Hey you old salts, the season is NOT over:
Team Smack Tackle took a little 3 day trip to Cumberland last weekend, 73 degrees and windy at 3am Friday morning, we'd caught and released ?? 5 schoolies, and one keeper.
Friday night, again out plugging the banks from 7PM to about 2am, except it's 30 or so, colder? dropped 40 degrees +, Todd caught 4 schoolies and I caught 2, schoolies.
We were planning to say we caught 19, 20's, 21's, 23's, etc. :) then tell you all inches, not lbs!
Anyway, Saturday we bank fished for a couple hours, live shad, almost lost Todd, as he did a beautiful swan dive off the transom of his Bonito, chasing a baitcaster w/the clicker off and very nice hit.
He completely disappeared, came up w/combo, no fish, and the jar of peanuts he was holding when he jumped in.
Needless to say, it was time to light the fire.
We got Todd dried up and warmed up, a couple runs no takers.
Back to Jamestown Marina Lodge (stay there, it's REAL nice.) and get dry clothes and added layers, I'd froze my little hiney butt off night before, so a couple more layers, and out again.
Sat. night was clouds mixed w/clear, and bright moon light.
Plugging Gizz4, Todd and Scott were plugging the prototype deep runner, bigger lip than a sassy momma.
I was actually praying for Scott, he'd missed the TN river trip in Oct., and hadn't caught a fish yet this trip, and I kept telling him he'd catch the biggest fish on this trip. So anyway, I'm praying for Scott, SMACK!, nice line sider, using an 8.5' St. Croix Steelhead rod, w/20lb PowerPro, some Berkley mono backing, and zzzzzzzzz, zzzzzzzzzz there she goes! Scott is reeling in frantically, trying to clear the way, this bassy is coming through!
Took a nice run for the open water toward main channel, I'd been casting to within foot or two of bank (we busted up a lot of Smack Tackle plugging at night, it pays though!) and just as slowly as possible reeling it in, a steady reel seemed to work best, just fast enough to feel tension, and feel the rod tip vibrate from lure action, those St. Croix's are nice!
Cardinal 773 salt water spinning reel btw. Real smooth reel, really.
I'd get a chance to reel a couple times, this fish would take it back, reel it in, take it back, reel it in, take it back.
Man, I was getting SMACK tickled by this bassy's attitude, it wasn't giving up that easy!
Well, short story, got it in the net, pic, Gizz4 hanging out of mouth, best advertisement around. About 30"
So I'm giveing Scott and Todd high fives, and I tell Scott, "I was just praying for you and this striper HIT me!" Well just a minute or two later, Scott doesn't say anything, but he straightens up, and turns his back to us and faces the transom, I tell Todd: "Scott has a fish on!"
It's dark, but moonlight, and Todd wants to know how he's doing, should he chase it down. Scott says put a light on his reel, we do, its ssllllloooowwwwlllyyyyy spooling out, this fish isn't in a great big hurry, but it's having it's way with Scott at this moment.
Scott's got some line left on the spool, so Todd turns the lovely Bonito towards the running fish, and lets the trolling motor help Scott catch up to it.
Scott is concerned about the lip on the prototype lure, we'd beat them against the rocks and banks the last couple nights and came up with just lips. The production model will have an integral lip, and you won't have a thing to worry about, except the line snapping when a bruiser striper hits it.
Scott really finessed this baby, let it run, we chased it, easy on the cranking the reel, got it in the net.
33.5", and FAT.
For a fall striper, it's not a bad looking fish you can see for yourself.
We caught one more schoolie that night, (me), and that was it.
We lost the entire wheel and spindle on the boat trailer Friday morning, Craig of Jamestown KY picked trailer w/boat attached up on rollback, and launched boat so we could fish, we picked trailer back up Sunday and came home w/no problems, Craig of Craig Automotive, as well as Anchorage Marine in Jamestown, KY (Kevin) are a couple of "go-to" guys if you need boat, trailer or automotive help (towing, repair, etc.) in Jamestown, KY.
The Season Is NOT over:
