Our trips over the years have become about a lot more than one fish, but I will remember this one, though I didn't see the take. I do know this...Wendy has a distinct advantage on me when it comes to our Lake MI pilgrimage. I call that advantage "the Boundary Waters Edge." In short, the dude gets a week in the Boundary Waters every year, catching nice smallies on poppers and clousers. The result of this week is he is totally and completely focussed on CARP when we fish Lake MI, while I get occasionally distracted by the bass. It sort of looks like this.
I just don't see decent bass that often, so when I am walking along and I see one...I cast at it. Wendy, he stays alert for carp. Truthfully, I am happy as hell to hook and fight a smallie...I enjoy the mad strip set feeling and the leaps and tugs as I STRIP in a smallmouth. Then I see Wendy battling a carp as line flies off of his reel and his backing gets dirty and wet...and I sort of slap myself. Note the picture above...me, with a decent bass (not even a big one) which meant Wendy got first cast and hooked this fish:
That was a 25 lb beast that represented his personal best for about ten minutes (caught on his Fucking Yarn Invasion fly by the way). So here is the situation as it occurred on that day. I fought a bass and netted Wendy's carp, then I took some photos of him, celebrated, high fives and the likes and together, we released the fish.
We took a moment, together, to revel in his PB...and then, again, together, we turned back to the flat. We walked a few feet...together, and I spotted another bass. Wendy stayed focussed and kept walking while I peppered said bass with flies for about 7 minutes. That gave Wendy enough time to hook this one.
26 lbs, and his new (broken the next day) personal best. I love this photo for two reasons. One, I was super happy for my friend. And two, you can just see Wendy smirking out the words "hey John...that was a nice bass."
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6 comments:
You could lose yourself in the SMB up there real easy. I did. For about 15 minutes.
Agreed Trevor...they are really cool fish. I am mostly playing...mostly. Hah.
Wendy just laughed when I would break I to bass mode for 30 minutes. It didn't happen often, but he made me pay every time!
Nah, I don't blame you one bit. If it weren't for the carp up there, I'd be happy to spend a day chasing smallies. And I was sure grateful for those bass on our first day when we couldn't find a carp anywhere.
Ditto...they are awesome fish. It is remarkable how cool the bass are and yet totally destroyed in terms of a fight when you hook a carp. Shocking difference. I do love those smallies though.
Me thinks it's totally appropriate for someone who catches as many carps as you do to target other fish when the opportunity arises.
Right; I thought it was kind of funny but secretly appreciated when you'd stand and work those bass... they are worthy and very cool. But this is my big carp trip. I don't have it close like you do... so I guess it works.
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