Lost a huuuuge smallie today....I'm mentally and physically traumatized. Thought I was snagged until my reel started screaming. At this point I thought I had a striper or a cat. Line went slack and there was a huge explosion on the surface. I see the small mouth and realize I've never caught or seen one this big all of a sudden this guy takes off again and dives DEEEEP . tighten down my drag and my rod folds over, jon boat is getting drug around the cove then what do you know , I feel my rattletrap making it's way up thru the water column. Throw my rod down and it goes straight into the water. By this time I glance over at the finder and see it going down to the bottom. Bad day

Been there before, just shake it off.

Bum Deal. It is better to have fought and lost, than to have not fought at all.

Bummer man... I feel ya. I have my fare share of stories like that. We probably all do. Keep swingin for the fences.

Wow two bad thing in a short time

Yep, we've all had our hearts broken out there, and we keep going back!

That's sick man. I lost a 4+ last year because I had just caught a BIG striper and backed off the drag. Forgot to tighten it back down and the smallie bit a few casts later. She jumped and spit the lure before I could tighten it down and put any pressure on her. Figure you must have been at Texoma. Give me the gps coordinates and I'll be glad to try and retrieve your rod. Probably be best if I knew the exact rattletrap just in case I decide to fish a little. All kidding aside if you were at Texoma what's the water looking like?

That's not the worst feeling ever, try having a kidney stone and you'll experience the worst feeling ever.

. . .it's not the last time either man. It's part of the game, learn from it and let it make you better. At least you were in the right spot at the right time, so you were definitely doing something right.

We have all been there man, just have to shake it off. Whether it be in a tournament or fun fishing it always stings.

I have fished Murvaul for 30 plus years hoping to reel in one of the huge DD's that I know live there. When I was going to Winnsboro High School I heard stories of the huge fish that lived there
Each time I drove there I had visions of that ONE.

My son and I were fishing on Thursday in the spring couple of years ago We were on the upper end. Throwing a large worm I hooked into a "GIANT" It came up and shook several times I knew this was 'her' I almost was in panic mood.
As the 'giant ' came close to the boat I saw her eye IT was a big as my fist. She rolled over an the hook popped out. We saw here slowly sink back into the water.
I sat down an was about to cry... My son said " Dad you had a DD fish " Still I sat with my head in my hands fighting back tears. ' Why are you so sad dad you will get another big bite some day?' I shook my head and said " Son I have fished this lake now for over 30 years for that one bite, I don't think I will live long enough to get that next bite" With that we laughed an talked about how big that fish really was. A great memoir for my son and I to share....

Feel blessed that you got that 'one bite' means you are doing some thing right...

Feel your pain brother

You're fishing on a Thursday. How bad can it be.

Dude you lost your rod? That's a bad day for sure at least you know we're it lives

Mixed emotions!....sounds like it would've made a pretty cool go pro video......pull up the bootstraps