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!!
Last edited:
One question . . . Did you quit after the last fish or did you decide to make the proverbial "last cast?" I have two thoughts on this, one is if there's one there must be more, and the other is to quit while I'm ahead. The latter is always the wrong choice but there's something about ending the day with a good fish.
