I had to avoid my favorite Shinnecock haunts, in part because of tides and when I could catch the tides, because of the boat traffic. As I arrived at my launch spot, I was anticipating lots of company. There was very little. I got out to where I wanted to be and for the first hour had only two bluefish. I thought I might have missed the show. As the tide slowed, the bite picked up and I began picking up nice bass between 20 and 27 inches. I ended up finding a steady supply over the hour that followed, and was going to call it a night at ten bass. For the heck of it, I made one last pass, and hooked up with my eleventh striper, and what a fish it was - a man among boys (more likely a girl among boys), and the fight was great! That fish tried everything, first B-lining it to a group of pilings, and then, when I was starting to turn it, it rushed me and dove right under the kayak. I kept the line tight and was ready when it dove. I quickly backed two ticks off the drag and let the rod do the work when it passed beneath the yak. Ugly Stiks can take it. I just had to keep the braid off the (rough) hull. A minute or two later I turned the kayak to keep her on the side I wanted her - by now I had some say in the matter - and with some squeezing she came to rest within my net. A few photos later we went our separate ways, both healthy and happy.
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