Largest fish on smallest line?

[Spinach]

Big_D's post reminded me of a couple fish i caught over the years.

About 15 years ago, I bought a used boat and had to patch a leak in one of the rivets, I did the repair work and took the boat out to Centerville to test it with my dad. We launched the boat and headed towards the pumphouse, since we were in the boat we figured we might as well throw a line in, as we approached the floating pump house, I had a small tube jig and a minnow on, i felt a bite and right away thought i snagged something, we stopped the boat and i started reeling the line in, after a few seconds i knew I had a nice fish on, i fought her for about 5-10 minutes because it kept diving as I got it close to the boat, finally we got a glimpse of her and saw that it was a large Walleye, I took my time for a few more minutes and finally got her in the net. Turned out to be about a 10# Walleye and I was using an ultralight with 2# test. That was a lot of fun, I released the fish right away.

A few years later we were fishing for White bass on Cedar lake in Wisconsin, I was using a 12 foot rod with 3# test and hooked into a large Muskie, i knew right away because she showed herself a few times in the water, i fought that fish for maybe 20-25 minutes, kept letting her run and finally boated her. Never did weigh or measure the fish, but we guessed it ran about 20#'s give or take. unbelievable fight on a 12 foot rod with light line. Released the fish right away too.

Anyone else have some large fish stories on light line?

[Big_D]

Until that northern....It seemed I always had poor luck..that's the first that I brought in on light tackle.

A couple years ago, I was ice fishing on Vermilion with my panfishing gear (again...2# test)  Tore into something big...as I got it up to the hole (10" hole in the ice) I saw it was a HUGE 'eye....started up the hole....and honestly, with it's mouth open...the 10" hole was covered...

On the second attempt through the hole, it shook it's head and cut my 2# test on the side of the ice...down she went.

No clue how big, but definitely the biggest 'eye that I ever almost caught.

[Big_D]

Wanted to add...watched my dad bring in an 8# northern on a light fly rod about 25 years ago..that was fun to watch

[Cody Gruchow]

i use 6lb test for everything except ice fishing, but i catch walleyes northerns catfish carp, and soon to be muskies, also bass

[Mayfly]

I caught a 39inch northern on an ultra light rod and reel using 4lb line. Took me forever to get it in! What a blast. I think she weighed 16lbs.




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[Randy Kaar]

thats a nice fish!

randy aka bh

[thunderpout]

Caught a 8# eye on 2# on my crappie set-up while ice fishing in the Chisago area.... the ice was nearly 4 feet thick, and it was tuff to get her head turned up the hole... was using the tinyest glow demon and it was hooked on her cheek... had to reach in to the water to the bottom of the ice and grab her by the gill plate.  Had a cold, wet arm the rest of the nite, but got her in and got a great picture.

[UncleDave]

I once landed a whale with 2# test line.  It was my brother and the struggle was brief, but I did land the hawg. 

P.S.  This one fought back with a few blows after being hooked and manhandled. 

[HD]

The biggest fish I ever landed on small test line was an 11 lb Northern on 2 lb test while crappie fishing in 20 feet of water off of the end of cigar island on West Rush lake, ice fishing.

The funnest fish I ever caught was a 17 1/2 lb Muskie on a fly rod while fishing small poppers for bass. I was wade (walking in waders) fishing in the shallows.


Hunter