02-24-2019, 10:00 AM
It was pouring down this morning but after a while I just couldn't stand it any longer so off to HB I went! I got in the water about 9 am and ran to a flat area. Started throwing traps and Silver Buddies. I fished about a hour and a half and never had a bite. Finally I picked up my old faithful spinner bait and on the third cast a busted a 5 lber. So I thought, ok here we go! Well after about two more hours of chunking and winding without another bite, the shine on that spinner bait was getting a little dull. Finally I moved to another flat area and popped a 4 lber. Two cast later I stuck one about 3 lbs. Then I seemed like forever again without another bite. I moved to another flat and started alternating cast with different baits. Finally it came time to pick up the spinner bait again and I stuck another fish about 3 lbs. I stayed with the spinner bait after that. It was now about 3 pm. I was thinking about loading up and going to find something for me to eat since the fish weren't all that hungry. About that time I felt the blade quit turning and the line went slightly slack. I set the hook and away it went pulling drag in a long burst. The first thing that I thought it was a big Drum. Then I thought it might be a Rock Fish. About that time the fish turned around and headed back at me rather slowly and I was sure it was a Drum then. The line started up toward the top of the water and I kept looking for 'ol Rubber Lips to appear in the dingy water. But then I saw this huge mouth and head appear as she attempted to jump but just wallowed and thrashed on top of the water instead. She made about three other short, drag pulling burst but the came along side the boat. I knew that I wasn't going to be able to one hand, dip net the fish. So I just lead her to the back of the boat and finally lipped her. It sure felt good when I got my hand on her jaw! I got her weigh on three different scales. One showed 11 lbs. even. Then another was showing 11.6 and another scale had 11.4. So we settled on saying she was 11.5 or 11 1/2 lbs. Anyway it is my new PB! Thanks to the two fellows at the ramp that took the pictures for me. I'm sending a couple of the pictures to Patrick to attach 'cause I can't do it! And the fish was released back from where she came form. Water temp was 49 and all the fish bit in about 5-8 fow Sorry this was so long!