Still Haunted

[chuckd67]

I am still haunted by two fish. One of them which was prolly a Flathead that turned my boat around in 16000 cfs current and I couldn't get him turned around then he spit the hook. The other one was a Blue when I was fishing alone and couldn't get it in the boat. Does anyone else have dreams about the ones that have got away or am I the only one. I never would have thought I would dream about losing a Catfish.

[mexicanthreat]

Mine was a tank. I was a teenager bank fishing. Using 50lb line with a light up bobber. watched the bobber go under slowly. Tightened down the drag and set the hook. Got drug into the water before the line snapped. I was 15 and he still haunts my dreams at night.

[captainbrad]

Well guys in 2007 I landed my PB channel that was just a tish under 34 pounds. (that is the good news) The next year (to the day) I was in the same spot and had a fish hit so hard it stood me out of my chair. I fought the beast for what seemed like forever once he got vertical. With one quick move he lunged under the boat hitting the back anchor we had down (20+ mph up current winds) and was gone.

I don't lose sleep over that fish but it is still a good story. What I do lose sleep over is guiding clients and having a bad day. I end up dreaming patterns all night. Most of the time I figure out the answer and life is good the next day. The worst was the two times I was skunked while guiding. Both times was one of the last trips of the year so I had to stew in it all winter long with many sleepless nights. In each case something great came out. The first time got me researching how metabolism affects catfish bites and the second was when I developed the lateral movement theory.

To make a long story short the bad days and sleepless nights were turned into something positive and in the end became most of my book.

Sorry, some of this is not about the specific fish but it is a great place to use the example of how sometimes a failure can lead to a lesson and eventually success.

[kenlaw]

about 4 years ago while I was fishing alone, I hooked a real big flathead, got him in to the bank and while I was trying to land him he spit the hook and thrashed around in the water at the bankline and before I could get my hands on him he was gone. The year before I caught a #45 and #44 flathead in the same night at the same spot I lost the monster. Our record in Pa is #48.5, and I am sure it was bigger than the record. I still think about that night sometimes when I'm out fishing that stretch. Now I carry a big extendable net with me.

[Skyline1506]

I lost one in a lake that i think about every single time i think or talk about fishing. got wrapped around a dock post. the sinker and swivel were out of the water so less than a foot away. all i saw was mud and tail, but hit on a 18in carp and i could barely turn him. what i remember most was how it felt on the line.

[Chuck]

I have one that comes back to haunt me every now and then.