A Fishy Story?

I have a fishing story to share with you. Now, this is absolutely a
true story. I know, because it happened to ME.

I was fishing at the Vaaldam (South Africa) when I caught a
big bass. Not that big to cook and decided to use it as live bait.
Now the black bass we have here are carnivorous and very vicious
at that. Very, very sharp teeth and lots of it.
I carefully hooked a big fishhook through the dorsal fin of the fish so
that it still could swim freely and placed it in the water.
I let the line out as it headed for deep water by switching the break
of the reel to off. The line I used was a 20kg breaking strength of the
old
green type. Note that this line could stretch very very much without
breaking. And to add, I always fill my fishing reel to full capacity,
300 yards
of line.

Suddenly there was a HUGE tug on the line, I switched on the reel's
break and hooked the fish. I realized this was a BIG one.

The fish started it's run, and I let it go - it will eventually be
exhausted
and I could bring it in. But, it kept on going and going. I adjusted the
break
on the reel because the line on the reel was getting lesser and lesser
by the
second.

Suddenly I felt now is the time to bring it in. Only a couple of yards
and
this monster of a fish would start it's run again.

To make a long story short (after lots of sweat and reeling) I finally
brought
it in. But remember, the line was stretched to maximum. As I pulled in,
the reel
was getting fuller and fuller because of all the stretching. The reel
was full now, so I took
another empty fishing reel, put it on my fishing rod and proceeded
bringing the fish in.

When I netted this monster of a barbel (voodoo, catfish?) of 77.36kg I
was so surprised at
what I saw. The barbel didn't take the bait at all - no, the bass I used
as bait had the barbel by
the tail and just wouldn't let go!

This is a true story, and that is what stories are about: to be true.

With kind regards from Sunny South Africa

Jean B....

Wow! That's one stubborn and strong bass!

Yoj...

That is amazing! That was one stubborn bass!