See the enclosed images, 26 and three-quarters inches on the board, first big Red of the day, and a “first cast” myth. Not exactly the first cast of the day, but the first at the lucrative honey hole. Near a navy vessel, as evidenced in the image.
What made this trip special? Fishing Guide, Reelin-with-Ron, it was on ultra-light tackle. That Big Red might weigh as much as 12-14 pounds. Ten-pound test line, little six-foot ultra-light rod and reel.
I’ve bragged about this before, and the lesson was reiterated with that first fight. I’m not sure who was more worn down when I finally boated the fish, me or the fish.
It was an epic struggle, the first of many. My fishing buddy ragged on me — hard — about being too old since the big fish wore me down. In succession, I caught four more, that first one was the biggest, though. He was a no-fish-catching fool in the front of the boat.
We swapped places. I caught two more undersized Reds, and he wasn’t getting a thing. We swapped again.
He finally did catch up, we boated at least a dozen keepers, and he got his big Red on light tackle, too. He had one that went to 26 inches, for sure. On that ultra-light gear, and he was complaining, as well. Wore him down.
Sweet vindication, and as Oscar Wilde once noted, “Youth. Pity it’s wasted on the young.”
Kindle Edition
ISBN-13: 978-1434805751
A Commonplace Book (full text PDF & cut quotes PDF)
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Nice story, what goes around comes around, has a habit of biting one on the ass. Something we Sagittarians know all about. My friends delight in hoisting me on my own petard. I’m not fond of it, but usually I’ve asked for it.
BTW, magnificent fish!
Yes, and all the fish that day had big shoulders. Was awesome fishing.