It was dusk and I was starting to get into the eyes, but we were wrapping things up as I was on my own with the boys and like to be back to the dock by dark.
Tyler initially thought he was snagged and then actually got a little freaked when his drag peeled and he set the hook into this behemoth, feeling the weight of something that outclasses any other bass he's tangled with. He called out to me, "Mom, I need the net, it's big!" and I turned to see that this fish was ENORMOUS. I never moved so fast in my life as I dove to loosen his rear fighting drag just a bit, as the brute was now heading DOWN fast and Ty's rod was bent in half.
It buried itself into an enormous pile of weeds, and just stopped moving... and I thought for sure it was lost. The boat was being wind-drifted over the weeds in the resistant direction, so it was a mad scramble for the trolling engine to right ourselves and get back ahead of where the fish dove in...then Shane assisted and dropped our anchor on command and assured me his super vision could see the fish down there ("because he eats carrots"
). We got the fish out of the weeds, only to have it dive in again, but this time it was successfully brought up, with the weeds (!!!) and somehow I netted this entire armload of fish and salad.
I really thought my heart would explode and to say my hands were shaking was an understatement.
The line then broke and the hook popped out as if greased, but now we had the baby safely aboard for a super quick measurement (22") and a quick pic from -- get this -- my cell phone, as I had left the digital camera home. On board was a "dummy camera", and those 2 pictures are pending. I hope they're better than the quality of the cell phone pic.
We don't have a scale and I don't care to weigh fish, but I lifted it and I can tell you it certainly equalled the 5-lb. bags of sugar I've hefted as a baking Mom all these years
. (I welcome your opinions, however.)Technically, I guess to be called a "trophy" you'd have to have kept it for the wall, but this beasty was released and to see it swim away was a great feeling.
We are just as proud as can be of Tyler! He looks like a born and bred angler in that pic, and he handled himself like a pro, right down to lipping the fish with a sure grip and supporting its massive belly for a memorable pic even though he was shaking like a leaf.
What a memory to be shared by me and my boys for always. I smile whenever I think of those moments and look at the picture.
And the fish lucked out a little too and is once again back where it belongs.
Wolfe (and "The Torpedo" of course!)
.
