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Didn't Think It'd Be a PB type day...

37K views 40 replies 38 participants last post by  ohoffm 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
... but that's what ended up happening!! :mrgreen:

Long story short, I was at Beck not able to even scare up as much as a bluegill on 'crawlers (one on the bottom one on a bobber) at the far side so I brought out the big stuff for the first time aiming for a bass that hasn't just been hammering it's snooze alarm 8)

I swapped out the bobber line for a senko first in my most 'responsive' section... nuthin. Not surprised at the non-response I moved on to the next spot and decided to bring out my rod I had rigged for my river trips. Looking in the box I'd packed up I went with a white chatter with a white curly tail grub. No takers. Tested out a ragetail which is new to my collection with no response.

Debated heading out but saw I'd packed in a new Rat-l-trap in my most succesful pattern, bleeding shad. On literally the first cast a few reels in I get snagged, and before I could get mad about losing a lure on it's first cast that bottom snag started moving... :shock: It then headed for the middle of the lake and I could barely move it I just felt it barelling forward shaking it's head back and forth. It took some wrangling just to turn the thing back toward shore, it was also taking line out every couple cranks in.

I knew it was a hog but I caught a side flash at say 25 ft out and ruled out bass as it would be a titan mother of all bass. As it got closer I got a better look and ruled out pike because again, wrong shape... that was when I went a little nutz realizing it was a giant walleye, my first! Thankful for the heavy line and steel leader I was able to bring 'er up to shore as I didn't have a gripper:

Taped out at 28 inches!!! Girth was about the size of a coffee can...
20200312_wall1.jpg

Ooh... toothy!
20200312_walltoothy.jpg

Even harder to selfie this thing but gave it a shot...
20200312_wallselfie.jpg

Released it and it swam away like a shot back into the depths. What a rush. Also odd catching the biggest fish of the 2020 season in March :lol:
 

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#9 ·
bobberwatcher said:
Gotta love it when those snags start to move! :) awesome fish!
It's funny. Big walleye always seem to do that. You set a hook in em, and they seem to sit there stunned for a few seconds making you think you have a snag. It's like they're thinking to themselves "WTF was that pinch in my mouth? Did breakfast bite back?" Then they start moving. I wonder how many people have shaken off a big walleye thinking it's a snag. :lol:
 
#18 ·
Helluva walleye! Congrats on the PB. That chrome, dark back Rat L Trap is money in the early spring. Especially at Beck.
 
#25 ·
That is SO damn cool to see! I've been fishing that lake since the early 90's and i've never actually seen one. I've even spoken to the fisheries biologist and he's said they're in there. Once upon a time it was considered the top walleye lake in the Cook County forest preserves.

Dude you caught a really nice fish!!! Congrats!
 
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