Strangest Thing You've Ever Caught???

[Jubal]

back in my much younger days before I graduated to the fine sport of fly fishing I managed to hoss in a turtle while bait fishing. that was wild for a 13 year old or whatever I was at the time. he obviously wasn't hooked he just wouldn't let go.

[fly fisherman DK]

My strangest catch ever was a turtle, but my dad has had to purposely catch my cousin's spinning rod once before after she acidentally dropped it in the White River in Arkansas. He did it by putting heavy split shot right above the hook, and then slowly reeling it until it caught the rod.

[fishingman62]

while perch fishing up home from the north pier of the shipping channel that seperates presque isle bay from lake erie in erie pa....i caught the lawn chair of a guy who had lost chair and pole to a fish... got it all back for the guy.... chair, rod and a 24" carp...... a segull and the same sea turtle twice from the daytona beach pier....
dan

[Rocketroy]

I was casting to rising fish,under overhanging trees,on the above D/H, with some success,when a take and hook up resulted in a 11 in. brown which at the time had a lot of underwater flash,which I soon discovered was the retaining ring of a "Mason Jar" ,that he managed to get around his body aft of the gills......that was beginning to cut into that area of his body! A little streamside removal move cleared him of his jewelry,along with my elk hair caddis,and we both were on our way! Rugged little creatures,these trout! Regards, Rocketroy {*Drag free postings}....... Think he was in drag? RR

[Troutman]

Last summer I caught a 10-12lb snapping turtle on a #2 red/white Clouser over on Chilhowee lake fishing from the canoe.

[Bran]

Great thread! I've been smiling all the way through. I've done the turtles, and told the story of my mallard duck on here before, but I think the wierdest was actually a fish. A few years back I was casting for striped bass on the spawning run and hooked a Bowfin. He was about 3 pounds and fought better than a Smallmouth but that's one of the oddest creatures I've ever seen. Once I got him in the boat he excreted a green slime that was the foulest smelling thing you could imagine and it took a few days to get the funk off the boat.

[Noonan]

Few years back, I "caught" a Hellbender on a prince nymph on the Nantahala. Thought I had a heavy fish on that just didn't move much. Scared the crap out of me when he grabbed my line and started pulling himself up. He got to keep that fly.

Also caught a rainbow who had already had a hook, from a previous fisherman, lodged in his tongue. The hook of my #20 BWO went into the eye of the other hook so I landed a fish without actually hooking it anywhere on its body. He was probably happy when I sent him back without either hook.

[Carolina Boy]

I almost forgot, I caugh a love seat/recliner on a lower stretch of the SoHo, I must have looked odd standing on top of the thing trying to retrieve my fly, the thing started moving so I got off quick and alass the lazyboy got my fly!

[BlueRaiderFan]

Saw this on a board somewhere:

[woodman]

My wife - while smallmouth fishing on the Buffalo River. The Buffalo River is a great river to canoe while also indulging in few adult beverages. On one occassion I had paddled the canoe into one of the many rocky shoals and proceeded to make a cast from the sitting position at the back of the boat. As my multi colored sneaky pete popper came forward on the front cast my wife' arm was reaching into the cooler. The 1/0 hook lodged in the meaty part of her forearm . I can add ; the only way to remove a popper which is imbedded in your wives arm is to force the hook back thru the skin; and cut the hook with a pair of pliers. I didn't know as****le could be preceeded with so many adjectives.