The one that got away...

 It's a slow news day and I don't really want to write about any of the stories I saw today. Most of it seems to be related to Ukraine (which western media always gets wrong), the funeral of Queen Elizabeth (who's death I just wrote about) or the Economy (which I also just wrote about). None of that interests me so I thought I would write up a lighter story. 

As you may know I have been on vacation this week and I have been spending much of that time fishing. I went today with my dad in a new place I had only tried once. The first time I went I ran out of bait quickly, going for catfish. This time I brought more bait, but the fish were biting quickly enough that I ran out quickly. 

My Dad had caught a decent sized bluegill (probably a good inch or two longer than the example one I am going to post below) and it unfortunately swallowed the hook. We were going to keep and clean it but the fishing was fairly rotten. We were getting bites but not landing anything. I had at least two catfish throw my hook, and even more stealing my bait. Since I was out of bait and neither of us wanted to clean one fish, I decided to throw it on my catfish rod instead. 

I've used fairly big baits for fish before and that's how I caught my first flathead catfish and I know bluegills are good bait for catfish, even when they are dead. I, of course, got a huge bite on this one. It felt huge and was pulling very hard. If I had landed it, regardless of if it was a channel cat or a flathead, it would have been a personal best. I guess it's possible it was a big turtle too, but given the current and the position in the deepest part of the river I doubt it. Even then if I had landed it, it would have been a good story.

Instead I get this story to tell. One second the fish was pulling and the next it was gone. When I pulled my line in I figured out immediately what had happened. The line hadn't snapped, the knot had failed. I lost a huge fish and my hook because I suck at tying knots. Which is a really stupid reason to lose a fish. 

For years I have used the improved clinch knot because it's about the only one I know how to do and it hasn't let me down until now. I think that has to change. Supposedly the palomar knot is a lot strong and I think I am going to have to learn how to do it. It actually looks fairly easy, it's just I have never been that good at tying knots. I guess I have a very good reason to try now. 

So that's my story. I hope it is mildly interesting at least and if I have any advice for any aspiring fishermen it's this, always check your knot and try to learn more powerful ones than the basic improved clinch not. It's not hard and you don't want to end up like me losing a big fish for no good reason.