# Gut Wrenching



## snooker1 (Dec 13, 2021)

So yesterday evening about 4 the wind was about 12-14 mph coming out of the east which I knew would push the bait fish up against a line of mango tress that I have caught some very nice snook around. It is a very difficult place to get to get in and out of because of the depth but I have been in and out enough to know which bank to hug and the best place to cross. I caught (4) 15-18 inch snook and a 20 inch trout before heart break. I was pitching a MirrOminnow Red head White Body and I made the perfect cast under the mangos and on the first twitch the water exploded, It was all I could do to drag the pig out from the mangos but the St.Croix has lots of backbone and once I got her out of the mangos she jumped twice, so I got a very good look at her. She was over well over 30 inches, about 10 feet from the boat she came up to the surface and rolled over on her side at the surface, I lifted the rod tip up and to bring her to the boat and she took off under the boat causing my rod tip to hit the side of the boat and the line broke. I was using 20 pound braid with a 30 mono leader and it was the braid that broke. I was heartbroken, but when I went to retie, I realized what happened, I guess when the tip of the rod hit the side of the boat, I broke the inner liner last eye which caused the line to rub against the metal of the eye. My largest snook to date is 30 3/4 long and this bay far was much larger.


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## kingfish (Dec 13, 2021)

I know it's no consolation at all but you're not the only one it's happened to on a good fish.  Mine was a big king mackerel during a tournament, same scenario.  Sad thing was I had just replaced the tip with another quality tip and it still happened.  Now, I hit all my tips with a couple of drops of super glue.  Been working so far.  Sorry you broke a good one off.


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## slow motion (Dec 13, 2021)

Tough break, no pun intended but still worked out nicely. Great story. Thanks for sharing.


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## RedHills (Dec 13, 2021)

Yikes..nothn better than a short toss under mangroves and an ensuing explosion! Man I miss the mangroves.


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## notnksnemor (Dec 13, 2021)

The fish is still there.
Re-rig and get back after it.


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## snooker1 (Dec 13, 2021)

notnksnemor said:


> The fish is still there.
> Re-rig and get back after it.



And he's got my favorite lure


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## Geffellz18 (Dec 14, 2021)

snooker1 said:


> So yesterday evening about 4 the wind was about 12-14 mph coming out of the east which I knew would push the bait fish up against a line of mango tress that I have caught some very nice snook around. It is a very difficult place to get to get in and out of because of the depth but I have been in and out enough to know which bank to hug and the best place to cross. I caught (4) 15-18 inch snook and a 20 inch trout before heart break. I was pitching a MirrOminnow Red head White Body and I made the perfect cast under the mangos and on the first twitch the water exploded, It was all I could do to drag the pig out from the mangos but the St.Croix has lots of backbone and once I got her out of the mangos she jumped twice, so I got a very good look at her. She was over well over 30 inches, about 10 feet from the boat she came up to the surface and rolled over on her side at the surface, I lifted the rod tip up and to bring her to the boat and she took off under the boat causing my rod tip to hit the side of the boat and the line broke. I was using 20 pound braid with a 30 mono leader and it was the braid that broke. I was heartbroken, but when I went to retie, I realized what happened, I guess when the tip of the rod hit the side of the boat, I broke the inner liner last eye which caused the line to rub against the metal of the eye. My largest snook to date is 30 3/4 long and this bay far was much larger.



I feel for you man…. Been there myself!
Being from NW FL, we never had snook. Never knew what they were until a trip to the keys with my wife when I spotted a pig nosing up to the bank in inches of water right by a nature trail I was on. From then on I was on a mission to land one. Took me three trips down to finally get it done. The one in my avatar was my first and biggest so far. Luckily, my brother’s stationed down in Homestead right now so I have an excuse to travel there! He’s minutes from Biscayne NP.
Last May, my brother & I took a trip across the Tamiami to Naples/Marco Island.
One morning there, my brother and I launched from an area by a bridge and paddled over to some mangroves. My very first cast, using a mirrolure popa dog, the water just exploded and I had hooked up with a sure enough stud. If she wasn’t 40”, she wasn’t far from it!
Like you, I was doing all I could to keep her from getting back in the mangroves. Thought I was home free after a couple of minutes, then she busted out of the water again, shook her head with fury and next thing I know, the popa dog was headed right towards me and smacked me in the leg!
Simply heartbreaking, but was Epic at the same time! Would have been a fish of a lifetime for me. Will be trying again myself in April/May hopefully.
You’ll get it done…Relive the positives of this experience and reflect on what you’d do differently next time.
From your nickname here, you seem to be passionate about them too!
I also lost about a 36-40” red right at the boat on a charter trip in Destin. All 4 of us fishing were hooked up and the Capt was doing all he could to net them to get them aboard. Mine had finally gave in and I had her by the boat for about 30 seconds when I decided I was just going to land her myself. As soon as I reached down, she ran and apparently the line had rubbed on something and cut it. My impatience got the better of me that day.
Would have only been for a photo op as it was a caught fish regardless, but it was one of the bigger reds I’ve ever landed and the pic would have been nice to have! My buddy and I were looking at her in the water both saying, man that one has some shoulders on her!
Thanks for sharing.


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## Darkhorse (Dec 15, 2021)

We don't talk about this much, nobody believes us for one thing, another reason is a life changeing moment was lost to crummy line.
We were fishing in the Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament back around 1987 and having little luck. But I had found several good fish practicing the week before and was slow trolling live pogies.
I had bought a new spinning rig, a top of the line Shimano. I usually bought my line in 2400 yard spools but I didn't have enough left to spool the Shimano so I ordered a 500 yard spool of Berkely Big Game. I was fishing this reel back in the prop wash and reeled it in to change baits. After letting it back out I turned to say something to my wife and was interupted by a screaming drag. It was the new reel.
I fought the fish for around 45 minutes before we saw it, a really big Kingfish. I went to the front of the boat my wife following with the gaff. We had practiced this and done this many times so I was pretty sure the fish was ours when he surfaced.
This thing was so wide it looked like a log with moss growing on it's back. I had seen a 55 pound and a 62 pound King, it was much bigger than the 55 pounder and at least as big as the 62. We made the handoff, she taking the rod as I took the gaff but before I could stick it the fish flicked his tail, popped the line, and was gone.
I was so upset it took 1/2 hour before I tied on a  new rig. When I pulled it tight the line just frayed.  I cut it off and retied. Same thing. It took a lot of spit to get a halfway decent knot. I shouldn't have tried a new line.
The $40,000 grand prize was won with a 41 pounder. I saw the fish. Ours was much larger.
Stuff like this happens all the time. I think I'll go cry.


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## GTMODawg (Jan 31, 2022)

I fooled around a tied on a straight out of the packaging flying fish in Stuart one morning and one of the first sail fish I ever saw, let alone hooked, ate that thing in about 100 feet of water not 10 minutes after I started dragging it.  Not a huge sail but not a snake....probably 60 pounds or so....got the fish to the boat and the factory crimp let go before I got nary a picture or even touched the bill!!!  I have not repeated that mistake again and have never found another similar lure or teaser but sure as the world the first time I forget to check it will happen again....


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