04-08-2015, 03:00 PM
Hi, I wondered if you can help me figure out what I hooked yesterday while trout fishing with orange powerbait on a small treble hook. I was on Amwell Lake in NJ which is about ten acres with a max depth of ten feet or so.
I thought I’d hooked a snag late yesterday but whatever it was took off along the shore to my right at a rapid pace. I only had 8-lb line on so I ended up letting the drag almost all the way out and chased it 300 yards or so.
It stayed just a few feet off shore and eventually found shelter under a cement drainage culvert. For the next ten minutes or so I fought it gently trying to ease it out, but it kept scurrying back to that hiding place.
Eventually the line snapped at the hook.
Whatever this thing was it never surfaced – not even a sign of it above the water. Also, it took a direct straightline path to that culvert; no jerking left or right or anything. It would stop once in a while but then resumed on course.
It’s frustrating because I had my ten year old son with me and we never saw once spec of this beast. I know there are a few bass and catfish in the lake but I’ve fished there ten years and have never heard or seen of such a thing. I’m not sure any monster trout hang out in there either because I doubt they can survive the summer temps.
I’ll appreciate your views. I’ve never seen a beaver there but based on the way this thing hauled in a straight direction – I had to practically run to keep up – and didn't surface or jerk back and forth, if I had to bet I’d put money on it *not* being a fish. There are snapping turtles in there but I think if that’s what it was it would have surfaced at some point and jerked left and right at least a few times.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts --
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I thought I’d hooked a snag late yesterday but whatever it was took off along the shore to my right at a rapid pace. I only had 8-lb line on so I ended up letting the drag almost all the way out and chased it 300 yards or so.
It stayed just a few feet off shore and eventually found shelter under a cement drainage culvert. For the next ten minutes or so I fought it gently trying to ease it out, but it kept scurrying back to that hiding place.
Eventually the line snapped at the hook.
Whatever this thing was it never surfaced – not even a sign of it above the water. Also, it took a direct straightline path to that culvert; no jerking left or right or anything. It would stop once in a while but then resumed on course.
It’s frustrating because I had my ten year old son with me and we never saw once spec of this beast. I know there are a few bass and catfish in the lake but I’ve fished there ten years and have never heard or seen of such a thing. I’m not sure any monster trout hang out in there either because I doubt they can survive the summer temps.
I’ll appreciate your views. I’ve never seen a beaver there but based on the way this thing hauled in a straight direction – I had to practically run to keep up – and didn't surface or jerk back and forth, if I had to bet I’d put money on it *not* being a fish. There are snapping turtles in there but I think if that’s what it was it would have surfaced at some point and jerked left and right at least a few times.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts --
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