Rematch!

Last fall I wrote about an encounter with a big pike where my equipment was not up to the task of land one of those big fish (An October Fish Story!). This spring I have been on the hunt with heavier gear, bigger flies and lures. This afternoon I succeeded in landing one!

I must tell you that when I started I watched a mink work down the shore of the pond. While a cousin of the otter from last week the mink was a lighter color actually brown instead of nearly black and of course much smaller.

This afternoon it was raining lightly and breezy like that afternoon last fall. About an hour in I hooked a big fish. Like most of my clients who hook a really big striper I though I had caught the bottom except it was moving! This time the heavier gear made all of the difference and I was able to tire the fish and get it into the net; no small trick alone.

After removing the hook I took a  minute to get a picture. However I have a Proof Ball that I got from Selene’s Fly shop last fall; you send in the picture with the ball and the app is supposed to tell you the length and weight of the fish, the only problem being that it was back on my desk in the office. No worries I still have the rule on the side tank that will show this fish at a little over 37 inches. Google tells me that it weighs between 13 and 15 pounds.

My biggest freshwater fish for sure! Can’t wait to get back out and fish for a bigger one with clients.