actually more but I don't know how long I was on the phone with my wife so I took off like 5 minutes. Could have been a bit more but not by too much? It felt like an eternity with so much anticipation.

[Sublime-Steve]

Damn! I guess its a good day of fishing when u gotta use a rope for a stringer..

[Double A]

Dayaaaaam Yolo !

way 2 slaaaaaaaaay !

Must have been 1 step behind you. went out late AM and couldn't find one biter

at least now i know why..

what a great day you had.

[yolo]

Saw a guy with a dark truck at one spot but it did not look like you. I think you had a Bimmer if I recall correctly? Those stripers move around. Proof positive that when I always say that you can get em at one spot and then nothing for days there or go to one spot and nothing and the guy that shows up an hour later finds them there. Remember last time I saw you out there there was nothing at the spot you started at and then I ended up there as my last stop a couple of hours later and nailed one there. Metallica's Seek and Destroy is my duct song for good reason. "Searching, seek and destroy" does not ring truer than at the duct.

[yolo]

I'll post some tips. All fish were caught mid to upper water except for the smallest one which was the only one caught on the bottom. Most fish hit on the fall. No fish at gates. These have been my ripping water flow observations and real world experience the past few weeks. Remember, "searching, seek and destroy".

[Kilo818]

It was so close. I mean when it spit it with the bare hook and lure ripped off it didn't take too many cranks to get the line in. It was just out of sight but oh so close. The rig is internal jig head and it is a tough lure but still got torn off. At least the knot, line, reel, drag and rod did not fail. It couldn't spit it when it was farther and battling back and forth but when it got almost near and in, the line went limp and our hearts sank. It stayed on the bottom the whole time. It would not come up at all to the surface.

We had a perfect time stamp too because I looked back and saw what time I talked to my wife on my incoming calls time and that is when it was hooked and when it got off I looked at the time on my phone and it was 45 minutes. It was actually more but I don't know how long I was on the phone with my wife so I took off like 5 minutes. Could have been a bit more but not by too much? It felt like an eternity with so much anticipation.

wow great day you guys had. Tell your buddy I feel his pain on the big one I lost a big one a few weeks ago broke off my 50 pound braid.

[yolo]

I think a break off would have been an easier pill to swallow. It sucks getting it so close and after so long and to get your jighead back with the plastic gone. Knot, line, hook, rod, reel and arms all held up but the fish still won in the end.