The conditions were kind of uncanny when I arrived at first light. Dead calm, overcast. Seems like an invitation to throw topwater, right? Wrong! Threw a variety of topwater baits and a few subsurface options with nary a bite for the first 2 hours. Fish were busting but not interested in any of my offerings.
About 8:30am I got a tiny dropshot fish, maybe 7-8”. Got the skunk off. After grinding until 9:30 or so without a single bite I decided it was time to make a few more casts and wrap up - didn’t seem like today was the day.
And then…
Made a cast I’ve made in that same spot many, many times and gotten bit. Felt my weight coming through some rocks and brush, lowered my Rod tip to reel up the slack and there was no slack! Lifted up and felt her on so I made a quick sweeping hookset and started reeling to get her away from that brush. Could tell right away she was a bigger fish but didn’t know how much bigger. Tried taking me straight into a tree. I could feel my line in the tree and kept the pressure on, that was the first time I saw her and got an idea of her size. She pulled down for another tree and I managed to get her out, peeled some more drag and finally I got her to the bank. Wasn’t going to try to bank flip her on an 8lb leader so I reached down and lipped her. I yelled out ecstatically when I picked her up. I have been hoping for a 5+ after losing a couple of big fish there earlier this year that have been haunting me. Today was redemption, part one.
My biggest catch of 2023 at 5lbs 13oz - almost a 6 pounder. I am still on cloud nine. On a day when it seemed like nothing was happening, it took just one more cast to catch my fish of the year so far. This is the feeling I’m chasing every time I put my line in the water. These are the moments I fish for!
JK, wish I got to fish as much as VinnyBass.