This year, the first time in my Maine life, I resisted "casting practice", trying for stripers in our river before May 22, which is the earliest bass have ever been here. I usually cast like a madman starting around May 12 and had only 1 cormorant hit to show for for the past 10 years.
Well this year I vowed not to succumb to the temptation, because it's futile and because I was going to be traveling from May15 - May 31. As predicted, one of my buddies caught the first bass of the season of May 22 and has been taunting me with his catch reports while I was gone.
Well I was hell-bent on making up for lost time and hit the water at 04:45 this AM, going to my special high water spot. Conditions were perfect and I had a flawless drift, except the fish weren't there. OK, time for the second high water spot, but same result, BUPKIS, not even a swirl or sniff. No matter I've got other spots. Well spent 2 hours hitting all my spots with the same fruitless results. Decided to start the cycle again with Spot 1 and still nothing.
Squeezed into Spot 2, as the there was only 3 ft of water in there with the tide still going out. Casted for a while and became resigned to the fact I was going to go home with the stench of skunk all over me. I figured Poseidon was getting even for me not doing my time in "Practice" mode.
Suddenly a 20" fish crashed my popper, thank you Fishnu!! Took a few more casts, but decided it was time to get out before I got stuck. Decided to hit 3 excellent mid-ebb spots on the way home. Once again, I was skunked.
Got home, tied up the boat and per SOP, took my dock casts. 3 out to the middle of the river from the boat - NOTHING! 3 up river from the dock - NOTHING, and then the first of my 3 casts down river, the one I lobbed close to the shoreline, got crashed by a feisty 25" fish.
Mission accomplished, but it scared the crap out of me!!
Well this year I vowed not to succumb to the temptation, because it's futile and because I was going to be traveling from May15 - May 31. As predicted, one of my buddies caught the first bass of the season of May 22 and has been taunting me with his catch reports while I was gone.
Well I was hell-bent on making up for lost time and hit the water at 04:45 this AM, going to my special high water spot. Conditions were perfect and I had a flawless drift, except the fish weren't there. OK, time for the second high water spot, but same result, BUPKIS, not even a swirl or sniff. No matter I've got other spots. Well spent 2 hours hitting all my spots with the same fruitless results. Decided to start the cycle again with Spot 1 and still nothing.
Squeezed into Spot 2, as the there was only 3 ft of water in there with the tide still going out. Casted for a while and became resigned to the fact I was going to go home with the stench of skunk all over me. I figured Poseidon was getting even for me not doing my time in "Practice" mode.
Suddenly a 20" fish crashed my popper, thank you Fishnu!! Took a few more casts, but decided it was time to get out before I got stuck. Decided to hit 3 excellent mid-ebb spots on the way home. Once again, I was skunked.
Got home, tied up the boat and per SOP, took my dock casts. 3 out to the middle of the river from the boat - NOTHING! 3 up river from the dock - NOTHING, and then the first of my 3 casts down river, the one I lobbed close to the shoreline, got crashed by a feisty 25" fish.
Mission accomplished, but it scared the crap out of me!!
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