Towards the end of last season I was fishing a little known pool in Hertfordshire when after four changes in fly I finally managed to hook a specimen that I only glimpsed at twice but was looking in the 5 - 6lb category. It took a magic shrimp foil pattern which I have confidence in at certain times of the season - besides the bye really. But since that time I have not stopped thinking of the blinking fish. I go through the whole scenario every day recounting the leader set up, the way the fish hooked and the fact that I did not see the post until it was too late that the fish was heading for and finally broke off having wrapped the leader very skilfully.
I suppose that if I hadn't seen the fish then the intrigue would have grown but to get a glimpse of the thing was torture enough.

This fish is above all my best fish of the season and the biggest bag all rolled into one and will keep the old grey cells ticking over during winter months.

Anyone else suffer with this syndrome?

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[COLOR="Blue"]"A fish seen is a fish nearly caught"[/COLOR]

Don,t beat yourself up, M8. If we caught all the big ones there,d be no point in reminiscing about the ones that got away. What really hurts is having Two in succession break me off which actually did happen at Barnsfold about six weeks ago. I put it down to me and not giving enough slack to reduce strain, but I,ll never know for sure. Just have to try to do better next time-whenever that may be. On reflection should have used a heavier leader, but hindsight is a great thing.

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The scenery in the Grand Coulee area of eastern Washington was worth the air fare on its own!

It's because either you haven't seen the fish, or because you have.!

If you haven't seen it, you can never be sure it wasn't that wild 10lb brownie you just know lives in that weir pool, and if you have seen it, you KNOW it was that 10lb wild brown trout that lives in that weir pool....

Had two passes at that last week Steelhead fishing. Twice in one day no less. Fish hit my fly so hard it ripped the fly right off the end of my leader. After the first break off 'doubled' the test strength of my leader.

Hooked lost a second (fish just came 'un-pinned') a bit later.

Hour later (same damned fish??) BANG! Fish ripped the fly off the end of 9# leader.

I'm now up to 12#.

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"The problems we face today are there because the people who work for a
living are now outnumbered by those who vote for a living." -- Anonymous

I Did see the first one-first time I,ve Ever been hooked up to a double-figure brownie, the second I didn,t see!

---------- Post added at 02:57 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:56 PM ----------

Yes Fred-can understand that with Steelhead as I Know how they fight, but didn,t expect it from a brown!

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The scenery in the Grand Coulee area of eastern Washington was worth the air fare on its own!

Thanks for your comment, the occurrence does not warrant any self flagellation quite the opposite in that it is very fascinating and somehow more memorable than actual capture and release because of all the imponderables.

Just asking if anyone else shares this view?

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[COLOR="Blue"]"A fish seen is a fish nearly caught"[/COLOR]

Loopy I feel your pain mate and it is always the ones that get away that haunt us...

I have had a few sleepless nights let me tell you...

But the one that sticks in my throat the most, was a big pollock, I hooked just under the rod tip and It boared deep down about 30 feet and I just remember thinking this thing is near the kelp, so I just locked up on it. I could hear all my mates shouting, the rod is going to snap you crazy bast*rd!!! as the tip of my beloved sage 9' 10# xp was nearly touching the rod butt and bang the 25lb seagar burst first. to say I was gutted was a understatement!!! Having landed a 10lb & a 9lb 8oz fish with no problems that same day. Fu*k only know the size of that thing....


Just thinking about it now, I can nearly feel the power going through my arms the only word to decribe it was ... Awesome...


that fish still haunts me!!!


Wilkie

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" TRUE CHAMPION'S DO NOT GET JUDGED ON HOW THEY FALL......... BUT HOW THEY RISE".

Cheers Wilkie

Nice to know I am not the only one.

With me it's np pain just a part of fishing that I come across once in a while and actually enjoy the analysis.

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[COLOR="Blue"]"A fish seen is a fish nearly caught"[/COLOR]

Went fishing the other week with a friend, I caught 3 (all landed) in the morning, then didnt have a bite all afternoon.

My friend caught 5 in the mornging, then 2 more in the afternoon but then in the last 3 hours lost 8 in a row.

Even though he'd had on paper a much much better day than me, he was almost in tears going home.

I was smiling broadly, and not just about my fish ;-)

Prefer somebody else to apply a bit of strict discipline eh? eh?

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"Take not out your 'ounds on a werry windy day" Surtees.