Ever Been Spooled?

[Trout Bloke]

Was wondering how many have been spooled using their ultralight or light action gear?

It's almost happened to me, I just needed to walk downstream to continue the battle.

From what I've learned, it happens mostly on rivers with strong current or rapids.

Some friends have not been so lucky, one had to take a swim in 40 deg temps to prevent being spooled only to lose the fish at the net (10lb+ rainbow).

[Drakestar]

I hooked into a 120lbs bat ray on 50lbs braid and got close to the end of my 300-size Avenger reel (with 500 yards of capacity). That fish just ran for the first 5 minutes Haven't had the issue on a freshwater fish, though. (I only noticed that this is the ultralight section of the forum... My situation was the exact opposite.)

[Cal]

I hooked into a 120lbs bat ray on 50lbs braid and got close to the end of my 300-size Avenger reel (with 500 yards of capacity). That fish just ran for the first 5 minutes Haven't had the issue on a freshwater fish, though. (I only noticed that this is the ultralight section of the forum... My situation was the exact opposite.)

Can you imagine a bat ray on ultralight? Might as well just throw your rod and reel into the water after the hook up

[Houndfish]

Never with a full spool but I have gotten close a few times when I was messing around with thin fluoro and would only fill the spool up halfway to save money. A lot of the time I would only have dozens of feel of line left on the reel after a long cast, so it's not shocking that it happened and it has always been a 2-3lb bass that did it.

[hoohoorjoo]

About 12 yrs ago, I set the hook while dragging a plastic worm, only to think I was on a stump. Imagine my surprise when the stump slowly swam off. I had about 90 yds of 50# braid on and my drag was locked down. That didnt stop that 45# flathead from getting down into the backing 4 different times. That fish seemed to be toying with me for the entire 20 minute fight. I thought it was spent when my dad netted it. Then World War III ensued when it hit the bottom of the boat. That was a fun time. On a side note, that TDZ was still smooth as glass a couple years later when I sold it off. I guess that WAS ultralight gear vs. that fish, huh?

[Warhawk]

Twice, once it was a big catfish (I think), and the other time it was a big carp in a river. I saw the carp, could have been a Buffalo, I was able to get close to it before it knew it was hooked. Both times was on a Roadrunner.

[Knotty]

I made the mistake of casting my Aldebaran BFS XG, newly spooled with Sunline Troutist Wild 4# (.165 mm), into Lake Wallenpauack at dusk. Watching the sunset looking for a bluegill. I get a bite deep in 20' of water and it just starts swimming slowly, but firmly, away. Next thing you know I'm looking at just the arbor knot, expecting it to break. Surprisingly it holds and occasionally I can reel in a few feet just to have it go away again. After 15 minutes the line breaks at the jig head, preserving the Japanese line I had intended to use trout fishing on a river. Had enough time to capture the event with a pic.

[CM_Stewart]

Nice knot, Knotty!

Also, another reason to use nylon. When your drag has done all it can and your rod is bent as far as it can bend, the only thing you have left is line stretch.

[Gone Phishin]

Nice knot, Knotty!

Also, another reason to use nylon. When your drag has done all it can and your rod is bent as far as it can bend, the only thing you have left is line stretch.

Right?!? Handle/post award winner right there folks.

[Knotty]

Nice knot, Knotty!

Also, another reason to use nylon. When your drag has done all it can and your rod is bent as far as it can bend, the only thing you have left is line stretch.

Good point Chris. That setup was intended for river fishing, where I don't need the sink and sensitivity of ester or flouro. Also funny you should comment because both the Aldebaran and Sunline Troutist Wild are from your shop! Had the arbor knot broke I'd have been very sad, never getting the chance to fish that line for it's intended purpose.

[Just_Bass]

Just almost when I only had about 50yds of 8lb braid. I was fishing for crappie with 1.5 gram jig head and something big grabbed the lure. He swim off in open water non stop. I can reel in occasionally but he would pull out a few feet more again. At that time, I haven’t upgrade my pixy drag so my rod keep jerking every time he started running, prevented me to apply more drag. It had been for a few minutes and my line super low on spool. I decided to abandon the fish because I don’t want this fish to have 50yds of line behind him and no way I could land it without net (fishing from dock). I locked down drag point the rod tip straight to the fish, and hope it brake off at leader, luckily the jig pop out. I upgraded to smooth drag ever since.