How long does it take

[jvm1]

to forget the terribleness of losing your biggest fish to date cause you were inpatient and picked it up too soon?

Been 3 days for me and counting!

I can still see it get off the spear as i was pulling it up....

Feel free to share some of your mistake stories so I can feel better please.

[Spike76]

On big fish, I've put as many as three spears in them. If you get them in the head it is usually ok, but if it is back aways, I've had them swim and flop off the spear. Most scenarios will eventually happen to all. I lost my biggest fish this way, and I will never forget it. Learn from each experience and enjoy this wonderful hobby.

[pikestabber]

Hmmm... I've never actually heard of anyone losing a fish. You're on your own there...

Okay, not really It's a terrible feeling, especially when you can pinpoint why it happened. But there's the rub...you know why it happened and so you can learn from it and move on. It'll sting for the rest of the year, no doubt, but it's a part of the process, and if you didn't feel bad you'd have no business enjoying this sport. In other words, it's happened to all of us in some manner or another, so don't beat yourself up too bad!

I had heard stories of people wounding deer and losing them and I thought "how does that happen?" I had never experienced it until 2 years ago... It had been a down year for seeing deer, and when I finally got a chance to take one, I caught a little fever and jumped the shot and hit it low. I normally don't get excited until AFTER I shoot, so this really bothered me... I tracked until I was dizzy but I never caught up to it. That was a TERRIBLE feeling and it still sticks with me. It's the same feeling on a similar scale for losing a fish, and both scenarios teach the same lesson--mistakes happen, and we learn from them. Chin up, foot off the rope, eyes open

[MJ1657]

It sucks but it happens. Many of you know Mollie that hunts and fish's with me. We could not find the very first deer she shot. I spent hours in a swamp with water up to my thighs trying to find it. It still really bugs me and that was 4 years ago.

[Mike89]

been there done that, and still bothers me sometimes

[bowhunt]

This is part of being a sportsman. Sooner or later it will happen, and it sucks. It will make you feel like you want to throw up. But like said by others above your job is to learn from it and try not to let it happen again. Good luck and keep at it, you will get another chance.

[jvm1]

Only way to get over it is to go cut me a nice rectangle in the ice and stare into it for a while. Hoping to get out this weekend for a bit and maybe join the the guys from the east central chapter on Sunday.

You guys are right, I will always remember that big girl stuck to the spear at the bottom of the clay banks, just how I remember the doe that I never found 2 years ago.

I hope it doesn't happen again but until then, time to stare at the hole and at the open spot in my wall for one of these beauties that swim in the water.

[leechlake]

I missed a big buck when I was 16 about 31 years ago. Still think about it now and again, ends up being a good memory at some point. Probably even better than If I killed that buck.