# WOW!! I'm Hooked!



## Mo Rod Buster (Sep 25, 2015)

First of all I want to say hi and thank you for having me on here. I'm Jim, live in southern Missouri and addicted to chasing big blue catfish and flatheads in my state. My wife and I went to Pensacola on vacation on Sept. 9 and I brought one of my cat rigs with me. A daiwa beefstick MH boat rod and a brand new abu 7000ic3 with 80# braid. using 9/0 circle hooks (Cat Maxx). I bought a sabiki rig around 6pm and went to the end of the pier and tied on the sabiki and caught what I was told was a hardtail. One of the guys on the pier told me it was an excellent bait so I put the hook through its back and threw it out there. 2 Minutes later the bait clicker was a screeming and then nothing. off came the 9/0 and the sabiki back on, 4 more hard tails later and hook back on and baited back up the bait clicker is screaming for mercy and then nothing. A couple people told me that they seen they were dolphins getting my bait. I dint want to get thrown off the pier so I changed things up. I cut the back end of the off esposing the gut cavity and dropped it straight down, as soon as it hit bottom it was fish on time again! About 3 minutes into the battle it was over, cut line. Rerigged and straight down again to the bottom and the fight was back on! This time not as long, An old timer came over and asked me if I knew what I hooking into and I told him where I was from and I had no idea other than it was huge. Then he told me that it was 80 to 100lbs Tarpons! Mark that off the bucket list! Then he told me that I needed steel leaders and that everything there had teeth (sharp ones). Well I dint want to cause any harm to the Tarpon population so I waited till dark. And at that time, still using hardtails for bait, I hooked into what I was told were sharks (teeth again) but on the third one I got a good hook set and the battle was on! Long story short, I never ever had any control what so ever of what ever was on the other end of my line! The line cut groves into my thumb, burnt the hide off it and that was with the drag tightened all the way down! SPOOLED! Capow! All that in about 2.5 hours! I have waited 54 years to have a night like that and I dint even land a fish, LOL. that's why I joined this forum, to learn what is needed cause I'm gonna give it a shot again next year. I definitely brought a knife to a gun fight! Sorry this was so long, but I just had to share. Catfishing was boring last week by the way! Jim.:notworthy:


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## flounder1156 (Jul 9, 2009)

Glad you had an exciting trip on the pier. You never know what is going to come along an devour your bait. 
Fished from the Pensacola Beach Gulf pier for over 46 years....it is still addicting.


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## SWAngler (Sep 13, 2014)

Welcome to salt water fishing, and to this forum. Sounds like you caught the fever. Best you just move here now. :thumbup:

Nice post by the way. I've been fishing lots of years and never even hooked up with a tarpon. I'm jealous. 

Freshwater catfish are one of my top favorite fish to eat. I'll go out of my way for a U.S. farm raised all-you-can-eat catfish buffet. :yes:


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## Mike Moore (Feb 10, 2010)

Welcome to the forum Jim!


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## Kim (Aug 5, 2008)

Welcome to the forum Jim. Your post was a great read by the way, I was feeling the excitement. Next year you will know what to expect and prepare better for it. Keep up with the posts on the Piers and bridges and ask questions. People will give you good solid answers that you can put to use and sharpen your fishing skills.


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## Jason (Oct 2, 2007)

Welcome to the forum brother!!! Looks like you had a great time even though you never brought em up!!! never know unless you go!!! Safe travels to and fro brother!


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## badonskybuccaneers (Aug 19, 2013)

Welcome to the forum Jim, and the addiction. Sounds like you had a real good time. Nice read too- and you'll come to learn the ropes. Looking forward to you landing some of those fish in the future- just remember, its said all the time here, get and post a pic- or it never happened, LOL.
Just a note, I believe they have some intervention and recovery groups around when you are ready.


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## FreeDiver (Jun 12, 2013)

Good stuff! Glad you enjoyed it! 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## jack2 (Mar 19, 2010)

that was a great post, jim. 

jack


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## Mo Rod Buster (Sep 25, 2015)

First off, thank you Guys for the warm welcome! I know we all share the same passion, just different bodies of water. And face it, we all cant live in paradise so I'll have to be content with going broke visiting you. I never dreamed that I would have hung into any one of those fish or I would have brought one of my Penn reels that hold a lot more line. I have a Penn 309 and a Penn 114 6/0 senator that I never use. BUT, I plan on dropping them off at Bass Pro and getting cleaned and rebuilt. Do you think that would be a bad idea as in get some thing better? The sharks, if that's what they were, definitely got the adrenalin to new heights. I catch several 30 to 40lbs cats a year and spoonbill up to 90lbs so I've never needed any bigger equipment than the Abu and Penns. I'm open to recommendations. Thanks again for the welcome!


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## Mo Rod Buster (Sep 25, 2015)

badonskybuccaneers said:


> Welcome to the forum Jim, and the addiction. Sounds like you had a real good time. Nice read too- and you'll come to learn the ropes. Looking forward to you landing some of those fish in the future- just remember, its said all the time here, get and post a pic- or it never happened, LOL.
> Just a note, I believe they have some intervention and recovery groups around when you are ready.


I've never been any good at intervention or recovery, they just kick me out and tell me I don't make enough money to be cured! Lol. Come to think about it ,I don't wanna be cured! Thanks though.


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## jack2 (Mar 19, 2010)

get in touch with ocean master in gulf breeze. send him a pm and he will get back with you. he does an excellent job on rebuilding reels.

jack


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## hjorgan (Sep 30, 2007)

Post on Have a Ride / Need a Ride next time down. Someone will need a body on board, and if you can handle the waves (meaning no sea-sickness) then you will have the Gulf experience for sure.


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## speckledcroaker (Mar 23, 2012)

Wirelessly posted

Hell next time you come down send me a pm and I'll take you out to the edge.


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