Lost Fish

[YTHunter]

So I fished LJ today, hooked up twice on something pretty good size and lost both of them after a 30 to 60 seconds fight. Reeled in my line expecting to see a bare hook or broken off flouro leader, but both times my 65lb braid was cut about 15 ft up from the hook. First time, I assumed the braid had a partial cut. Second time (on a completely different reel) I'm thinking, no way did I have bad braid on a second reel. I mean, I've never had my braid break prior to this. I'm guessing I hooked into something with sharp teeth and it doubled back and intentional cut my braid.

Any ideas?

[momo fish]

Twice?? You lucky guy... Try steel next time, that's what I'm doing since had something similar almost spool me..

[Dannowar]

Post your coordinates and I'll go find it for you

[lowprofile]

School of fish. One fish takes the bait, pulls the line tight, eventually the braid finds the gill plate of another fish or the side of a shark and fails.

[Murray]

thresher?

[YakDout]

Theres been a couple reports of hammerheads around. Just thowin it out there....

[ctfphoto]

Hammer Time

[bolocop]

A school of Wahoo for sure.

[taggermike]

Breaking 15' in to the braid is odd. Some sharks are notorious for spinning and wrapping the line up around their bodies. Threshers can beat their tails in the line and break it. But 15' is a long way from the hook. That it happened on to out fits makes bad braid or a bad spot unlikely. I guess I'm not helping here. But you might want to pull out some of your braid and inspect it. Mike

[Hunters Pa]

I'm curious how you know it was about 15 feet up from the hook. Not calling you out or doubting, but with the length between the breakage and the hook being gone how would you know? Was that the length of the leader?

[hage0429]

I'll expand on Hunter's comment by going Dr. House style and making some ridiculously specific assumptions in painting my theory

I'm going to say that your 15ft estimate is because you had a ~15ft leader tied on with a albright knot (or similar). With those knots it's critical that you tighten primarily by pulling on the leader and the tag of the braid only. If you pull hard on the main line of the braid before the knot is tight you end up with a weak spot in the braid right before the knot (at least that's what Grandpa told me, others can feel free to correct me if I'm wrong).

If that's actually the case you can either adjust how you tie your knots or switch to a swivel and shorter leader. Personally, I go with a swivel anytime I'm tying a knot on the water, it's more forgiving and I get a little queasy if I focus too hard on a knot in my lap while on the water.

[YTHunter]

Originally Posted by Dannowar

Post your coordinates and I'll go find it for you

32° 50.819'N 117° 17.801'W ... you can keep the fish but please return 1/0 ringed gorilla hook and flatfall jig when you find them.

[YTHunter]

Originally Posted by taggermike

Breaking 15' in to the braid is odd. Some sharks are notorious for spinning and wrapping the line up around their bodies. Threshers can beat their tails in the line and break it. But 15' is a long way from the hook. That it happened on to out fits makes bad braid or a bad spot unlikely. I guess I'm not helping here. But you might want to pull out some of your braid and inspect it. Mike

Thanks Mike, this is what I'm guessing happened. I use a double-uni to tie my flouro leader to my braid and have caught many good size fish with this knot and have rarely got broke off, when I have, it's typically after catching a fish earlier in the day and not re-tying; but in ALL cases, it's always broken off AFTER the double-uni and never at the braid. I inspected the line and in both cases about 6" to 8" of braid was roughed-up and frayed, hence I don't believe it was a failed knot, but likely something more like what you described.

[YakDout]

Originally Posted by YTHunter

Thanks Mike, this is what I'm guessing happened. I use a double-uni to tie my flouro leader to my braid and have caught many good size fish with this knot and have rarely got broke off, when I have, it's typically after catching a fish earlier in the day and not re-tying; but in ALL cases, it's always broken off AFTER the double-uni and never at the braid. I inspected the line and in both cases about 6" to 8" of braid was roughed-up and frayed, hence I don't believe it was a failed knot, but likely something more like what you described.

switch that knot up to an Albright.

[GregAndrew]

Like Mike said, lots of sharks will roll your line up around their bodies. And they will bite anything that gets near their mouths (why many dropper loop and 3-way sinkers come up missing on Leopard Sharks). Another reason could be fishing over some nasty structure that the fish immediately darts through/around.

[YTHunter]

Originally Posted by YakDout

switch that knot up to an Albright.

NEVER broke a double-uni. I think I'll stick with it. As mentioned, 6” to 8" of braid was roughed up. I'm guessing something doubled back on my line like others have mentioned. First fish was really squirrelly and felt like a big ass barracuda, second one pulled straight down with head shakes like a YT. Regardless, I'm guessing shark. The head shakes and squirreliness were probably the sharks tail thrashing back on my line.

[YakDout]

Albright is a superior knot to the uni to uni for braid to mono/flouro. Higher breaking point plus skinnier which equals better to cast.

[lowprofile]

You would know if it was a shark Rolling in your line. The two that are notorious for it are soupfin and leopards. Leopards won't cut you off within 60 seconds and a soupfin will come up and hit the surface of it's in a rolling/thrashing mood. Doubt it was a blue.

I'm sticking with my multiple fish theory. Happens with snapper and tuna all the time.

Alberto is better than the albright

[mrJB]

If your saying that it was two different reels with one rod, check your line guides for nicks or cracks in the rings...

[YakDout]

Originally Posted by lowprofile

You would know if it was a shark Rolling in your line. The two that are notorious for it are soupfin and leopards. Leopards won't cut you off within 60 seconds and a soupfin will come up and hit the surface of it's in a rolling/thrashing mood. Doubt it was a blue.



I'm sticking with my multiple fish theory. Happens with snapper and tuna all the time.



Alberto is better than the albright

Its actually the same knot. They just call it a reverse or improved albright. Alberto is another name. But those two are the same knots, and the one I use.