Hail to the king. He earned the title

[Sk8man]

Hughes Marina (Sunday 7-26-15) - Admiral Byrd and I got off to a late start (for us) in his boat and started fishing about 9AM. Based on what we had heard we started in about 170 ft of water with three wires a 10 color leadcore and two downriggers with one cheated and headed northwest. Initially we marked a few fish suspended but no takers then a while later Bob pulled in a laker about 9-10 lbs that had a malformed mouth ( pic didn't take for some reason). It was a gorgeous day with a relentless sun and after that fish we marked hardly anything and worked out way out to 600 plus ft of water hoping to run into some steelies at least...nada. Bob had a real ripper on the spinney fly combo along the way that ate his fly after ripping line.  and another brief one ...I had zip no hit no runs no fish left on base . After 6 hrs of fighting thick fleas and moderate biting flies without any action whatsoever (normal refusal to give in by both of us but anyone else's sanity would have been checked) it was going on 6PM as we returned to the 100-150 range considering whether to call it quits but opted not to just yet and started marking a little bait near bottom and a few fish down there. We figured they were probably lakers but what the hell so we located our downriggers one with bob's secret weapon rig on it and mine with a slider and parked the spoons at 85 over 100 ft. A little while after marking those bottom oriented fish my rigger fires and line starts peeling out. At first I thought that because it headed for bottom it might be a real big laker but another run made it obvious that it was a king.I was expecting it to come up and shoot out of the water but it didn't and  it stayed down and under and heading toward the boat fighting like H the whole way and taking line intermittently. We had a brief look and confirmed it was a decent king then back down. It was then he decided to head toward the wires and a leadcore  and there was absolutely nothing I could do to keep him out of that area. Bob was trying to move rods and I was threading my rod with him on it under and over rods etc. but to no avail he finally succeeded in tangling us in two wires and the leadcore.....add to this we had severe fleas on each of those lines so no way to quickly clear them as well as intermittent fleas on the 30 lb Sea Flee downrigger line he was on. Finally after several chinese fire drills Bob was able to get some of the tangles undone and fleas cleared all the way in and he attempted to net the fish who tried to stay down all he could and was not cooperating at all  and made some more runs when he spied the net.  I finally managed to get him to the net and we had him fully inside the net and he jumped up in the air and out of it (not just sliding over the side of it like they sometimes do...he jumped totally clearing the rim of it) and peeled line again. Once more we managed to get him in the net and thought we had him and he again jumped over the rim of the large salmon net and took line. He was starting to tire a bit  and the third time we finally managed to get him in the net but but still fighting.  In all my years of fishing in both fresh and salt water this was pound for pound this was the best fighting fish I have encountered  and he has earned my total respect and unfortunately he was totally expended at the end so I couldn't release him or I would have. He was a 20 pound specimen that fought like something twice his size and a valiant fighter. Hail to the king!   

 

A few minutes later Bob's secret weapon rig  peeled line and he was on to another king which he boated without incident since some of our lines were still out of the water etc. It was  one about 16-18 lbs. We were still digesting the experience of the other fish all the way home and thank God I wasn't fishing solo as I never would have got him in and it was an experience I won't soon forget despite having caught many larger fish. It was one of my more memorable fishing experiences.Thanks Bob.

Edited July 27, 2015 by Sk8man

[glenm]

Great way to save a slow day Les!

[KawiKid]

Hell of a story and a nice fish! Congrats Sk8man

 

LONG LIVE THE KING

Edited July 27, 2015 by KawiKid

[reeldilemma33]

Nice story... Great pics

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[Zebedee]

Nice kings! Wishin i was on the big lake yesterday!

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[BrookTrout]

Awesome report, its great to have a fight like that you'll never forget, I was thinking he was going to get off but glad you got em to the boat finally, I wish I could hear the audio from the fight it would great, haha.

 

 

[Sk8man]

I would have given anything for a video recording....Bob and I would have been laughing for the rest of our lives

[TyeeTanic]

Nice story.

 

I have found low 20 to mid 20 fish are the best fighters out there. 

 

The one +30lber we did get was a fighter yes, but more like just brut force pulling, rather than fast runs.

[Lakertaker187]

Nice fish. Someday, we are going to jig lakers on Ontario.

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[W.W.IV.]

I would have given anything for a video recording....Bob and I would have been laughing for the rest of our lives

 

Great story, can't beleave it didn't get the hooks into the net

[Sk8man]

That is why I have used single ss hooks since the late 70's. He was hooked real well under the cartilage of the lower jaw and I had a bit of a time getting it out when in the boat

[vicarious]

Great story Les!

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[Sk8man]

Thanks Brad. 

 

Nice story.

 

I have found low 20 to mid 20 fish are the best fighters out there. 

 

The one +30lber we did get was a fighter yes, but more like just brut force pulling, rather than fast runs.

Tyee I think you are very correct....that has been my experience as well.

[Rainbow Kid]

Great fish! Great net trick!!

      Nice shift from the traffic in the finger lakes and bigger tuna IF you can locate them!!

          Way to Go!!!

[Sk8man]

Thanks Jim.

[Iron Duke]

Way to go guys!! RESPECT THE KING!!

MIKE

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[Nautitroller]

Awesome job Les, well told!

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[Frogger]

What a story! I too think we went right passed them Sunday setting up. What a gorgeous lake though.

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[Sk8man]

Thanks guys.

[signalman]

Nice going on that king.

[skipper19]

What a great story Les! Nice tribute to the king of the lake! That is one impressive fish and it's fight is relative to a nice male specimen as what it looks like there in your pics. Very stout and broad! Good for you guys, and a memorable outing! Love those anxious moments next to the boat!:lol:

[BSmaster]

It is a great story_.  As I was reading it I had the beginning of Avenged Centerfold's "Hail to the King" playing in my head.

[Sk8man]

Thanks guys.  I still can't get over the look on the face of that fish...total defiance   He was a wonderful adversary.

[justtracytrolling]

Great story and fish Les! Sounds like one of those experiences that you are glad to have someone to share it with....your story brought back a few surreal moments ive had.... thanks for sharing!

[tinfin]

Wow what a story SK8man, I  had one of those brutes last year, not a huge fish, low 20's but a real warrior. I often wonder how a 20lber could out fight a larger 28 or even a 30lber! Could it have any thing to do with hook placement in the fishes jaw? Anyway super  story, Congrats!