Anecdote - Stripers at the Bridge

STRIPERS AT THE BRIDGE

A perfect night, I thought, as I double anchored the little boat near the bridge, but it was a little early. I had mis-estimated the tide and had about fifteen minutes to wait. I had shedders prepared and sitting in a tub with Shedder Scenet, another six crabs were live in the cooler, just in case. The first two casts on the last of the ebb produced two 15 inch weakfish. I envisioned a night of being harassed by weakies instead of stripers.

The tide turned and I made my first cast into the bridge. I was baiting a second rod when I heard a familiar snap. Line was flying through the guides of the first rod as I picked it the line came taut and set the hook. Weakfish my ass, I thought as I unhooked the boat from the anchor line and let the fish pull me through the bridge. A few minutes later a thirty four inch bass lay on the bottom of the boat. I had four rods with me that night, from the little Fenwick that I had just caught this 15 pound fish on to my big ugly stick. I figured this fish must have been lost, as the larger fish like this never showed up until at least half tide.

The bait was still intact on the Fenwick, but I added another piece, and cast again. I was still fumbling around with the second rod as I heard the snap again. Thirty seconds later I was going through the bridge again, another thirty four inch bass. I released it and paddled back to the anchor line.

Two more runs through the bridge and fifteen more stripers later I blew a muscle out in my arms and headed home. I still had six live shedders left. Two fish for the table, five fish over the twenty eight inch limit that night and another fishing lesson. Just when I think I’ve got those stripers figured out, they give me another lesson.