yep I hear you I use trevala rods rated for 20-50 have a lot of bend . But Greg’s Looks like a Calcutta on a bass rod. Hook a 100#+ thresher it’ll smoke those gears. I’ve done it with tuna but I guess those salmon rods are meant to bend like that for downriggers

one thing I have noticed is with bigger fish sometimes the harder you pull the harder they do.

100% on time on the PRIDE I had my line wrapped with some googan on 50# BFT . He literally cut my line and had me hold the spectra in my hand with the fish on it . He said what ever you do don’t pull and it just stayed there in a stale mate till he respliced my line pretty trippy

I have been spooled exactly 1 time on my Calcuttas, and never had the drags burn up on a fish. I have done the 100#+ Thresher, and probably well over 200# BSB on those little Calcuttas. But those are inshore species I am not interested in targeting anyway. The rods I use are not intended for downrigger fishing either, but I can understand your confusion.

Addendum
 

A really cool addendum to the story (for a few of us at least). I just got this email today from Mitchell Masuda at Hubbs. It has inspired me to keep helping out on the WSB release program. Btw, I am going to have to talk to the guys I turned the "whole head" in to about the missing otoliths.

Mitchell Masuda <Mmasuda@hswri.org>
Today at 4:43 PM
To
GregBarnicoat

CC
Mike Shane

Message body

Greg,

Thank you very much for taking the time to submit the white seabass that you caught on 1/28/18 for our study. I have great news; the fish was tagged and is our oldest fish recovered to-date! It came from a spawn in August of 1997 and released near Dana Point in February of 1998, making it a little over 20 years old when you caught it.

I was wondering if there was any chance you had more information on the fish, such as weight or length, that would be useful for us. I also wanted to ask if there was any way for us to obtain the otoliths that you removed from the fish. They are very useful in obtaining more information about the fish as well as looking at historical information. Of course, I can happily send you replacements if you would like. We would also like to put a story together about this catch and would love to see any photos you have of the fish or you catching it to use for our Facebook page or maybe Western Outdoor News.

If you would like to chat, please feel free to give me a call on Monday during work hours at the number listed below. I look forward to hearing back from you and congratulations again on the amazing catch!

Thank you,

Mitchell

Great catch Greg and I agree those Calcuttas are great for our fisheries. Tight Lines amigo.

This is great news for the program! :luxhello:

We always turn in our heads with fingers crossed, hoping we get a tagged one. All I gotta say is wow! Congrats....CHAMP!

Karma
 

It looks like karma works...all those WSB you've released in the last few years have paid off in a big way.:luxhello:
Thanks for turning in the head and all the work you've done for the WSB project Greg...!!!:you_rock::notworthy:
\http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegall.../IMG_31673.jpg

Very cool Greg :cool:

Awesome Addendum ! Thanks for sharing that.

Ps, the stones are being recovered.

Such a cool post and story Greg. Thanks for sharing this!

cool post! what ff are you using if ya dont mind me asking

HDS 7 touch

Glad I was part of Hubbs....San Diego bay.
 

Even tho I didn't get to finish my term.
I was diagnosed with colan cancer right in the middle of my term and had quit due to stomach infection.
I would go before sunrise and feed them in the dark.
Those little baby's would boil on the surface, big time.They wouldn't do that in the day light.:wsb:

Fish eating the food that falls through the net, that holds baby white seabass.
 

Mullet, sardines, jacksmelt, spot fin Crocker. spoted bay bass.In San Diego bay.