Beaten and humbled ticked off

[P.A.W.]

So the day started like normal. Half a dozen fish on the dawn bite then some more trolling around. Then to the inlet to see if some late morning fish were home. After about 20 casts I hook up, but this one is different. It acts like my tackle is nothing more than a mild bother. Takes off down stream full bore, peeling line like nothing. I hit the troller and follow trying to gain ground and line. Got the fish close enough for a look-see. No question a beast of 15-20 pounds. I'm saying to myself to keep calm and be patient. He says "Up yours" and takes off again this time up into the shallows like 12 inches of water and wraps me up in the rocks. And just like that it was over.... Poink! goes my line. Guys I'm sick over this. I've caught thousands of stripers. I can pretty much limit every time I go, but the big leviathan has always eluded me. I guess this is a reason to stay at it but I'm NOT ok with it. At least not now. OK crybaby time is over. Thanks

[Durdy Daug]

Wow, what a sad yet exciting story. I have yet to see, let alone hook a DD stripper.gives me hope... Think I should change out my 8 pound line for 200 pound line???

[P.A.W.]

Ha! my trolling rig has 40# big game and my topwater setup has 30# braid. Of course I never hooked a fish like this with one of those. Would have been a different story for sure.

[Askwhy]

Ha! my trolling rig has 40# big game and my topwater setup has 30# braid. Of course I never hooked a fish like this with one of those. Would have been a different story for sure.

pat you know they always look 3 times bigger in the water right lol
I caught one the other day did the same thing to me but I got it in the net
Only 5 pounds 10 oz lol
You seem to be the only one catching everyone else I've talked to or seen comming in smells like shrunk including myself .
I'm about to give up on skinner starting to think there are no fish in that lake other than the ones you get lol sorry bout your loss .

[Harley51]

I just came back from Skinner and was skunked also. Watched Pat pull up right next to where I was fishing and instantly started catching. Pat has it down to a science. He also is willing to share his knowledge with you. If you go as much as He does you learn the lake very well. I had to leave a day early because the main water pump in the camper started leaking and flooding the camper.

[Stumpknocker]

That's a sad and surprising story...in my experience stripers usually head for open water. Kinda unfair for one this size to have the smarts to rock you down in the shallows. Here's hoping you get another chance soon.

[P.A.W.]

Harley, Thanks for the nice comment, and Stumpknocker, perhaps that's how he got so big. Being smarter than the average striper. Askwhy, hahaha you know I've had enough 6-10 pounders to know the difference.

[NFCD I]

Harley, Thanks for the nice comment, and Stumpknocker, perhaps that's how he got so big. Being smarter than the average striper. Askwhy, hahaha you know I've had enough 6-10 pounders to know the difference.

Didn't we have a conversation earlier this week about using light line for stripers? I'm loading one rod with 20# F/C. I'll stick with the 6# for LMB and 2# for gills.

[TroutOnly]

........sometimes youre the bat and sometimes youre the ball..............keep swingin pat..............

[P.A.W.]

........sometimes youre the bat and sometimes youre the ball..............keep swingin pat..............

so true Bob. BTW PM coming your way