#7111906 - 01/30/1208:50 PM35lb Striper landed on Hamilton!!!! VIDEO ADDED!!!
Stripaholic
Extreme Angler
Registered: 06/27/03
Posts: 1811
Loc: Lake Tawakoni
Had a guys weekend on Lake Hamilton in the gorgeous Ouachita mountains in hopes of a trophy striper. Ewilson, Jolsson, and Stripershack joined me. Our mornings started out like this...
Our spread consisted of planers, free lines, and balloon rigs...
We started out catching some solid fish...
Then at mid-day this monster hit...
This 44" beast put up an epic battle in which Stripershack fought flawlessly. I'll let him fill in the details...
Man what a trip, had an absolute blast! Couldn't of spent it with a better group of guys. It was below freezing in the mornings just to give away to gorgeous brisk afternoons.
When that fish hit and made it's first initial run I know I had never even come close to hooking or catching something with such brute power. What seemed like forever, that fish did what ever it wanted to. Right in the middle of the fight it decided to surface and give an impressive jump followed by a huge tail slap ever driving the fish further away, at that moment and the first time seeing it I just couldn't believe how big it was.
After several minutes I finally got her turned and that is when the stand still happened and besides the jump I was at my most nervous point. With so much line out and she no longer taking it, but at the same time I'm not gaining any, I thought she hung me up. Finally after applying as much pressure as I could get a way with she started coming my way and I know then I had her.
Having so much great respect for these trophy fish there was now question, she was getting released and that is exactly what I did. Took a few pics, weight, length then Trent got on the trolling motor while I had her down in the water doing S curves, with a quick bite and a powerful thrash she was gone..... until we meet again.
Trent, Erich, James, I couldn't of done it with out ya, thanks and thanks for a great time.
I got some of the fight, landing, and release on video, when I get half a second I'll post it.
Now the next problem, I will never beat that fish in Texas waters, Arkansas or Tennesse here I come!
Nice to hear of a big one from Hamilton instead of Ouachita. Sounds like all had a really good trip, great job landing that trophy fish and releasing. My son lives in Hot springs very near Hamilton, may have to visit him more often.
Eastexn
Angler
Registered: 08/10/10
Posts: 465
Loc: East Texas, Lake Palestine
TOTALLY AWESOME!!
My next trip to Arkansas will be to fish Hamilton. Strange, we usually stay on Hamilton when we go thru Hot Springs, and I never realized it had Stripers.
Stripaholic
Extreme Angler
Registered: 06/27/03
Posts: 1811
Loc: Lake Tawakoni
Originally Posted By: SeaPro-Todd
Total awesomeness!! In calm water and residental areas too. How deep were the water? Were they ya'll personal bests?
Did ya'll take some back to Texas water?? LOL. Awesome pics!!
The water we fished was 20-70' with most fish being pulled out of the deeper water. Shack had the only PB of 35#. I got my PB of 25# last time in December.
Stripaholic
Extreme Angler
Registered: 06/27/03
Posts: 1811
Loc: Lake Tawakoni
Originally Posted By: badgrandad
Woo Hoo! I recognize that boat! I hope you got to catch some of those fish too Trent and not just drive and take pictures!!
I did. We all had 3 lines out each for an equal opportunity for a trophy fish. Shack's lucky hat and boxers , as he kept reminding us, gave him the mojo this round. The fish seemed to prefer the planer presentation.
There also was a 14, 13, few 11's, and a double digit hybrid caught on a ballon rig, among others. Except for the 35, those are not going to break anyones PB in this very experienced crew, but still quality fish!
That morning before we took out I was asking if everone had there lucky items with them? Told em i had my lucky fishing hat and skinnies on so I was ready!!! Guess it worked!!!!!
Wow that brings back memories. I guided in arkansas on bull shoals and norfork for 20 years and caught boat loads of stripers. And every spring, horse racing time would tow the boat to Hamilton and fish a couple days and play the ponies. If you love striper fishing Norfork and Bull Shoals have consistent fishing with a new state record caught on Bull Shoals this past year, And if you really want to catch a big one, try night fishing with topwaters and jerk baits, so awesome. Thanks for the post, it brings back fond memories. Check out the picture on my blog home page of some Norfork stipers, time to add some oldies and moldies!
good fish very good fish. But i gotta ask is it a bad thing that i myself own more rods than u have on your boat and i dont live nea any lakes big enough for a boat?
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ya aint dead till ya quit livin
Broodstock, or broodfish, are a group of mature individuals used in aquaculture for breeding purposes. Brood minnows or shiners are still exactly that- minnows and shiners, but they are the biggest ones you can get. Those are the fish that are making all the brood (or the minnows/shiners you are buying in the baitshops). They are just larger in size is all. If I would have had an 18" shad to put on a hook I would have in a heart beat.
This is just an overall great report, the pictures and video were excellent. Congrats on the PB and seeing it released back to get even bigger. Thanks so much for sharing, brought back many memories for me fishing for Stripers on Texoma, Toledo, Granbury and many others. Next time I am in Arkansas I may head over to Hamilton or Lake Quachita.
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Slide right, coming in .... Fish On!
, as he kept reminding us, gave him the mojo this round. The fish seemed to prefer the planer presentation.
Great Job.
Those are some nice Hogs! Good job! 
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