One week old report, but worth waiting for:
Left the dock 2 hours after the PM high tide on 6/25, heading for a promising rip. Drifted bunker chunks. Once tide changed to outgoing, I set up the drift over the spot I've been studying for weeks, and wham, pole goes down hard, line peels away. Striped Bass. When it surfaced and ran towards the boat I saw that its mouth was wide open, and it felt like it was giving up. I gasped when I got it to the boat, this thing was big. Pole down between my legs, net out for the scoop - not only big, but heavy.
On the deck I couldnt believe it, 41 inches, 23 pounds (weight verified once I got home). Exciting right? But weird too. The mouth was still wide open, and lodged in it was a flounder (not a fluke, this was a flounder) wedged half in, half out. I pulled out my circle hook (no chunk left), then pulled out the flounder, which measured 13 inches and alive. I thought about live lining it - obviously its good striper bait!, but decided I had enough fish, so I let it go. Good karma for that fish. The bass' mouth wouldnt close though, seemed like its jaw was broken. Took some pictures of the flounder in and out, because who would believe it?? I'll try to post them here too. Maybe thats why the fish felt like it was giving up. Mouth wide open while I'm reeling it in - can fish drown?
My adrenaline was so high that I couldnt do anything but take pictures and laugh, so I decided to head home before the sun set. Since I was alone I had to wait till I got back for a picture of me with the fish. Glad I got home when I did because fileting something that big is hard enough, but in the dark? Damn near impossible.
The whole experience cost me exactly one chunk of bunker, I came home with the other two achunks and an unused tub of clam belly. Why can't every day be this good?
Here's my theory - the fish took my bait and swallowed it down its throat. As the fish turned the circle hook (as designed) slides up, but just before catching on its lip a flounder scurries off the bottom and gets pounced on by the bass. Just then my hook catches the lip. WHO KNOWS???
So thats my story. My friends are afraid to fish with me now because they think I blew my whole load for the season with one fish!
Left the dock 2 hours after the PM high tide on 6/25, heading for a promising rip. Drifted bunker chunks. Once tide changed to outgoing, I set up the drift over the spot I've been studying for weeks, and wham, pole goes down hard, line peels away. Striped Bass. When it surfaced and ran towards the boat I saw that its mouth was wide open, and it felt like it was giving up. I gasped when I got it to the boat, this thing was big. Pole down between my legs, net out for the scoop - not only big, but heavy.
On the deck I couldnt believe it, 41 inches, 23 pounds (weight verified once I got home). Exciting right? But weird too. The mouth was still wide open, and lodged in it was a flounder (not a fluke, this was a flounder) wedged half in, half out. I pulled out my circle hook (no chunk left), then pulled out the flounder, which measured 13 inches and alive. I thought about live lining it - obviously its good striper bait!, but decided I had enough fish, so I let it go. Good karma for that fish. The bass' mouth wouldnt close though, seemed like its jaw was broken. Took some pictures of the flounder in and out, because who would believe it?? I'll try to post them here too. Maybe thats why the fish felt like it was giving up. Mouth wide open while I'm reeling it in - can fish drown?
My adrenaline was so high that I couldnt do anything but take pictures and laugh, so I decided to head home before the sun set. Since I was alone I had to wait till I got back for a picture of me with the fish. Glad I got home when I did because fileting something that big is hard enough, but in the dark? Damn near impossible.
The whole experience cost me exactly one chunk of bunker, I came home with the other two achunks and an unused tub of clam belly. Why can't every day be this good?
Here's my theory - the fish took my bait and swallowed it down its throat. As the fish turned the circle hook (as designed) slides up, but just before catching on its lip a flounder scurries off the bottom and gets pounced on by the bass. Just then my hook catches the lip. WHO KNOWS???
So thats my story. My friends are afraid to fish with me now because they think I blew my whole load for the season with one fish!