500 pound catfish, lurking at the base of the dam. 20 foot sturgeon cruising the fjords of Norway. 15 ton giant octopus, lurking in the Blue Hole beneath Bermuda. Nessie. Bloop.

These things are big. The problem with catching really giant animals using a hook and line is that they are so powerful, their flesh will give before you can get them up to take a look at them. Or they will straighten the hook, or snap the line.

I propose that the standard steel cable / baited hook be hybridized with a Taser -type apparatus to facilitate the catching on giant deep-dweeling water monsters. On setting the hook, the monster will receive a jolt of electricity down the cable intended to take the fight out of them. More than one jolt might be delivered if there is continued fighting by some unknown formidable. Electrically subdued, it may then be possible to gradually reel them in - or send someone down the line to put a net around them to hoist them up. Then we can get a good look. Hopefully, the electrical zap will stun, not kill, and once photgraphed the monster can be freed to get back to monster business.
-- bungston, May 20 2005

That's not me, and I did not shoot that fish...... http://www.ronchurc.../Black-Sea-Bass.jpg
Ok......I looked like that once, and I do own that gun, but.........I'm struggling to get that waistline back. [normzone, May 20 2005, last modified May 21 2005]

This one's a baby....... http://www.ikelite....hotos/frinkdslr.jpg
His mommy circled me once - it is a fun experience to have a HARMLESS fish like this eyeball your catch....even if you know it's harmless, it's still interesting. [normzone, May 20 2005]

ElectroFishing http://www.rickly.c.../electrofishing.htm
Seems to work for these folks. [Klaatu, May 22 2005]

[bungston], [bungston], [bungston]..........where to begin.....

Ok - preheated, sort of, but not really, so we'll drop the charge. But Roger Zelazney and his pen have been in the neighborhood before.

And based on the stories I've heard from senior spearos, 500lb of black sea bass can break 1/4" chain links with a swish of the tail, so it's going to get expensive. Perhaps kevlar weave....

But really, if you want a good look, give me a call, and we can go do it firsthand.
-- normzone, May 20 2005


come out Lockness thingie ! don't want to? BZzZZzz! and u'rrre out! here's a bun for you. now go back and have fun with those pesky fishermen floating about.
-- sweet, May 21 2005


So you're wet, sitting in a wet metal boat, running a wet steel fishing line to which you have attached a taser power unit big enough to stun something around the same size as you. When you hit the button, the current will take the easiest path to earth, which I doubt will involve travelling all the way to the bottom of the sea down the cable, avoiding you and several hundred metres of highly conductive sea water in the process. This is both dangerous and unlikely to work. I'd take up [norm]'s offer if I were you - after all if the mountain won't come to Mohammed...
-- wagster, May 21 2005


\\Hopefully, the electrical zap will stun, not kill\\. I love the use of "hopefully".

As [wagster] pointed out
taser = electricity
water = conductive
Ergo, taser + water = many dead fish and one crispy fisherman.
-- hidden truths, May 21 2005


/ something around the same size as you/ - no: bigger. Much bigger.

I will avoid the problem of shorting out with liberal use of insulation.

[Norm]: a kind offer, and sweet fish!
-- bungston, May 21 2005


If I recall correctly:

water = not very conductive
-- Laimak, May 22 2005


That depends on what water you mean. Quick cut and paste: "Distilled water has a conductivity of 0 S, whereas seawater has a conductivity of about 5000 S" ie salt water is highly conductive. [bung] - that will be a solution prone to dangerous failures, but when's that ever stopped us here? Just remember to wear your rubber gloves.
-- wagster, May 22 2005


Dangerous faliures are always the best direction to take.
-- hidden truths, May 23 2005



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