Whats up all.....
fished in a local anglers choice this weekend here at havasu we went to or favorite spots and NOTHING was biting, My partner found a nice bed fish so we ancored down so he could fish it and while he was doing that I figured I would throw a swimbait since there wasnt much else happening, I was throwing mylocal favorite around(mattslures baby bass)..and on my third cast BAMM, son'o bitch hit like a ton of bricks,i use a bass pro shops XH muskie rod for swimbaits and it was bending! my buddy looks over and says "it cant be to big your rod's barely bent"..Then I show him what rod it is and he freaks, he forgets about the bed fish for awhile as I go to start reeling,I got nothing my reel feels like its broke, then i realize my drag wasnt set for something this size line was just burning off my reel,Now i am worried that when i set the hook it didnt set good, so i fumble with my drag in a panic get it decent so i though...I went the wrong F'ing way now its WAY loose..I am freaking out and fumbleing like kid on prom night, Finaly get the drag dialed in and I am fighting this thing for five minutes already hes still there,,,She jumps..This fish was HUGE I managed to keep her on, she is about ten feets from the boat my buddy's got net ready..she rolls on her side so we can get a good look..holy SH#T might be a lake record my buddy says...two seconds later *poooff* nothing there...In all my panic after getting the drag fixed I never set the hook good!!!!!I slumped over In a disoriented haze and shed a tear(not realy) but sh#t was I bummed It put me into a bad mental block all day,My buddy was SO sick of hearing about it by the end of the tourney..AHHWWWWWWW..oh well I now where she lives and i will go back and try again...anyways just had to rant about my bad experince..peace...

Dang, That sucks dude! That would suck even if it wasnt in a tournement. Sorry bro.
x(

Know this won't help...but as I was reading your exciting account...I kept saying to myself...set the hook, don't forget to set the hook...come on, set the hook...

Wonder sometimes if the memory you take from this experience will live with you longer and more vividly than if you'd got her in the boat?

Congratulations...

Well, the only thing you can do is dust yourself off and get back to it. Its happened to us all, and especially me:o. The other day I had a non target fish tear up my swimbait. So, I put on a brand new Hudd. Its always nice doing that! On about the fifth cast I get bit, I rear back and my rod doubles just before my line breaks! And this happened right after my buddy put two toads in the boat in less than 15 minutes! So I not only lose a brand new bait, but I probably just lost a double d. I said a few choice words, then cleared my brain for a minute, put a new bait on, and went back to it. It hurts but it happens.

25 pound test and the drag locked down, thats the name of the game.

We all have our stories to tell. At least you got to see the fish. Don't you just love it when a big-un hits and you never see it.

Vic that hurt reading you story. I have been there before. I lost a Giant at Dixon last year that straightened me out and almost pulled me in with a locked drag untill the 20lb test snapped. I now use 25.
It is possible that your fish got away because it wore a hole in its mouth. The longer you fight them the bigger the hole gets around the hook.
your story makes me happy and sad at the same time. I wish you could have caught her! Please send me some pictures the next time you catch a big one on one of my baits
thanks
Matt

Matt be stoked man! youre lures rock..in fact I was at the anaheim boat show to set up our booth this week and We were right across from anglers marine me and lee got to talking and he mentioned he carried your baits so after the show I ran over there and bought all six of the bluegills two red ear,two males and two females...also three more baby bass for a buddy of mine....Then I bought some frog hooks for the bottom spot, I wont lose my next PB trust me I am going into a tourney next weekend so i am going to prefish my new baits exclusively, I am going back to that spot loaded and ready.I am confident enough to fish the whole two day tourney with just YOUR baits...And I will tell you what I'll do just fine in weight....