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Background: Had a chance to do some fishing this weekend while away with the family near Picton. Mostly me and my friend and our sons in a small boat with an electric motor (no outboards allowed on lake). Much of the time on the water was spent dodging mis-cast lures, waving rod tips, debating the various ways little boys take bathroom breaks while in a boat and of course answering the usual never ending questions from kids. The fishing was very good. Lots of fish for kids and adults alike, bass (both SM and LM), pike and panfish. My Catharsis: We make our way over to a classic looking smallmouth spot. A steepish shoreline and lots of fallen trees. I fired a cast right next the best looking ambush spot and before I could turn my reel handle a bass smashed my jig. The smallmouth immediately headed for the sky and all of the boat's occupants were treated to a series of spectacular leaps by what might be the biggest bass I have ever caught, the kids might have been almost excited as the adults. After finding no escape going high the monster headed to the depths and, as most would suspect, the fish sinisterly wrap my line around some deep timber. The franken fish was still on, but wrapped solid. All the usual methods were unsucsesful and in the end I used a leather glove to pull on the line as a last ditch effort. (I even considered diving down to the branch but with the small kids in a small boat I didn't want to chance the getting back in part) The line broke and we silently moved on and caught lots more fish, including some really nice ones at dusk on topwaters. A few cold, stiff, drinks back at the cottage, a great steak, Nona's zucchini parmesan and the best tasting corn on the cob ever could not get the image of that bass out of my head. Knowing the way an angler's mind works I will never know how big that bass truly was. It seemed like it was eight pounds while seven feet in the air (neither are close to reality) but it was a solid fish that was likely as big as any I have ever caught that I will always remember: midair, glistening, broad-side and right next to the branches. I guess that's why we go fishing. What about you? What fish got away that you think about when your mind is quiet?