He eats it just below the film on the second drift—nose, dorsal, tail, no bubbles. At first it feels like setting the hook on a log, but it begins to throb and then explodes. I am not ready.
Without running he jumps twice. JT and Dave hear the first jump so they see the second, and we all get a good look: he is a tall and dusky river-resident rainbow of Great Lake proportions. The second reentry is sideways, thunderous, and soaks me with river-water ejecta. He lets me lead him up onto the shoal a bit, but then turns and surges toward deep water, pushing a wake like a killer whale after a seal. My six weight noodles and my drag is too loose and it backlashes and the 5X pops.
I caught a lot of fish this week; I am due for a defeat. But it still hurts. Will hurt for a while. That was a big trout and I worked hard for him. How do I learn how to fight big fish on light tippet? Not on the spot, that’s for sure…
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