Funny Strange

[Pat Bolton]

I've hooked a bats at dusk on the Yak, but I had the strangest fishing experience of my life in Alaska last September...albeit not on fly rod. After 5 days straight of flyfishing silvers we chartered a boat to do some halibut & ling meat fishing. Just three of us...we were fishing over a mount at between 80' and 100', catching nice 30+ pound 'buts on herring (salmon rods) and big lings. I hooked a nice 'but and was pulling it in when my rod snapped at the top of the fighting butt and with a splash the Penn, most of the rod and the fish were gone. After I recovered my composure and the cursing settled down, I went back to fishing with another set-up. About 20 minutes later I got a good tug and started reeling in a smaller "micro 'but" (about 15 pounds). As I prepared to release the fish, I saw that there was a line wrapped around my leader. I grabbed the other line, released the fish, and started pulling in the other line. Up comes the broken rod and reel STILL hooked to the original fish!  Somebody handed me a fighting belt (the busted end of the rod was sharp!) and I managed to land the original fish -- almost 50 pounds -- on the busted salmon rod. I have witnesses...and pictures!!