03-16-2017, 04:13 AM
With the weather as nice as today's was, I just couldn't wait any longer to start trying to get on the catfish contest board. After work I ran down to Benson marina and started enjoying the beautiful day. Also I had a couple of lines out even though it still felt a little early in the season.
After 10 minutes or so, something was hitting the bait on one rod, but the downfall of circle hooks is I have to be patient enough for the fish to hook itself. It's hard to overcome decades of setting hooks. So I waited, and was disappointed when only a small piece of bait appeared to have been chewed loose.
I decided to downsize, and went with the smallest jighead in my bag, and was rewarded with a catfish! It was just a bullhead, but a catfish nonetheless, and it chased away the skunk. A few minutes later I was introduced to his twin brother.
Since the skunk was gone I decided to try the larger bait again, and got a few bumps on each rod, but they seemed to have a fear of commitment.
A couple of jetskis showed up to remind me why I like to fish more remote, and wakeless areas of the lake, so I called it a day about 7 PM.
I considered entering one or both of these fish in the contest just to get on the board, since they technically count as catfish. I don't want to jinx myself though, and if I enter them I can see them being the only ones I get for the year, so discretion is the better part of valor.
I already have the smallest fish trophy from last year's contest anyway. Every time I put it up on the mantel in the living room, I find it on back on the bookshelf in my bedroom the next day. One of us is gradually coming to an understanding about the proper place of pride for such a prestigious award...
[signature]
After 10 minutes or so, something was hitting the bait on one rod, but the downfall of circle hooks is I have to be patient enough for the fish to hook itself. It's hard to overcome decades of setting hooks. So I waited, and was disappointed when only a small piece of bait appeared to have been chewed loose.
I decided to downsize, and went with the smallest jighead in my bag, and was rewarded with a catfish! It was just a bullhead, but a catfish nonetheless, and it chased away the skunk. A few minutes later I was introduced to his twin brother.
Since the skunk was gone I decided to try the larger bait again, and got a few bumps on each rod, but they seemed to have a fear of commitment.
A couple of jetskis showed up to remind me why I like to fish more remote, and wakeless areas of the lake, so I called it a day about 7 PM.
I considered entering one or both of these fish in the contest just to get on the board, since they technically count as catfish. I don't want to jinx myself though, and if I enter them I can see them being the only ones I get for the year, so discretion is the better part of valor.
I already have the smallest fish trophy from last year's contest anyway. Every time I put it up on the mantel in the living room, I find it on back on the bookshelf in my bedroom the next day. One of us is gradually coming to an understanding about the proper place of pride for such a prestigious award...
[signature]
