TR - Memory of my first sal****er fish

A couple of hundred years ago, my career brought me to the San Diego area.
Anxious to sample the local fly fishing, I took out my 10 foot Livingston
boat powered by my trusty 6hp Evinrude out into the kelp beds. The day was
beautiful, as many are in this area, with the ocean looking more like a lake
than a sea.



I took my 6wt rod with floating line and tied on a bluegill popper bug of my
origin (balsa wood and Maribou feathers, uglier than ****, but it always did
well with bluegill). I was flailing the water near the line where kelp met
the open water and I got a hit. The fish took me instantly to my backing
and I was sure I had a monster fish on. I cranked down my "so-called" drag,
was attempting to palm my way to a stop, but nothing was slowing it up.
Just as I banged up my knuckles on the reel handle, I got on top of the
wrestling match. I worked this fish for another 20 minutes and I was
convinced I had on a 20 pounder for sure.



I finally get a look at my quarry and I was blown away. A three to maybe 4
½ pound bonito was wreaking havoc with my fishing skills. That day, I
caught or maybe more accurately hooked, bonito, calico bass, mackerel, and
one very skinny but ferocious looking barracuda. I used up dozens of flies
(most anything big and furry was working) on these toothy guys that can snap
dry fly hooks with no problem. I had a great time and I have always been
impressed with the power of sal****er fish as compared to freshwater fish
(with maybe the exception of the bluegill -- (Frank Church's monster gill
prompted this memory for some reason).



Wouldn't a genetically enhanced 15-pound bluegill be great fun?



Chris

SW fish are definitely a rush. Especially in the open surf when working
against the waves.

I hooked my first striper on the fly one September a couple of years ago and
dangit,
this sw stuff has kept me from some great Fall trout fishing.... but 10lb+
stripers rolling
in the waves kind of keep you wanting more.

nice TR.

Thanks,
Rob
"Padishar Creel" wrote in message
...
A couple of hundred years ago, my career brought me to the San Diego area.
Anxious to sample the local fly fishing, I took out my 10 foot Livingston
boat powered by my trusty 6hp Evinrude out into the kelp beds. The day
was
beautiful, as many are in this area, with the ocean looking more like a
lake
than a sea.



I took my 6wt rod with floating line and tied on a bluegill popper bug of
my
origin (balsa wood and Maribou feathers, uglier than ****, but it always
did
well with bluegill). I was flailing the water near the line where kelp
met
the open water and I got a hit. The fish took me instantly to my backing
and I was sure I had a monster fish on. I cranked down my "so-called"
drag,
was attempting to palm my way to a stop, but nothing was slowing it up.
Just as I banged up my knuckles on the reel handle, I got on top of the
wrestling match. I worked this fish for another 20 minutes and I was
convinced I had on a 20 pounder for sure.



I finally get a look at my quarry and I was blown away. A three to maybe
4
½ pound bonito was wreaking havoc with my fishing skills. That day, I
caught or maybe more accurately hooked, bonito, calico bass, mackerel, and
one very skinny but ferocious looking barracuda. I used up dozens of
flies
(most anything big and furry was working) on these toothy guys that can
snap
dry fly hooks with no problem. I had a great time and I have always been
impressed with the power of sal****er fish as compared to freshwater fish
(with maybe the exception of the bluegill -- (Frank Church's monster gill
prompted this memory for some reason).



Wouldn't a genetically enhanced 15-pound bluegill be great fun?



Chris

On Sun, 9 Jan 2005 15:56:38 -0800, "Padishar Creel"
wrote:
[snipper]
Wouldn't a genetically enhanced 15-pound bluegill be great fun?

!!

I'd want to have a side-arm with me if I ever ran into a 15 pound bluegill...

Not a 15 pounder, but still a big 'gill. Amazing what a bit of genetic
engineering can do.

http://www.kens-fishfarm.com/bream-history.asp

I am told these hybrids revert to green sunfish after a few seasons, and
every 10 years or so you have to drain the pond, remove everything, and
start over again.

Jim Ray
who would love to catch a 'gill as big as Franks!
"daytripper" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 9 Jan 2005 15:56:38 -0800, "Padishar Creel"

wrote:
[snipper]
Wouldn't a genetically enhanced 15-pound bluegill be great fun?

!!

I'd want to have a side-arm with me if I ever ran into a 15 pound
bluegill...

On Mon, 10 Jan 2005 12:53:56 -0500, "Jim" wrote:

Not a 15 pounder, but still a big 'gill. Amazing what a bit of genetic
engineering can do.

http://www.kens-fishfarm.com/bream-history.asp

I am told these hybrids revert to green sunfish after a few seasons, and
every 10 years or so you have to drain the pond, remove everything, and
start over again.

Hmmm...drain, remove everything, and start over, once every 10 years or
so...sounds like the fish case at Kroger...

Maybe, but as long as your going to dream, dream a 15 lb. bonita.

tom bogdan