My 115 HP Fish Finder!!
Fishing has oscillated between cold and lukewarm, got skunked Sunday, and was unable to fish yesterday. I reluctantly headed out this AM, because of continued poor reports from learned colleagues, and the fact that it was high tide, my least favorite tidal phase. Headed over to where the river tumbles down into the salt, figuring the heavy rain this spring would provide a decent drift on an absolutely windless morning. Took one long drift and the only thing that disturbed the water surface was my popper.
Gave up on that place and headed into the narrows of a long, narrow, shallow cove figuring I would be ambushing any fish entering or exiting the cove. After 20 min of nothingness, neither on my line nor anything swimming disturbing the glass-like water surface of the 4' deep cove, I decided to move the boat 20' and the second the engine fired up, a pod of large bass 10' directly in front of the boat took off!! I had no clue there were any fish in the cove!!
BTW, I NEVER have my sounder on in shallow water as I have more than one instance of fish being disturbed by it. I challenge anyone who debates that to turn on their CHIRP or Side Scanning units and dive under the boat. Sounds like the clicking of a pod of sperm whales, doesn't it? If you can hear it, imagine what the bass' lateral line picks up!!
Be that as it may, whatever I did, it "activated" the fish and suddenly I could see 3 pods of fish swimming around the cove. Well, time to select a pod and pounce. I target the nearest one and when they were within range I lobbed a cast just ahead of their path. Well that went over like a loud fart in Church, as the fish spooked and ran the other way. Yes, I was cursing Poseidon, St. Peter, and any other deity/apostle/demon involved with fishing at a considerable volume.
OK, note to self: no close casts, so I was more discreet with the next group and lobbed one further away. As soon as I popped the lure, I noticed the pod change direction and to head straight for my popper. First a swirl, but no hit, then a hit with a brief hookup, yes the loud diatribes began anew, then right at the boat, another fish inhaled the plug and it was game on!! Backed way off the drag to let the extremely pissed off fish to get his ya-yas out, allowing me to get a net under a nice 28" striper. I quickly unhooked him and gratefully returned him to the water. Played with a few more pods with no luck, but at least Pepe LePew was averted this morning!!
