So the stilly, not quite as low or clear as I like it but with not getting to fish for a week I am about stir crazy. So I tried the stilly on Monday and after fighting one for quite some time I get it close to shore and get to see it and it is huge, as we see each other it runs like a bat out of hell and the drag can't keep up and my 15 lb maxima leader snaps... good thing it was just the leader because by the time it snapped almost half my line was out!!! So a bit later as one hits my line it about ripped my pole out of my hands and my drag is sceaming with no pause when the hook came out and the fish was set free. They had been surfacing since the time I got there but I had spent most of the time figuring out what they would finally hit on so by the time I lost that one it was time to go home empty handed!

I go back to the stilly Tues. and lose 7 more most of them I would get to a foot or two from shore and they would freek out and go crazy taking my 20 lb fireline and 15 lb maxima leader to their limits!!! Didn't seem to matter how much finesse I used they are getting the best of me, even after fighting them for 15 min or so, they would not let me land them. Even with barbless hooks most of the fish ended up breaking off rather then coming unhooked. So I have about 45 min. before I have to leave and deside to make a poor choice and use a 30 lb test leader with my 20lb line. Sure enough I hook up and it is a fight and after about 15 min see him and it is a monster!!! looked like one I watched porpose in front of me a few hours previous that took my breath away, a true wall hanger even if it is just a chum. The girth alone was crazy I was having a hard time keeping it together..... I new that after this one it would be time for me to leave, so I did not want to loose it!!!! Then it happened That S.O.B. went over and wrapped it self up in a fallen tree!!! didn't matter what I did, even letting all tention off it was wrapped. After just leaving the line loose for 5 min hoping it would work it's way out, I had to put the tention on till it snapped and because of the 30 lb leader I lost a big chunk of my line!!! I left frustated and planning my attack for the next day.

So it is now Weds. and I get back to my new spot on the stilly and the water shows no signs of fish like the 2 previous days. I figure they are still there just not jumping or porposing at the moment. There was some periods of time on Monday and Tuesday that the fish seem to be gone and then it would seem they are all over the place. So I was fishing just waiting for them to grab my line and nothing....After about 2 hours I am getting real discouraged and thinking how the hell did I lose so many fish the day before and now they are all gone. As I least expect it I get a hit and I set the hook like there is no tomorrow...FISH ON!!! .....Hum.. this does not feel like the other ones....my line is not stripping off my real non-stop...
ok my adreniline is going again, is it going to see me and then freak out? Oh there it is, as he comes to shore I see it is a chum and it gets a little excited but does not even take any line just let's me pull him up on shore and has the standard twisting, turning, flipping not wanting to hold still so I can take the hook out. He is very firm, and fresh looking so I keep him. I weigh him real quick and he is 11 pounds, 31 inches long and almost 17 inches around(the one in picture). He looked like way less then half the size of the ones I was losing the day before. So I get my line back in to get another one. I watch all the spots I was seeing them before(MON&TUES), fish all the spots I hooked them before. Nothing not even another bite, in fact if I would not of caught the one, I would not have even seen a single fish all day. Not sure of the exact size of the ones I was hooking into Tues. but I hope I can run into that school again. Tues was the most adrenalized day fishing I have had in years!!!! I want those fish I lost!!!!!!! The report is really for 3 days fishing and only landed the 1 fish but still had to give it 4 for the amount of fighting and excitement even if I only could land one. I have caught several chum in the past and am aware of the fight they have, but these where like no others I have caught.

Have fun fishing!!!!!!!

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