Any suggestions?

A couple of years back on the SCR, on a idyllic September day, I hooked into a very large fish using a Phelps Floating Jig tipped with a fathead minnow. The hookup happened at 12.57pm in 28‘ of water. The battle was waged, while slowly moving downstream, in depths that ranged from 11’ to 50’. It never panicked, just slugged it out mostly in 40’ to 50’ depths. The majority of the time the fish was on the bottom, right below the boat. It simply would not leave it early in the struggle. After a while I was able to get him a foot or two off the bottom only to have it auger back down immediately. As time wore on and the fish began to tire slightly, I was able to work him farther from the bottom only to have him bore back down at will. After about an hour, one extremely arm weary EyeJacker had this leviathan about 6’ feet down from the surface under the boat. At this time, all I wanted to do was lay eyes on this mighty warrior, which seemed just moments away. I certainly did not want it in the boat with me! At 1:54pm, 57 minutes after hookup, my 14# Fireline parted. Never did see that valiant gladiator. So near, yet so far.
I have never been more exhausted. This heavy weight may still reside in that part of the river, for those interested, here is where we met: N 44o 55.2697; W 92o 44.8994
I still wonder what I hooked into that balmy Fall day. Any Suggestions?
Jack

Boy have I been in that situation before! I’d be willing to bet a good deal of money you had on a large sturgeon. Your description of the fight fits my expereinces with those beasts to a “T.” Too bad the fireline parted before you were able to get your glimpse. That’s worse than losing a fish at boatside just out of reach of the net. Much worse.

It had to either be a sturgeon or a big cat. I have landed in sturgeon as big as 48″ with 6lb test in November-so yours may have been MUCH larger.

If you are fishing the mostly snag free Croix I doubt this happened to you, but I have had pretty small fish break my Fireline after having it scuffed on rocks. W/out the stretch, it can break at some surprising times.

I have caught muskies in the 50″ class. These fish were boatside within 10 minutes. They were anemic compared to this brute, whatever it was. Any paddle fish in the SCR?
Jack :

I’d agree that it was either a Flathead or Sturgeon due to the fact it went deep and stayed on bottom.

I have had the same thing happen, but in my case the hook came out.. Never saw the beast!

J.

i bet it was probably a walleye, a new world record at that wouldn’t that have been something. a 40 pounder swimin around in the good ol croix.

alright, maybe not. it never hurts to dream though, right.

What you had was an almost, not quite, neutrally bouyant pontoon off an old pontoon boat. It has a couple of old 1/2″ ropes hanging off of it and other assorted snags. It has been drifting along down there with about 25 years worth of fishing hardware tangled all over it. Probably has about $5,000 worth of of Rapalas hanging on it. Whoever is lucky enough to finally catch it will be able to retire and open a mail order Fishing Lure Outlet company. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Hey Comanchero15, if I didn’t know better I’d think it was you who was neutrally bouyant. What time did happy hour start?
Jack

Hey Jack –
I don’t have time for Happy Hour. I’ve been trying to catch that old pontoon for the past 25 years. Don’t you know what “structure” is? That’s them old floating pontoons. I only fish with 600# test steel cable on a 25# bell sinker rigged on a titanium 3-way. You have to drag it real slow off the back of Mississippi Tow Boat. You were using too much of that technique stuff fishing with that 14# Fireline. You got to get serious. I’m selling some of my trolling rigs for $15,000 in case you are interested!

My “Nom De Guerre” is Geronimo and I’d sure like to try some of your firewater!

Jack