Ghostbuster!

[Phishphood]

Originally Posted by jorluivil

First and foremost let me begin by congratulating you on a fine specimen. However, there are questions that I'm sure others would like to ask but don't because they don't want to kill your stoke.

Really unfortunate as I value this post I think most of all the responses. Please note all my responses/questions here are in all seriousness, not tongue in cheek or attempts at sarcasm.

So, let's begin at the beginning.

Your thread says

Stopped caring about the fish and went to work securing my rods and paddle,


I will call you out on this comment for one reason and that reason is that you work for the CDFW. Your first and only priority at that time should have been the fish and not your rod or paddle or whatever you were dealing with.

While I personally agree with your sentiment re: CDFW employees, I would ask that you understand that to some people a job is simply a job where they can get paid. In my case, you're spot on and I truly failed at backing up part of the reason I signed on. Not debating that one cent. While I would like to say I didn't become completely ignorant about the fish, that is entirely besides the point.

The one thing I would respectfully ask about would be the paddle. For those paddlers who paddle and not peddle, would it not be prudent to have immediate and unimpeded access to the paddle as a safety issue?

Second thing I'd like to bring up is the following comment, you said

After 5-10 minutes of this BS, I decide it's more than likely a WSB and not BSB, so I gaff it

Really? You weren't sure so you decided the best thing to do was gaff it?

It sounds like the whole thing took place over the course of 10-15minutes.........that's way to long of a time to decide whether or not you had a trophy fish or a fish that is completely off limits.

This was probably not stated in the most accurate way. The "more than likely a WSB" was meant to convey the feeling one might get when I've checked off as many marks as possible (belly ridge, black spot at base of pectoral, dorsal fin shape comparisons, slight bar markings (supposed to only be on young?) vs spots) but still have some trepidation about making the final call. At this point I had even talked on the phone with my friend (later videocalled) talking through ID's. Fish was being moved forward/backward at this point in time.In retrospect, unless one is 100% positive about ID, the fish should probably be released as soon as safely possible. I'm fairly certain I've trumpeted that message before, if not here than other outlets, and I believe in it; I fully forgot that message and got caught in the adrenaline rush of possibly/probably having a great specimen in hand.

By the time you're done reading this you'll probably be like, 'who the f*ck is this clown' and it would probably be to late for me to say not to take it personal but I hope this event and my comments served a purpose, not just to you but to everyone else that cannot tell the difference between a wsb and a bsb.

Au contraire, I don't take it as a personal attack, just as a 'really, everyone should know better and act better (compared to knowledge/action taken). And I truly am thankful on being called out on this, not just by you but everyone. Fully agreed with the bolded part (my addition) of your quote.

If it makes you feel any better I had a similar experience many years ago but when the fish came up belly up I knew Gaffing it was the last thing I wanted to do. The moment that fish came up I dropped everything and my priority was the fish.........yes, it was a bsb.

Again, nice trophy fish.

It doesn't really, but thank you. It also doesn't bother me as I know most everyone makes mistakes. Even if they aren't 'just like' or even 'almost like' mine, it's more important to me that we can learn from other's mistakes. I made one, I own up to it. I'm darned lucky it worked out in the end, but that was just it, luck.

I'd like to say my first priority hooking the first (original) BSB was the fish, but my actual first priority was trying to become un-attached to the behemoth, then rescue/revive. My entire mind screamed BSB on that one though, maybe due to the fact that I've seen them first hand on SCUBA and aquariums, with plenty of time to stare at it in the latter setting.

Again, thank you for the well written comment.