I was running an errand for the Mrs. and I just had to get in another quick and short 15 minute fishing stint. I had another gut feeling that I was going to catch one today.

It was another set of firsts for me this night. I just bought my 6-year-old daughter another baitcast rod because I broke her first one. I got her a $12.99 super low-end two-piece medium action Daiwa rod able to throw ¼ to ¾ oz lures. She chose it over a longer Barbie spin cast rig of the same length and for the same price. Now that’s my little girl! She tried the Daiwa with a Cardiff the other day and really liked it.

It was already dark, about 9:00 pm by the time I got there. I tied on a wiggle O crankbait and it was the first time I had ever used one. It had a metallic-darker fire tiger color scheme and despite fire tiger never working in any form in this lake, I felt this darker scheme had a very good chance to work today because it was already dark and it would also look dark in the water.

I was very surprised that this Daiwa low-end rod being only 6’ was able to cast the lure about as far as any 6’6” plus rod in my arsenal and even more surprised at its sensitivity. Every wiggle was beautifully transmitted through the 12# P-Line CXX line to my hands.

Then after about the 10 practice casts to get a feel of rod, line, and lure (it was the first time using all three), I placed my cast between the dock and the grass line. My goal was to draw a reaction strike from a bass lurking in the grass or under the dock. Halfway through the retrieve I felt the vibration of the Wiggle O stop and a slight tug. I gave an ever so slight pause to allow the fish to set the hook on itself, reeled up a little slack and pulled back enough to make the line taut. I don’t know if that is the right way but that is how I set the hook on most lures with trebles.

The bass fought well despite being somewhere in the range (my guess) of one but probably less than two pounds. I brought it close to the dock’s rail and pulled her to me by the line until I could lip it. It struck the belly treble in such a way that two of the tines were lodged in the palette. If she shook hard, the third tine might have found a way into my hand!!!

I know it was a small bass by most standards but it will do for me. I don’t get to fish as much as I would like these days so every fish caught feels good. I succumbed to the temptation and “Iaconellied” just a wee bit after I returned the bass to the water. I did take a picture but a bass that small isn’t worth posting here.

Thanks for reading.

-islandbass

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