Fishing - First Bass of 2004, and the biggest

I had to work today, but thankfully no one wanted to buy a car today so I
was able to cut out at 3:00 p.m. Drove home, pulled into the driveway,
jumped out, walked over to my rod rack and picked the one rigged with a
Black/Chrome 1/2-ounce Rat-L-Trap with Mustag triple grip hooks. Jumped
back into the car and drove down to the lake.

The lake was super calm, which typically means fishing is going to be super
tough as well. I noticed the hydrilla already started growing in the
shallows along the bank. So I started casting parallel to the shore and
managed to catch a couple 8-10" dinks. Looking for bigger fish I started
fan casting in a 180° arc. On my first return sweep, just as my lure
entered the water there was a much bigger boil of water then should have
been created by my lure, but the lure came back unescorted. So I put a
second cast to the same spot, but put my lure about 15-feet further out.
After counting it down to 4-feet I began my retrieve when it felt like I got
snagged on a log. Because my rod loaded up big time, but I wasn't moving
anything and whatever it was, wasn't taking line either. Then it started to
go sideways and I knew I had my first good fish of 2004. Now to find out
what was on my line (walleye, muskie, pike, or bass). When it got within
20-feet I could see it was a nice largemouth bass. YEAH!!! I was pumped.

My immediate thought was, "Man, I wish I had a digital camera!" Because all
of you post photos all the time, and boy would it be cool to show this baby
if I could land her. She came in pretty easy after that initial surge.
She had that Rat-L-Trap all the way in her mouth, with the small tail hooks
stuck in her tongue and the front hooks stuck in her lip.

I left so quickly, I didn't have any pliers. The front hooks came out
pretty easy but the small tail hooks were buried deep and she was bleeding.
Thank God she had a big mouth so that I could get my hand into her mouth.
But I still couldn't get the hook out and I was thinking of just breaking
the line and letting her go with my Rat-L-Trap. I was worried, because it
was taking so much time and she was bleeding. I then looked for a stick,
but couldn't find one and then I noticed the pens in my pocket. Using a gel
pen I put the hook point of one of the treble hooks into the hole were the
pen comes out and pushed it down and the hook popped loose. I removed the
lure and put that beauty back into the water to live another day. Smiling
as I watched her swam off, I called it a day, rather than risk catching
another one with having pliers.

Blood all over a new dress shirt and pants, the wife didn't share in my
excitement. But that's OK, it was worth catching a little hell from the
wife!
The bass was close to 5 pounds (4.75 to 5.25). No Monster by a long shot,
but a nice solid bass to start my 2004 season.

--
Craig Baugher
Be Confident, Focused, but most of all Have FUN!