Pining for the One that Got Away By Fred Metarko
That was one tree-mendous fish that Lunker’s pal, Terry, almost landed. And every year at Christmas, he’s going to hear about it from his bass-club buddies.
It was August and we were fishing a scheduled club tournament on Hammond Lake. I was fishing with Terry on his boat. We drew on Friday evening prior to the tournament to pair boaters with nonboaters.
Terry is an experienced bass fisherman. He fishes our club events and also enters the larger competitions where one can end up as a competitor in the major tournaments that are broadcast on the sports channels.
It was a nice day weather-wise, but the fish weren’t cooperating very well. We fished through most of our favorite places without putting a legal fish in the livewell. The day was slipping by and we were getting desperate for some action.
We moved to the east side of the lake below the campers’ dock area where the bank drops off into rather deep water. We were both using black and chartreuse finesse worms, swimming and bouncing them along the bottom.
Terry had a bite, did a really hard hook set, and we sprang into action.
“I’ve got a hawg here,” he said. “Get ready with the net, I don’t want to lose this one.”
I grabbed the net and stood there ready as the fight between Terry and the fish began. He would reel in and the line would move closer toward the shore. Then it would take out drag and the line would move to deeper water. This back-and-forth battle seemed to continue forever as I stood ready with the net. Terry was being really careful not to break off and lose the fish; he was trying to tire it out.
Finally, after about an hour, Terry said, “I’ve had enough, I’m
going to do what it takes to bring this fish in.”
He put real pressure on the fish, stretching the line and bending
the rod almost double. It was a struggle, but he started gaining
and I was ready with the net. As the fish seemed to get closer
and closer, we were both straining to see this monster appear
in the stained water.
Finally Terry could see it, and as he slumped down in the boat,
he said: “It’s a damn Christmas tree!”
The trees, you see, are weighted with cement blocks and placed
in lakes to provide fish habitat. Terry had his back-and-forth
fight as the tree rolled up and down the bank.
Terry was really feeling rather funny having fought a Christmas
tree while all that time thinking it would be the lunker for the
year.
I said, “Don’t worry. I won’t mention a thing
about this to anyone.”
At the weigh-in, everyone was congratulating him on his catch,
but I don’t know how they found out about it, really. During
our annual banquet he was presented with a beautiful ceramic Christmas
tree complete with electric lights. Last I knew, the tree was
displayed with his trophy collection, and the rod was so stressed
from the battle he had to retire it.
Lunker Talk
This month, we feature a bass tournament that’s a little
far afield and a tip on a short trip for anglers. One in the Finger
Lakes and one in the Pennsylvania Wilds. So get in your vehicle
and go fishing:
What: Bass Tournament Sponsored by The Wal-Mart Bass Fishing
League
Where: Sampson State Park, Seneca Lake, Route 96A, Romulus, New
York
When: August 25
Information: (270) 252-1000 or Sampson State Park (315)585-6392
Tip of the Month
On the Game & Fish Web site, fishing writer Mike Bleech says
Sinnemahoning State Park’s George B. Stevenson Reservoir
in Cameron and Potter counties “is a real sleeper. On July
22, 2001, it gave up a seven-pound largemouth bass that was the
eighth-largest bass entered that year in the Angler Awards Program.”
Bleech goes on to say: “Though not on a par with the better
largemouth bass lakes in the rest of the state and not generally
noted for lunker largemouths, this is one of the best in the Allegheny
Highlands. Most anglers are content to fish near the boat launch
at the shallow end and catch twelve- to fourteen-inch bass. Local
anglers gather here on summer evenings, usually fishing with bait.”
Information: (814) 647-8401 or ww.dcnr.state.pa.us/STATEPARKS/parks/sinnemahoning.aspx
The Lunker is a member of the Tioga County Bass Anglers (www.tiogacountybassanglers.com).
You can contact him at lunker@mountainhome.com.
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