After my first fish was caught I decided to call it a day and head in as it was getting dark, tide was rapidly coming in, and I was unfamiliar with the area I had been fishing; I didn't really want my first time to be my last time if you know what I mean. I decided to head to the bait and tackle store for my next fix...a new rod and reel, a few more lures, some new line, and a pair of release gloves left my wallet a bit lighter, but left me grinning like a kid in Toys R Us. I proceeded to spool the new reel and rearrange my tackle bag to accommodate the new lures while waiting for the tide to shift to outgoing so I could retake my position on the very same jetty. Soon enough the tide had switched and I was geared up and ready to go so I set off for the beach.
I marched down the jetty, rod in had, and a swagger in the step because I was a fisherman now! Or something like that, I must have looked quite the fool...good thing the beach was empty and all I have is the memory. Anyway, despite the new lures i had bought I decided to start with the same swimming shad that I used the last time but use the new rod and reel. The new line and rod were tremendous and I was casting farther than ever before. Three casts is all it took to get my first nibble and once again my heart was racing with the anticipation of the bite. It would take another hour before I would have a real bite, but I knew what to do this time, I set the hook and had another fish on. I fought for a couple of minutes being careful to not to get over aggressive and pull the hook out until a familiar rust colored shape emerged from the depths...Another Sea Robbin. I took him to shore just like the last one and donned my new release gloves (purchased specifically for fish like a Sea Robbin with their sharp spines and mild poison.) I grabbed the tail, reached for my pliers, took hold of the hook and proceeded to try and remove it from the fishes oversize upper lip...no luck, the hook just wouldn't come out. I tried a few more times with no luck before giving him a minute in the deeper water to be sure I wasn't doing permanent damage. Sea Robbins aren't great eating from my research so I decided catch and release was in order. I pulled him back in, took off my left glove, grabbed the lure and pushed straight down and into the sand, the lure popped free! Still holding him by the tail I walked him into the surf and waited just a moment for him to thrash away and back to his home in the briny deep. Two trips to the shore and two fish on the hook. Not bad for a relatively clueless newbie. I was satisfied!
I marched down the jetty, rod in had, and a swagger in the step because I was a fisherman now! Or something like that, I must have looked quite the fool...good thing the beach was empty and all I have is the memory. Anyway, despite the new lures i had bought I decided to start with the same swimming shad that I used the last time but use the new rod and reel. The new line and rod were tremendous and I was casting farther than ever before. Three casts is all it took to get my first nibble and once again my heart was racing with the anticipation of the bite. It would take another hour before I would have a real bite, but I knew what to do this time, I set the hook and had another fish on. I fought for a couple of minutes being careful to not to get over aggressive and pull the hook out until a familiar rust colored shape emerged from the depths...Another Sea Robbin. I took him to shore just like the last one and donned my new release gloves (purchased specifically for fish like a Sea Robbin with their sharp spines and mild poison.) I grabbed the tail, reached for my pliers, took hold of the hook and proceeded to try and remove it from the fishes oversize upper lip...no luck, the hook just wouldn't come out. I tried a few more times with no luck before giving him a minute in the deeper water to be sure I wasn't doing permanent damage. Sea Robbins aren't great eating from my research so I decided catch and release was in order. I pulled him back in, took off my left glove, grabbed the lure and pushed straight down and into the sand, the lure popped free! Still holding him by the tail I walked him into the surf and waited just a moment for him to thrash away and back to his home in the briny deep. Two trips to the shore and two fish on the hook. Not bad for a relatively clueless newbie. I was satisfied!
No comments:
Post a Comment