Can't find my Trinidad thread so look at this one :P

**Xtc** · 01-11-2005, 05:10

Yeah so today we went fishing, and i caught this HUGE fish, but i din't, i mean i felt the fish just go PLUNK and grabb the bait and start running, was fishing in an old submarine base so it's super deep, but there are lots of rocks, and this whatever it was dove into the rocks and like refused to budge, i could feel him on the line, i could feel the line grating on the rocks, the more line i gave em the more he took, had my drag clicking away, but everytime i tried to pull him, i couldn't, it was stuck!!
coul you guys give me some advice in that situation? i fought this thing for 15 mins, constantly losing line and not getting anything in return, so i cut it loose... do u guys wait until the fish gets tired or cut him lose or what do u think it was????? i wasn't sure if i was tangled in the rocks and would be there fighting a rock for an hour or what... please help lol

**PanamaJack** · 01-11-2005, 09:36

Hi Xtc
That sounds remarkably like you hooked a Grouper. Their first thought, when hooked, is to dive into a crevice or cave within the rocks. They then, at least initially, reputedly flare their gills making it next to impossible to extract them.

So, suggestions? You could try using heavier tackle or, once it's happened, try snackening off pressure on the line and leave it 10 minutes. Occasionally, very occasionally, they'll come out of their crevice again to feed. The second time you may catch them in the open!

The only other suggestion is to always tie something called a Bimini Twist in the end of your reel line. (I think there're instructions on this site, either as an article or there's a link within one of the forum threads. Alternatively just type 'Bimini Twist' into one of the Internet Search engines.) I once off Madeira managed to 'extract' a smallish Grouper that had gone into the rocks. When we got it in we discovered that, whilst one 'leg' of the Bimini had broken the other was still intact.

All said, if it's a really BIG Grouper around rocks he's going to win every time!

Best of Luck anyway, and let's know if you're successful.
Dave

**glengormley-gavin** · 01-11-2005, 20:23

Alright xtc?

We have a very similar event when fishing in UK - it's called 'hooking a conger eel'

They are the only fish able to swim backwards so they tend to swim back into their lair and latch onto something with their tail and you can't move the buggers!!!

I lost one last week just like this in about 5 metres of water

GG

**SeniorInvisible** · 15-09-2010, 22:13

Patience is a virtue..... especially with fishing.

Could be a grouper or a moray eel etc. Leave the line for about 30 minutes and you might get lucky. If not burst the line and try again.

Senior.