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A good Rockfish

Caught my biggest trolling a live trout on Lake Lanier, GA - 36#. It was interesting in that we were using downriggers at varying depths with some success but to get another line in the water I tied on a trout with a 6' bass rod & 14# test line free-lining with a balloon as a surface float. Of course the fish hit the relatively light rig rather than ones set up for stripers. Took me about 20-30 mins to land him after he stripped off most of the reel before tiring. Great fun! Congrats on your catch.
 
Caught my biggest trolling a live trout on Lake Lanier, GA - 36#. It was interesting in that we were using downriggers at varying depths with some success but to get another line in the water I tied on a trout with a 6' bass rod & 14# test line free-lining with a balloon as a surface float. Of course the fish hit the relatively light rig rather than ones set up for stripers. Took me about 20-30 mins to land him after he stripped off most of the reel before tiring. Great fun! Congrats on your catch.

Ain't no sound sweeter than a screaming drag! 36# is a great fish for sure. Congrats. I've never tried trolling or deepwater striper fishing. I'm sure it would be fun as well. My striper fishing is basically a topwater type fishing. Watching a 30+lb fish attack a topwater is a straight shot of adrenaline. Now I know why the tarpon guys go so nuts over what they do. It's like striper fishing on steroids.
 
nice fish!

what's your personal best?

back when I was in college in Nashville, I used to fish below PP dam. Caught a 17lb hybrid, 35lb striper, and got spooled by a few more in the current. Some of the most fun fishing you can ever have in freshwater.
 
nice fish!

what's your personal best?

back when I was in college in Nashville, I used to fish below PP dam. Caught a 17lb hybrid, 35lb striper, and got spooled by a few more in the current. Some of the most fun fishing you can ever have in freshwater.
Not exactly sure. Was in a friend's boat fishing in 2012. Caught a beast. His scales bottomed out at 40lbs. My best guess would be 43-45?? Here's a pic of it.

Tremendous hybrid! Congrats. Love to catch big ones. Somebody forgot to put the quit in them.
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Ain't no sound sweeter than a screaming drag! 36# is a great fish for sure. Congrats. I've never tried trolling or deepwater striper fishing. I'm sure it would be fun as well. My striper fishing is basically a topwater type fishing. Watching a 30+lb fish attack a topwater is a straight shot of adrenaline. Now I know why the tarpon guys go so nuts over what they do. It's like striper fishing on steroids.
Our downrigger trolling is generally 8-20' deep. But we also free line out the back of the boat using a balloon on the line about 8-10 ft up from the live trout bait - so essentially a top water presentation. Trolling speed matters. Faster generally means more strikes from smaller fish. Slower, fewer strikes but bigger fish. At least that has been our experience. Obviously, reservoir fishing.
 
Managed to hit my favorite rockfish waters yesterday afternoon and had a blast. Only caught two fish but one was 30 lbs on the boga's and the other was 16. Had several take a swipe and not hookup and in one place had three 20+ pounders try to grab it just as I was pulling the lure out of the water. Glad to see the fish are right back where they normally are and can't wait to get them again. Here's a pic of the 30.

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What part of the state are you fishing? I don't want specifics but just a general idea. I fish them in the clinch and Cumberland rivers sometimes on the ft Loudon tailgaters
 
Wow....very generous....but mine are the 60s as well so thank you but I would feel guilty taking them. Hang on to them Pilch. I bet you'll find a use.
I think I misread the thread. I was confused by the 40lb increment but realize now it was a different scale than the boga you were referencing.

@CATCHDAWG i really haven't given it any thought. I think I paid 225$ for them and kept one on each boat in FL. I actually didn't use them to weigh fish. The 60lb has the bigger clasp which fits over a tarpon's and a jewfish's lower jaw. They are in a box somewhere in my garage. Stay in touch and when I come across them I'll send one your way.

On a different note, I did spend a summer trying to beat the record snook and used the bogas to weigh the fish but always used a sling that the fish sat in to support the weight of the fish. I have read some publications claiming that hanging a large fish like a snook or striper by the lower jaw is harmful to the fish. I have no idea if it's true but used the sling just in case. There is one of those slings in the same box as the bogas if either of you would like it.
 
A fish tale just for kicks since this thread reminded me:

I once had a lady angler catch about a 100lb jewfish and was taking her picture with the fish while she was holding the boga. The fish shook, she let go and the fish swam away with the boga still attached. A few days later a buddy was fishing the same wreck and caught the same fish with the boga still attached.
 

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