This fish turned my 2 piece rod into a 4 piece rod. Lesson learned

[linewetter]

Went out tonight for another quick flick near home after work.  I had just received a new hardbody jerkbait in the mail and was contemplating using it but once I arrived at the bay I was fishing in, decided against it.  There were some sandy areas but there were also some snags and I didn't want to lose the lure on the first day of using it so I decided to use some soft plastics.  I decided to go with a soft plastic from Rapala that looks like a baitfish:

 

 

It's not my favorite plastic to use, I don't think it has the best action depending on the speed of the retrieve, but it is quite durable and doesn't slip off the jighead as easily.  But decided to go with this one just because I had a few left and wanted to get rid of the packaging from my collection.  

 

I had a few dozen casts all along the bay and rockwall with no interest, not even any toadfish.  I was starting to drift off in my thoughts instead of focusing on fishing when suddenly line started peeling.  The fish on the other side was running hard and pulling drag like dog chasing after a cat.  I decided to let it run a bit to tire itself out since I could feel it wasn't a small fish but it didn't slow down.  After what felt like an eternity, I decided enough was enough and tightened the drag quite a few notches with the intention of bringing the fish in...except it kept going.  It was slower but it didn't stop.  I was surprised - I was thinking this must be a big bream but at this amount of drag, it would've stopped all of the ones I've caught so far. 

 

I tried to turn its head with my rod but I was getting nowhere.  It stopped now but feels like it buried itself into the ground or something.  I pulled back on my rod hard and it didn't shift one bit.  I was beginning to wonder if I got snagged.  I palmed my spool now and started to pull even harder back on the rod to try and get the fish off the ground or whatever it was using to stay stable.  Eventually it lifted a little and I was able to start winding it in a little.  Then it took off again.  It was at this point I was convinced this wasn't a bream at all if it could continue to take off with the amount of drag I had set.  

I tightened up a couple more notches being mindful that I was on 6lb line and couldn't tighten it too much.  I began to try to bully the fish around by pulling it one direction then another but really, I was going wherever the fish wanted to go.  It was getting close to the rockwall which was good because that meant I could at least walk towards it and gain some line back, but also bad because there were a lot of oysters.  I rushed up to the fish to retrieve what line I could and it made another short run.  I palmed the spool a little to slow it and began to pull the rod back and wind down. 

I got the fish on its side now which calmed it down a little and it was here I made the grave mistake.  I saw it was a pretty big fish and definitely not a bream.  I could feel it was a weighty fish.  But I decided to use my rod to lift the fish over the short (~1m) rockwall and onto shore like I did with every other fish I caught.  Well I got it onto shore, but almost as soon as the fish wasn't hovering over water, it fell to the ground.  I was confused for a sec but rushed to grab the fish to move it in so it wouldn't jump back into the water.  Then I realized my rod was in two pieces....uh oh. 

 

I pulled out my tape measurer and measured the fish for a quick photo and released him then went back to look at the damage.  My rod was in two pieces...but not where it should've been separated.  As I inspected it more, I realize the tip also snapped off.  This rod is only about a month old and I really liked it but can't fault the rod - this was entirely my fault for trying to lift the fish using the rod when it wasn't built to do that.  Should've brought a net or grabbed the line to lift the fish instead of using the rod.  Lifting using the rod has always worked for me before but I've also never caught a weighty or bigger fish like this before - in fact this is the biggest fish I've ever caught.  Never brought a net because I never caught big enough fish to make me worry about the rod really.  But that's where this got me haha.  Overall, happy I caught this fish, am bummed that I broke the rod, but also accept that it's a lesson learned for myself for next time.  Was excited to bring it in that I didn't think about better ways to bring the fish in.

The fish (P.S. can anyone ID this fish?  I think it is a trevally but never caught this before):

The formerly 2 piece and now currently 4 piece rod:

Edited April 16 by linewetter

[Fried Rice]

Nice fish, that's a humdinger of a silver trevally. Must be a light rod if it snapped skull dragging that up. Looks like you might have got the rod too vertical (high sticked it), judging by where it broke.

[linewetter]

3 minutes ago, Fried Rice said:

Nice fish, that's a humdinger of a silver trevally. Must be a light rod if it snapped skull dragging that up. Looks like you might have got the rod too vertical (high sticked it), judging by where it broke.

Yep it is the Atomic Arrowz 2-6lb rod.  Really whippy and soft tip, so you might be right actually, must have high sticked it trying to keep the fish from hitting the rockwall since the rod would've started bending quite a bit once the fish was out of the water.  

Edited April 16 by linewetter

[Fried Rice]

To land a fish in that situation first play it out so it is buggered. Then point the rod tip down and reel in so it's about 1.5M from the tip. Place your non dominant hand just behind the first runner & gently lift it just enough and sweep it in. 

Or buy an old school ugly stick & do what you like.

[SpeedyGiraffe49]

Not the 2023 Arrowz rod 🥲

Good job regardless - you’re killing it with these paddletail soft plastics

[Yowie]

A big silver trevally. Have caught some of the big ones like that on 6 pound line, have also hooked up to big ones that do not stop and eventually break the line.

Not a big tail on them such as a bream or jewie tail, however, that tail just keeps swimming away and they do not stop.

[linewetter]

9 minutes ago, SpeedyGiraffe49 said:

Not the 2023 Arrowz rod 🥲

Good job regardless - you’re killing it with these paddletail soft plastics

Haha yup I had to search high and low to find the 2023 model and not the older one as well since they were priced the same.  I liked the updated colorway on the 2023 one better and the new reel seat screw in being on the bottom instead.  Now to contemplate what will be the next rod...

[linewetter]

37 minutes ago, Fried Rice said:

To land a fish in that situation first play it out so it is buggered. Then point the rod tip down and reel in so it's about 1.5M from the tip. Place your non dominant hand just behind the first runner & gently lift it just enough and sweep it in. 

Or buy an old school ugly stick & do what you like.

I should have let it run more but was too scared it would run towards the marina across from me and wrap me on pylons or snag me.  That's always been my fear, is that if I let the fish go too much, it'll break me off.  This one was pulling so much line that braid that has never seen water before on my spool, was seeing water for the first time so that was cool.  Was able to see new colors on my multicolor braid 🤣

[linewetter]

3 minutes ago, Yowie said:

A big silver trevally. Have caught some of the big ones like that on 6 pound line, have also hooked up to big ones that do not stop and eventually break the line.

Not a big tail on them such as a bream or jewie tail, however, that tail just keeps swimming away and they do not stop.

Yep that was exactly my experience...this was probably the first fish I didn't feel in control of at all!  It just kept going and doing what it wanted.  Really strong fish.  I was surprised after I released it, I pulled my line to see how tight the drag was and it was pretty tight...probably the max I could safely go without snapping my line...and this fish was still pulling line no problem.

[ireallylovefishies22]

mate that is a huge trevally well done 👍

[Aussie_fisher]

Monster trevally shame about the rod though

[Aussie_fisher]

Never high stick a graphite rod I learnt that the hard way not sure if that’s what you did

[lhan]

That's a monster trev actually it could be one's PB for quite some time. But maybe not for you mate . You did a really good job fighting the fish I reckon!

With our obsession with light tackles I do see it's a must for me to bring a net now. I lost a 60+ flathead right at my feet when my scuffed 8lb leader gave up lifting that chunky girl last weekend. And before that I lost quite a few really good fish in Rushcutters bay when I try to lift them from the rock wall. Oh man I still can remember how that lizard turned her huge head and slowly swam away from me...

[linewetter]

38 minutes ago, lhan said:

That's a monster trev actually it could be one's PB for quite some time. But maybe not for you mate . You did a really good job fighting the fish I reckon!

With our obsession with light tackles I do see it's a must for me to bring a net now. I lost a 60+ flathead right at my feet when my scuffed 8lb leader gave up lifting that chunky girl last weekend. And before that I lost quite a few really good fish in Rushcutters bay when I try to lift them from the rock wall. Oh man I still can remember how that lizard turned her huge head and slowly swam away from me...

I have been meaning to fish Rushcutters Bay after reading you mention it in a post a while back. Never get to that side very often but Google Maps makes it look like prime fishing. 
 

I also can’t imagine how gutted you must have felt watching the big fish swim away like that 😂 between the broken rod and your story of losing big fish, I’m taking a net every time now. Never know when you’re going to hook into a big one 

[Little_Flatty]

Bummer mate, really nice fish but tsk tsk...so many mistakes, tightening the drag mid fight, high sticking the rod, not bringing a net.

As a tip, keep all the guides off the rod (you can carefully cut them off with a stanley knife) and for the tip, melt it off with a cigarette lighter and pull it off with pliers (as it will be hot). Particularly with ultralight rods, the tiny guides and tips can be very hard to get.

[Mike Sydney]

@linewetter great fish but that sucks about the rod. Worse, they were on sale last week for $99 at the big snake but the sale has ended from what I see. Should’ve broken it a week ago 😏

Huge Trev that one on 6lb gear. 

Welcome to the snapped rod club. 

[rickmarlin62]

Buy a fold out landing net

[DerekD]

Hi @linewetter,

This is one of those posts where I don't know if I should like it (awesome fish) or unlike it (broken rod). I know how hard those silver trevally fight as I've also had a 55cm model while on the kayak on the medium gear. That you landed it on the ultralight gear is a testament to how far you have grown. Wait till you get your first decent king on light gear.

Thought we'd covered how to land good fish on light gear but may have to cover this topic again. Coincidentally, @Jakob Duus contacted me last night after his first success fishing lures back home in Denmark and I am really hoping he does a report as it was an awesome fish too and a great story. We live chatted just after it happened and his excitement and the joy in his face was contagious. That fish has sealed his fate. He is hooked for life now.

Regards,

Derek

Edited April 16 by DerekD

[Larkin]

Nice Trev Linewetter! Those long hard fights are the most memorable.

[nutsaboutfishing]

Beauty Linewetter!!

Very well done on 6lb!!!

[jenno64]

Cracking trev Linewetter! Shame about the rod but at least you know now high-sticking a graphite rod is treacherous business. At least you can claim a PB on the break:)

[AlbertW]

Monster trevally! Good stuff @linewetter , shame about the rod though.

[linewetter]

10 hours ago, Little_Flatty said:

Bummer mate, really nice fish but tsk tsk...so many mistakes, tightening the drag mid fight, high sticking the rod, not bringing a net.

As a tip, keep all the guides off the rod (you can carefully cut them off with a stanley knife) and for the tip, melt it off with a cigarette lighter and pull it off with pliers (as it will be hot). Particularly with ultralight rods, the tiny guides and tips can be very hard to get.

I’ll have to look up about tightening drag mid fight 😮 didn’t realize it was too bad. I’ve been leaving the drag at a not light but light enough for a decent fish to still have a chance level but maybe I need to up it a bit. 

[linewetter]

9 hours ago, DerekD said:

Hi @linewetter,

This is one of those posts where I don't know if I should like it (awesome fish) or unlike it (broken rod). I know how hard those silver trevally fight as I've also had a 55cm model while on the kayak on the medium gear. That you landed it on the ultralight gear is a testament to how far you have grown. Wait till you get your first decent king on light gear.

Thought we'd covered how to land good fish on light gear but may have to cover this topic again. Coincidentally, @Jakob Duus contacted me last night after his first success fishing lures back home in Denmark and I am really hoping he does a report as it was an awesome fish too and a great story. We live chatted just after it happened and his excitement and the joy in his face was contagious. That fish has sealed his fate. He is hooked for life now.

Regards,

Derek

Impatiently waiting for the day I manage to hook into a kingy  only a matter of time. 
 

Very likely we did go over landing good fish on light gear - think it was the day we went over black fish since we were quite high up that day above the water. All thoughts went out the window this time around though in my excitement 🥲 It is awesome you’re still keeping in touch with Jakob - how cool is that, from a post he made on FB asking about fishing gear to this. Something to be said about human connection here but I’m not creative enough to come up with it! 

[Steve0]

Nice Trev and well done keeping your cool to land it after the disaster. The sensation you described as buried, is likely being amongst weed. When lucky, braid will saw its way through weed. Sometimes you may need to back off pressure and allow the fish time to swim out. 

You discovered one of the disadvantages of modern rods. Fibreglass (and composite) are more forgiving, but you trade off feel to get it.