Fish are strange

[farsider]

I don't know what to make of this.

 

With the wind having whipped things up pretty bad, I decided to try for a decent Pike I was sight fishing to yesterday from shore.

 

Yesterday, it had stuck its snout right on the ass of my husky jerk and followed it right up to shore. Nothing. I let it sink all the way to the bottom. It folowed it all the way down and basically hovered over the damn thing for at least half-a-minute. Nothing. I twitched it fast, I twitched it slow. One half-hearted slash at it then back to... Nothing. I gave up after I failed to even raise it anymore. Tomorrow I vowed... You will EAT!

 

So come today, the wind having blown my morning opportunity for salmon from the pier, I planned on trying again for that Pike when I finished work. I get to the area around 3:30pm. The water was really bad with zero visibility. Fortunately this Pike area is semi-protected from the wind/waves so it wasn't as bad as the main lake. My HJ14 in Firetiger is still on and I heave it out and straight retrieve it back just to see if he will show his mug.

 

A couple of cranks later and slam...FISH ON! It feels good too----bigger than the Pike I had been targetting. Probably just snagged one of the many huge Carp I see cruising in the area. Seconds later it becomes clear...SALMON!!!! Wait, What...What are you doing in 3 feet of water, right near shore in the middle of the day hitting my Husky Jerk?

 

Now I have bigger problems, with the water as it is, good landing spots do not exist and I do not even have the net with me. Doh! I settle on the least bad spot and give it a go. Actually, there was some dude there with his bike. I waved, I hollered, I motioned for his help. Zip...Nada...Zero. He mumbled something about RAD, and something about Mountain Dew, but that was all he could muster. I time for in between the waves and grab her. YES! A nice, fairly dark female, and I have one-and-a-half soakers to mark the occasion. Pics, are you kidding? I hold it up to show Bike-dude---Nothing. Back in the drink for you young lady.

 

Me and my now perma-smile amble back to the same spot and resume casting. I am still shaking. Three...maybe five casts later...Fish On!

A little 2-3lb Pike. Yes! This fishing thing is OK! Repeat procedure above. Damn Bike-dude!

 

That was it. A sweet, unexpected, and sunny late afternoon.

 

Fish are strange.

 

Fishermen....Ditto.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

Edited September 26, 2009 by farsider

[Twocoda]

yep ...bike dudes too apparently...lol..

[Rizzo]

good stuff, how big was the salmon?

[farsider]

It was around 20lbs.

I was also lucky that she wasn't silver. The bail spring on my normal casting outfit broke and jammed on me Wed. morning. I dropped it off at Aikmans so all I had was my smaller bass reel to use. I can spool it when I cast a cleo.

I use an 8 1/2' rod and I tightened the drag right down on the reel and that seemed to make a difference.

 

Cheers,

Mark

[EC1]

trout and pike together? Where were you fishing? Just Kidding.

 

anyways, good job to you. Pictures would be really nice next time

[LucG]

Great story!

 

Too bad bike guy didnt snap a pic or two... haha