Pruitt Bros - Black Jack Dealer Wins - 134 Fish (Our PB Quantity) with a Story X's 2

Mar 16 2020

Wayne Pruitt

Slot Fish

Member Since :
2017
Number of Posts :
114

Saturday - March 14th

Total Fish - 134 LMB (Culled 89 fish)

Water Temp - 73 Degrees

Weight Range - 1 to 3 Pounds with a DD X 2 Story 

First let me say it was an amazing day at Black Jack. The lake is down a bit so it was difficult to launch our 16' Tracker. Once we got it in the water we went to wearing out 1 to 3 pound fish. Lots of culls, we did our part on culling. Lots of small fish still needing to be removed. The spawn has happened here and no fish were sitting on beds. You could see the beds with no activity. All females were empty with no noticeable egg bellies. 

Now for the story, Phil and I circled that 12 acre lake over and over….........we fished the middle, the pier area and all bank edges. Phil fished one bait all day - of course the Z Craw Pumpkin Seed on a #3 J Hook. And he was doing well with it weightless. So I tied one on in the same color. We got to the pvc pipe marker down by the dam. I threw all over it and on the 3rd or so cast I hit a giant DD - my Alberto knot busted (first time ever for me) on the hook set but I got a good look at this giant even though she never jumped. I may have not put enough wraps on the knot, I don't know, but it had the dreaded curly que braid end where the 20 pound fluro connected to the braid. I was sick because we have not made the DD PWF club yet going on our 3rd year in the club. Phil threw in the area around the pvc marker and with the same giant to hit once again. Phil obviously did not get a good hook set. She came out of the water violently shaking her head (with my bait and leader in her mouth) back and forth and was even bigger than I had thought from the first encounter 10 minutes earlier. I really had no idea that there were fish this big in this lake. I believe it now. I hope someone catches this fish and gets some photos with it. All I can say is I would target that marker all day knowing what I now know. Phil also hooked an 8 pounder that got under the boat and as luck would have it, no photo there either. Black Jack Dealer wins and the Pruitt brothers were humbled badly. OK - 134 fish is nothing to sneeze at….............unlike my brother, I would trade all those 1 to 3 pounders for that one big fish photo. I have caught many DD fish outside of PWF so I know what a DD looks like. We were 15 feet from it when it cleared the water and it seemed like it was moving in slow motion as it spit Phil's bait. I know a 9 1/2 has been caught here this year and I think still it is leading the PWF big bass contest. Either that fish has gained weight or this one I am describing is a different fish. This looked like a female with a full egg gut or full of bait shad gut. Sporting a huge bucket mouth and head. I am confident its pushing at least 11 pounds, seriously. 

I am now tying a double uni knot moving forward cause I can't bare the pain of knowing my Alberto leader knot failed. First time I have had this happen in 3 years of religiously using this knot. It was the hook set on such a big fish that popped the union. I believe the knot would have survived had I just been fighting the fish with the resistance of the weight only. Oh well the one that got away. See our lucky tradition photo attached. This is what we attribute the big numbers to. You guessed it…...........lots of crispy bacon (food fuel)….........I predict whoever catches the big fish we missed will most likely win the PWF big bass contest this year. Remember, she is at the marker by the dam. Right where we left her.

Mar 16 2020

Steve Alexander

Admin

Member Since :
2002
Number of Posts :
1170

Great Story! I know you said the dreaded curly cue for the knot break (unfortunately I know what that looks like) but wondering with 60+ fish per man that you might have had a frey in the line if it came later in the day. Taking time to re-tye more often; may have helped? Not sure it would have in your case, but never the less a good reminder for others on the importance of re-tying. Black Jack has produced several 10lber over the past decade. I'm not sure of the biggest caught there, but 11 lbs would be close to the lake record.  

Mar 16 2020

Wayne Pruitt

Slot Fish

Member Since :
2017
Number of Posts :
114

Mr. Steve,

You are so right…......!!!!!! I probably banged forty (40) one (1) to three (3) pounders before hook setting that monster. And I did not re-tie 20 pound fluro leader to braid one time while catching all those all  fish. I only checked for abrasion above the baits on the leader and re-tied there. Never dawned on me about the compression impact on a knot after 40 hook sets. You are on to something I was totally overlooking. So it was probably not a bad knot as much as it was the previous 40 plus fish hook sets. I am pretty physical on a hook set. I don't believe in bass setting the hook on there own unless it is a crank bait (or a similar treble hook bait). I am a soft plastics, chatter bait, carolina rig, texas rig preferenced angler. I am all about sinking the hook. You've got me convinced that I need to re-tie leader to braid occasionally now. Missing a 3 pounder from knot failure does not hurt near as bad as a guaranteed DD plus bass. Most folks can never say they even had a shot at a fish that size. PWF members are among the few that get a shot at multiple lake locations where there are bonified DD's there for those prepared to capitalize on the moment. 11 hours of fishing Saturday on this lake with me casting over 1,000 times (same for Phil - over 2,000 cast made) came down to 1 cast out of 1,000 and less than 3 seconds of the 11 hours of casting. Heck, I should be happy I even got a good look at her! And then to watch Phil get a shot at her as well. A memory was made, just not a good one. That sick feeling in my gut tells me that for those 3 seconds that special fish won!!!!!!!!!!!!! Fresh line, good gear, good leader, good knots and good knowledge/technique on how to wear a big fish down in order to land the giants is critical to the desired outcome. I had it all covered, except that wore out knot that I should have re-tied after 40 fish (really every 10 or so). Never again will I make that dumb mistake…..............I hope that we have helped a club member not make the same mistake by over emphasizing what I did wrong. If this has never happened to you it could be your not catching enough fish. This makes me want to get back on the water and see that I come out on top with a nice photo hoisting the DD plus next time - smiling ear to ear :-)

Mar 16 2020

John Shepard

Slot Fish

Member Since :
2015
Number of Posts :
182

Wayne,

I feel for you.  It's worse to see the curly end of the line rather than a clean break and know that you might have been able to prevent a lost fish. I have been guilty too often.  I am the one who caught the 9+ at BlackJack last month.  I fished there again on Friday and had a good day but obviously left a few for you (LOL).  I believe I also saw (but didn't hook) your DD and concur that it was a DD.  I saw her swirl at the surface at the outer  grassline between that PVC marker and the dam.  Her head was huge and she made quite a commotion as she grabbed something to eat.  Unfortunately I was unable to entice her to hit anything I threw in that area and left her to you.

John

Mar 17 2020

Patrick Gill

Fry

Member Since :
2019
Number of Posts :
7

I know it can be a pain and takes practice, but once I went to an FG knot on braid to fluoro  leaders, it made all the difference.  Tied alberto for years, but have more confidence in FG. 

Mar 17 2020

Wayne Pruitt

Slot Fish

Member Since :
2017
Number of Posts :
114

Patrick,

Thanks for the FG suggestions will look at it….............