That's awesome!!View attachment 203887
Took my son out today for first time striper. Loved it, but I think he enjoyed jigging for mackerel better. Had a blast!
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That's awesome!!View attachment 203887
Took my son out today for first time striper. Loved it, but I think he enjoyed jigging for mackerel better. Had a blast!
Big ole socialist pike caught near Bernie Sanders' house in North Hero on Lake Champlain.
And an unexpected walleye. Did I mention that we were fishing for bass?
I decided to do some frog fishing in the pads tonight, caught a couple of nice ones View attachment 204610View attachment 204611View attachment 204612
Nice man. I never have luck on the frog
In MN we used frogs 90% of the time for Large Mouths.
There's one lake I go to near my house that I only use frogs, so many pads you can't even use anything else. I miss so many fish like that though, I think when the fish comes up to hit it a lot of pads get between him and the hook. Any tips to get more good hook sets?
I thought it was a big large mouth bass at first. It fought me for a good couple minutes before I brought it up and saw the chains.That is the biggest slime dart I've ever seen.
.............
Against my better judgement, I let it go. I'd have considered having it mounted if I had somewhere in the Yak to keep it................
Been a while since I posted, had a real busy year since I quit my job and started my own business (marine electronics) so I really haven't been to active in the forums lately.
Last Sunday I had the day of my life...
Below is the story copied from my Facebook page..
What an unbelievable afternoon the Fishbone had on Sunday.
After fishing all week hard for bluefin tuna, missing bites and breaking fish off I decided to take Sunday morning off and spend some time with the family.
After our Sunday morning get together I figured there's still 10 hours left before the tuna season closes until October. At 1PM I arrived at the launch ramp, launched the boat and took on some fuel. This was, in all regards a "Hail Mary" solo tuna trip.
I had a little struggle finding suitable sized Baits and thanks to a fellow tuna fisherman who was already out he remedied my bait situation and gave me 4 mackerel to get started... seeing that it was now close to 3 that's all the bait I needed! (Thanks Elijah! KARMA will find you I'm sure of it!)
So I make my way to the area I've been seeing, marking, hooking and loosing fish and by the time I got set up it's now 4:30... not much fishing time left.
I begin marking fish immediately, anxiously waiting for one to take the bait..
I give myself a limit, I'll fish till 6 if I don't get the bite by them I'll head home and try again in October... besides the season closes at 1130, meaning my fish has to be in the truck by then.
So the balloon staring contest begins
445 mark fish, no bites
500 mark fish no bites
530 mark fish no bites
545 mark fish, no bites so I adjust my Baits and add another 15 minutes too my timer and hop in the bean bag for a little spell
559 the down bait goes off! Reel starts screaming, I'm on! And I'm all alone!
I scramble the clear the other 2 rods, start the engines and move the right rod to the forward fighting station, the boat swings around and my "Cape cod sleigh ride" has begun
The fish had taken the 200 yard mono topshot in less than a minute, we are now down to the braided mainline, the reel slows, I get a bunch of line back quick, he's turned for the boat, smart fish!
I put the boat in reverse and pin the throttle, the line comes tight again and he did not like that! The fish turned away from the boat and begins another blazing run. Long enough for me to clear the deck, get the harpoons ready and get my gloves on, time to battle!
The next hour is nothing short of an amazing game of "tug o war" with a setting sun and fog rolling in.... it was truly an amazing sight but I didn't have time to take it all in, it was do or die, I knew the fish I hooked was big by its behavior... we were gonna be a while.
After an hour and a half of fighting the fish solo my good buddy Warren Burrell who had been fishing a few miles north of me was on his way in and saw I was tight. His wife dropped him off on Fishbone to help me tame this fish, and I needed it!
(Warren had hopped on to help me before, we killed a 500 lb fish together last fall) after another 1/2 hour of battle the fish was getting tired, I could tell he had no more blazing runs in him, his will was breaking, I pushed the drag up to the pin and started cranking him in... slowly but surely... I'd take 6 ft, he'd take 3 ft back.... it was a tedious game of give and take. It was also getting dark, this adds to the challenge!
He tried to make a few runs at the boat but his speed was gone, we could easily pace him now, and keep the pressure on him.
At 8pm we finally got a glimpse of the fish on top, a minute later it presented us with a full broadside shot, Warren stuck the fish with precision, sinking the dart into it so well it needed to be cut out. We quickly got the tail rope on it and it was game over, we had won, the fish was tied off...
It wasn't until I pulled his head up to put a line through his jaw that I realized, this fish was a true beast. There was no way we were going to get it in my 24 ft boat. I tied it to the side head first and began the 7kt ride in, 10 miles 1:45 min. This put me at the dock at 1030, remember the season closes at 1130.
Warren hopped back on his boat with his wife and headed in, it was just me and the fish again.... my old friend.
I arrived at the harbor and my buyer Sergio was there with bells on!
The fish weighed in at 780 lbs 106" and dressed out at 627 lbs.
A true giant bluefin tuna landed with an hour to spare!
I can't thank Warren, Elijah and Sergio enough. Without them this would not be possible!
I've caught plenty of tuna in my day, but this fish is by far the biggest I've landed on my own boat. I am truly blessed to have to opportunity to target such a magnificent animal.
I'm reminded of a passage from the old man and the sea
"I love you and respect you very much fish... but I will kill you dead before this day ends"
October can't come soon enough!
Let us know if you want your chance to hook one and take a "cape cod sleigh ride" !
Capt. John Crobar
Fishbone charters
774-216-9207
What. A. Beast. That's awesome dude. The tuna have been hot and heavy lately. My dad got a 325# tuna last week. Problem is that the price has dropped dramatically since everyone is catching tuna. Market is flooded I guess.