Strangest Thing You've Ever Caught???

[Mac]

Caught my brothers ear on a back cast in Hazel. I could not quite laughing as i was running for my life.

[David Knapp]

I've caught a snapping turtle and a snake before but this fall I had something that was new for me. While fishing Hatchery Creek on the Cumberland, I broke off a nice fish of around 20 inches on a red larva pattern I tie. About a week later, I was fishing up there with Joe Mcgroom when I hooked a good fish. After chasing it around the creek, we finally got it in the net. While removing the fly, we noticed another fly stuck in its mouth. I found the larva that I had lost the previous week firmly imbedded in the fish. Ironically, I hooked the fish on the same larva pattern the second time as well although in a smaller size... Fish aren't always as smart as we give 'em credit for...

[Waterborn]

An errant cast up at the Chimneys landed behind some rocks by the pocket I was trying for....then the line started moving over the rock away from me. A gentle lift produced a salmander hanging on with resolve to my bead head green weenie...

[Vern]

When I was 13 (long time ago) a friend and I was camping and fishing a small lake. A big storm came up while we were fishing grass hoppers, I quickly laid my rod down and ran to camp to put everything up and zip the tent up. After the storm quit we went back down to the lake, my rod has disappeared! After looking around it was no where to be found. Who in thier right mind would go during a lighting storm to steal a rod? Went back to camp and picked up my spare rod. I started fishing again, this time with a rubber worm, felt a good bump and set the hook. The fight was on, WOW this must be a 10# bass, then I saw the rubber handle come out of the water with the worm hook stuck in it. But the strange was the rod kept moving in the water. I grabbed the end of the rod and the fight was on again, this time with my lost rod. Finally I brought in a 27" blue catfish. That was the largest fresh fish I had ever caught, it just took two rods. And man was I glad to get the rod back, it was my first real bait caster, an Ugly Stick with an Ambassador reel. That thing set me back $70, which in 1974 was a lot of money for a 13 year old.

[bones]

A overhead cast on Walker Camp Prong next to what I assume is a popular pulloff pulled real hard on the forward part of the cast. I looked back to see what it was as someones bra floated onto my face. No end to what folks will leave lying in the raodside rhodo.

[highstick]

Caught a sturgeon while smallmouth fishing the little pigeon once. I was in forestry school at the time and new some fisheries students and showed them the pictures. Turns out the fish released in the french broad had not been located and they had no idea that there were sturgeon that far up the little pigeon. Had to do some fine navigation work to get where it was caught. Ended up getting a couple of letters and a tee shirt out of that deal. Also, I have not landed one, but have had several king fishers dive bomb poppers on various rivers as well. Have also towed in a turtle or two.

[mayday]

I once went fishing with my future father-in-law. We were on Douglas Lake fishing for bass. I was in the process of flinging a large bass fly toward shore when I hooked him (John Stapleton) in the ear while on my forward cast. I pulled out the hook. A few minutes later I got him at the back of the neck. I pulled that hook loose as well. I put my fly rod down and began using my spin outfit. I hooked a large mouth bass, got it to the boat and as I reached down to lip it the other set of tripple barbed hooks sank into my thumb as the fish thrashed about. I could not let go of the fish because I was attached to the lure and to the fish by proxy. Of course, Johnny got a kick out of that and REALLY ENJOYED getting two barbs out of my thumb. I did marry his daughter by the way. Been married 23 years! What a catch she was!

[flyman]

71 Ford LTD station-wagon, hooked it by the rear bumper. It was crossing the low water concrete bridge on the Straight Fork, back in the day before they had the new fancy bridge. I was making a cross chest back handed cast with a size 6 black stone fly nymph. Got a solid hook up on the bumper, busted my knuckles on the old Pfluger reel handle and took me into my backing before I could react. Never really stood much of a chance of landing it with just a 5wt and 3X, just to large and heavy. Last thing I saw was faux wood paneling and about 8 kids with their faces pressed to the windows waving at me

[Jim Casada]

Flyman--Your long distnce release after a temporary meaningful connection with a moving vehicle reminds me of a truly great story--Rudyard Kipling's "The Fine Art of Dry Cow Fishing." It is hilarious and can be found in various angling and sporting anthologies including one I co-edited, "Last Casts and Stolen Hunts." The title of the piece gives a pretty good idea of its thrust. Jim Casada

[The Principal]

Boat anchor, My Cousin and his son were bottom fishing for catfish in the main channel
of the Coosa River below the Cedar Bluff Bridge. [Cedar Bluff Al.] My Cousin got a hook up and was having a hard time fighting the fish. He asked me to take the rod he was afraid he would lose the fish. I fought that fish for about 15 mins. I was sweeting like a mule plowiing corn in July. He kept lifting the anchor so we could drift with the fish.
After me tugging on the anchor finally nearly pulled it out of his hands we realized what happened. That event of me fighting that anchor is still discussed at family gatherings.