Holly Beach missed fish. Ideas?

[MikeinSlagle]

Was down at Holly Beach this past Saturday fishing around the rocks. I hooked into a fish I didnt know what was. Thought I would see what the experts thought.

I was using 50lb braid with 65lb coated steel cable leader, 10/0 Shaughnessy hook and a frozen mullet between 4 and 5 inches long. Had my bait just off the end of the rocks and felt a little bump on my line. I raised the rod tip to put tension on the line and the fish went airborne. I made a few cranks on my reel and it jumped again. This time my line went slack for good. I thought it threw the hook but it actually cut the leader. I rerigged and kept trying, hoping to get another hook up but couldnt keep the catfish off my line long enough.

Just a quick glimpse of the fish was all I got. I know fish look bigger when they jump, but it had to be around 3ft if not more. I saw a white belly and maybe grey or silver sides, its belly was facing me.

Would like to hear opinions on what it may have been. It looked like a big trout the way it jumped and looked. But I would have been a huge one and do trout have teeth to cut 65lb cable? I dont know what kind of teeth the coastal species pack. Im thinking maybe a cobia or king. Are they common down around the rocks or are they even caught that close to land? It didnt look like a shark, not that I ever caught one, just from the ways its gills were. Had "fish gills" not "shark gills".

[specktator]

Jack Crevelle

[RAGINJROB]

Shark

[youmyboyblue]

Lady fish

[mr crab]

black tip. they jump

[Lake Chuck Duck]

tarpon

[huntin fool]

Poon...

[bull1134]

sasquatch

[Jordan]

tarpon

[Top Dawg]

Shark

[Armand16]

prob a shark.. they were everywhere last time i went to the beach

[specktator]

One time we got into a big school of jacks on the beach. They were crushing our topwaters. Me and a buddy landed each one. Another buddy hooked one. It spooled his reel. He walked back to the truck and respooled. Walked back out and hooked another one and it spooled him again!

Another time, I wasnt there, Speckle ButtCheeks little cousin was in the surf and had something rip his brand new curado and rod right out of his hands and into gulf. Never saw what it was.

We have caught a few black tips on the beach before but nothing huge.

[Top Dawg]

Shark

[jchief]

King or cuda

[bgizzle]

Spanish mackeral

[MikeinSlagle]

Thanks. All the usual suspects. LOL.

I had read the reports saying sharks were down there, I was kinda hoping to catch one(and release of course). Hence the braided wire. Some folks down the beach aways caught two sharks, just over a foot long. Hate that I lost whatever it was. Figured 65lb steel cable would have been sufficient. Will go bigger next time.

Didnt have time to enjoy even a short fight. Two jumps and gone.

[Top Dawg]

How did you have it rigged. Sure it was a break and not a failed rig? I'm not questioning your expertise just curious. I've offshore fished a lot and I've had it happen to me. Wire slips through a crimp and such. Just wondering.

[TheLongRun]

Silver sides and a jumper screams small tarpon. Doubt one could cut a steel leader though. They have a very bony jaw, and if the clamp was bad could probably pull the hook violently enough to make the rig fail.

[davidkyle323]

Shark

[Garfish]

King Mac or Spinner shark.