Good fight story on this one! Possibly one of the hardest fights I've had in a long time! The picture doesn't do this fish justice. It was missing a good chunk of it's tail, was still 34" and thick as a log! When i set the hook it started peeling drag way harder than i usually expect...I knew i had to better my shore position or I was going to lose this fight in the trees.
As i re-positioned the fish made another run and literally pulled me into a mud slick knocking me on my butt and sliding towards the river in the mud. Only thing that stopped me was my foot getting wedged in a tree root. So i continued the fight with my ankle jammed in a root tangle...
the fish wrapped me around a subsurface tree anyway and i thought it was over....but i saw the fish by the tree...didn't know if he was still hooked or free and in shock. so i kept the line tight and with my other hand grabbed a rock and threw it to try to scare the fish out the other way; it didn't move.
so i pop the line quick and it takes off out of the tree snag! I finish the fight and land the fish as it took a big scoop of polluted river water and blasted me right in the mouth and eyes...good times! Valiant effort Mr. Pike, but it was time to say cheese! and bonus, i didn't wake up with pink eye the next day! now i just need to get checked for hepatitis....
