“The one that got away”. Yeah, you’ve probably all heard the expression way too many times. Every angler experiences this phenomenon at least once in his/her fishing career. It’s normal to occasionally lose an amazing catchdue to its difficulty. Would a magnificent fish be as magnificent should it be caught very easily? Of course not, it is in the difficulties that we face in each catch that allows us to appreciate the fruits of our labour.
With that in mind let me start today’s little story about how the one that got away got caught by someone else.
Last Sunday I headed to Texas Chuan Chom with a couple of my friends. This was my second visit to the fishing pond dedicated to the Texas rig method fishing. During my first visit two years ago it was a totally fruitless trip. No bites whatsoever. This pond’s striped snakehead pond (pond number four) is as difficult as Dead Space 2 on zealot mode (okay maybe just survivalist). With the “rubber and soft plastic lures only” rule, the striped snakeheads have been accustomed to the lure and have become extremely cautious when putting random soft things in their mouths.
After many attempts at getting a bite in pond number four I was about to pack up and head home. Then, like a pretty girl flashing a smile at the bar just before I’ve decided to call it a night, I was convinced to stay on after witnessing something spectacular. One the surface of the water of pond four I spotted what looked like champagne bubbles. It was a school of small giant snakehead fry, and occasionally surfacing beside them was a big parent the size of a leg keeping guard of would-be predators. Looks like the fish had slipped by the pond dividers and started a family in pond number four.
Despite my good fortune of finding such an opportunity, the chance of catching a fully grown giant snakehead parent was missed. After two missed strikes on my surface lure the snakehead parent took its fry and swam away. I packed up and accepted that the day’s giant snakehead would join the collection of “the one that got away”. My second attempt at the Texas pond was fruitless.
It was only a couple of days later that some salt was added to the wounds. Saek, the pond owner, sent some pictures to my cellphone. He called me afterwards saying, “someone has caught the giant snakehead you were chasing!” Rats. In most cases when a fish has gotten away, chances are you will never see it again since there are so many fishes in the water and identifying an individual fish would be near impossible. When a pond has only one parent giant snakehead wandering in a pool filled with striped snakeheads, indentifcation becomes certain. Seeing the giant snakehead in the arms of another was salt to the wounds, being told that it bit on the first cast was chili and fish sauce on top.
Haha, oh well good on him. I’ll have my chance again sometime! Till then, tight lines and hope you enjoy the new page on Texas Chuan Chom as well as the google map locations I have added to every pond to make navigation easier!
Further reading:
giant snakehead
striped snakehead
How to catch the giant snakehead
Texas Chuan Chom
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