Broke off a 10lb

I started today by throwing a 6 inch glide bait. I told myself I was going to fish it until I made it to the bridge or caught a fish on it. 20 minutes in a cast across a point, I get a bite, I set the hook and I’m snagged. I start pulling myself to the snag. As I’m getting closer this “snag” starts fighting back.

At first I’m thinking oh ya nice fish. Then I notice it’s fighting weird, maybe it’s foul hooked. Nope it was a massive soft shell turtle with one of my treble hooks in its mouth. I’ve un hooked these guys on land before but trying to do it on a paddle board with a dog was awful. The second I got the hook out he bolted so I didn’t get a photo.

I said out loud “ well today is either gonna be awesome or really fucking stupid “. I fish all the way to the bridge with no bites. I switch to a black jackhammer. As I’m floating down I get to a tree hanging over the water. I see a pocket in between the branches touching the water and make a perfect skip cast in the pocket thinking there has to be a fish in there.

As that jackhammer stops skipping across the water and sinks I realize I have made a perfect cast to a 10+ lb large mouth. It sinks in front of it and it slurped the jackhammer. I set the hook and this fish proceeded to walk my shit. My drag was tight it didn’t matter it took off pulling me into the trees. I don’t know if it got into cover or what but my 30 lb leader was cut clean.

I said words out loud for everyone to hear. I then tied on another jackhammer. 10 minutes later I make a long cast down the bank and I get another good bite. I set the hook and this fish pulls drag, me and the dog on the board then swam straight into the rocks and sliced my braid.

I haven’t been mad about losing a fish in a long time. Today was definitely fucking stupid.