East Fork 7/3/11

[Doug Allen]

Fished Eastfork on the 3rd with Fished Out, caught a lot of crappie nothing big. Biggest crappie was a black about 11". Had a good time and a story to remember. Fished out hooked a crappie and while reeling it in an enormous Large mouth helped himself to it. This thing was huge, I'm guessing 8lbs. Needless to say we didn't get a net under him quick enough for pics, but here is the crappie he swallowed.

Starvin

[fished-out]

Bass was huge. Coulda put both fists in its mouth, side by side, with a big gap all the way around. The crappie got hung in a standing tree after I hooked it. I gave it some slack so it could work its way out. After trying that a few times, the line jumped and took off about 5 feet. I reeled it back into the tree. Happened a couple times and I told Starvin I didn't think it was a crappie, probably a striper, and that I was just gonna break it off. I pulled hard, it came free, than peeled off 20-30' feet of line. I worked it back to the boat, and this monster bass pops up, Starvin' sees it and goes for the net. If I'd been thinking, I coulda just lipped it, but I think I was in shock. Just as Starvin' is coming to the bow with the net, the rod goes twang and I'm standing there with a 9" black crappie on my line. The crappie was crushed, blood on both sides, and drooping fins. Starvin' said he'd seen the tip of the tail of what he thought was a shad in the mouth of the bass, but it was the crappie, swallowed whole head first.

So here's what I think happened--I hooked the crappie, it got hung in the tree, the bass sees a struggling meal, swallows it head first, the crappie flairs it's fins, the bass can't choke it up, and he really can't fight the way he normally would because he's choking. No way should I have been able to work a bass that big out of a tree with 6' pound test on a light action rod, and in open water that fish woulda spooled me.

That was the biggest bass I've ever seen in Ohio, and I've caught smallmouth over 6 pounds and largemouth over 7 pounds.

East Fork bass fishermen---you need to use bigger baits!

[Tbone72]

how long did you guys rehearse that fish story...lol..

[AEFISHING]

I was thinking the same thing T-bone. That sounds like my crappie fishing story from Minnesota when a pike bit my 12 inch crappie in half while reeling it in.

[Hillbilly910]

have had bluegills get hammered on the way in before, but never a crappie, but also never made contact with a fish of that caliber either.
Mike lost half a bluegill, or a good piece of it to a muskie at CC many years ago...was a riot to watch.

HB

[fished-out]

I've been known to tell a tale or two, but Starvin? He's as honest as they come. Not many would turn themselves in and get DQ'd for one over the 7 fish limit in a tournament, while holding the winning bag of fish.....glad he was the witness!! Besides, you can tell that fish was chewed, and T-Bone wasn't in the boat, so he couldn't have done it

[Yates]

we had that happen at Alum Creek in a tournament with Ricky D. stripper hit a 10" crappie...

[crappiekingjr]

Sound's like a long story to justify keeping a small 9" inch black:D
Just kidding F-O, thanks for the good story. It always amazes me the things that happen when we are fishing.

[fastfisher]

what was her name I think I know that girl.

[Tbone72]

thats what i was thinking..starvin showed up with 8 fish...i think he thought he needed 8 to beat us...lol.