09-14-2016, 10:34 PM
I wanted to share some pictures of the big rainbow I caught out of Strawberry Reservoir yesterday. I caught this 33 inch 19 pound rainbow while jigging a white tube jig on 6 pound line. The fight was extraordinary with it's ups and downs and we nearly lost this fish four or five times. In the end we got it in the boat and I still can't believe how lucky I was to get a once in a lifetime fish like this.
[inline 20160913_101631-400.jpg]
I couldn't have landed this fish without my trusty friend/captain/netman extraordinaire, Keven Prusak. When we finally got the fish to the boat he tried to get the fish in the net but it was much bigger than the net and when he lifted it up out of the water the handle snapped from the weight and the fish went back into the water for round two of the fight.
[inline 20160913_105609-400.jpg]
After fighting the fish back to the boat again Keven tried to grab the fish by the tail to lift it into the boat but he couldn't wrap his hands around the tail because it was too thick and back in the water went the fish for round three. I kept tension on the line and by this time was immensely grateful for the silky smooth drag of the Velocity Crixus reel and the sensitivity and backbone strength of the Velocity spin rod I was using.
Fought the fish back to the boat again and Keven used the net by grabbing it two handed style around the net head. Got the fish in the net but because of the size of the fish it wouldn't fit in the net and flopped back out for round four. Again coaxed the fish back to the boat and Keven two handed the net and I helped with one hand on the net and one on the rod and we finally got Mongo into the boat. This is when the adrenaline shakes began and we realized just how big this fish was.
As an added bonus I had other friends fishing in another boat at Strawberry that I was able to show this fish to and get more pictures with. It's always better when you can share this stuff with amazing friends.
For size reference I am 6'2" tall and the fish went from the ground up to mid thigh on me.
[inline 20160913_111740-400.jpg]
Another size reference picture, my hand span is just over 8 inches wide and I couldn't span the width of the fish, not to mention he didn't fit in the cooler. I'm glad I wasn't trying to force him up through an 8 inch ice hole.
[inline 20160913_133844-400.jpg]
I'm not going to apologize to those that will whine about the fact that I kept this fish instead of releasing it. I had no problem keeping this fish to show my boys and friends, not to mention over 8 pounds of meat in the freezer that will not go to waste.
[inline 20160913_212310-400.jpg]
I saw that this already got pulled off Facebook and has the usual naysayers and negative posters, and that's just fine. I had plenty of people there to witness to the size of this fish and I'm not trying to prove anything to anyone, especially people I don't even know. I had a great trip with a fish I will always remember, with friends I love fishing with and in the end that's what it's all about. I don't post this to brag because I don't consider myself an expert fisherman, not by a long shot. I got lucky yesterday and will be forever grateful for the great memories. As an added bonus to the trip it was spectacular to be fishing in the early morning mist and listening to elk bugle and scream on the mountainside nearby. Definitely the trip of a lifetime for me.
[inline 20160913_111858-400.jpg]
[signature]
[inline 20160913_101631-400.jpg]
I couldn't have landed this fish without my trusty friend/captain/netman extraordinaire, Keven Prusak. When we finally got the fish to the boat he tried to get the fish in the net but it was much bigger than the net and when he lifted it up out of the water the handle snapped from the weight and the fish went back into the water for round two of the fight.
[inline 20160913_105609-400.jpg]
After fighting the fish back to the boat again Keven tried to grab the fish by the tail to lift it into the boat but he couldn't wrap his hands around the tail because it was too thick and back in the water went the fish for round three. I kept tension on the line and by this time was immensely grateful for the silky smooth drag of the Velocity Crixus reel and the sensitivity and backbone strength of the Velocity spin rod I was using.
Fought the fish back to the boat again and Keven used the net by grabbing it two handed style around the net head. Got the fish in the net but because of the size of the fish it wouldn't fit in the net and flopped back out for round four. Again coaxed the fish back to the boat and Keven two handed the net and I helped with one hand on the net and one on the rod and we finally got Mongo into the boat. This is when the adrenaline shakes began and we realized just how big this fish was.
As an added bonus I had other friends fishing in another boat at Strawberry that I was able to show this fish to and get more pictures with. It's always better when you can share this stuff with amazing friends.
For size reference I am 6'2" tall and the fish went from the ground up to mid thigh on me.
[inline 20160913_111740-400.jpg]
Another size reference picture, my hand span is just over 8 inches wide and I couldn't span the width of the fish, not to mention he didn't fit in the cooler. I'm glad I wasn't trying to force him up through an 8 inch ice hole.
[inline 20160913_133844-400.jpg]
I'm not going to apologize to those that will whine about the fact that I kept this fish instead of releasing it. I had no problem keeping this fish to show my boys and friends, not to mention over 8 pounds of meat in the freezer that will not go to waste.
[inline 20160913_212310-400.jpg]
I saw that this already got pulled off Facebook and has the usual naysayers and negative posters, and that's just fine. I had plenty of people there to witness to the size of this fish and I'm not trying to prove anything to anyone, especially people I don't even know. I had a great trip with a fish I will always remember, with friends I love fishing with and in the end that's what it's all about. I don't post this to brag because I don't consider myself an expert fisherman, not by a long shot. I got lucky yesterday and will be forever grateful for the great memories. As an added bonus to the trip it was spectacular to be fishing in the early morning mist and listening to elk bugle and scream on the mountainside nearby. Definitely the trip of a lifetime for me.
[inline 20160913_111858-400.jpg]
[signature]