That's the overriding lesson Rob and I learned today during our day on the water.
It happened early this morning, during our first stop in Blackwater Creek. I was on the trolling motor, and just as I came around a grassy bend, I saw some stakes in the water and tossed my Bang-o-Lure up next to them. I hadn't taken but two or three turns on the reel handle when a fish unloaded on the bait. As I set the hook, Rob asked if I needed the net, and that's when the problem started.
I opened my mouth (which has been getting me into a fair amount of trouble here lately--just ask my wife, if you don't believe me) and said, "Naw, it's only a small one. And besides, I don't really think it's a bass. It's acting too much like a grindle." And with that statement, it appeared for a while as though I had sealed our doom for the day.
It wasn't so bad that I said it probably was a small one. Initially, that's the way the fish acted. As I got him near the boat, though, the fish suddenly shifted into high gear, put my rod in a serious bend, and started taking drag. At that point, I knew it wasn't a small fish, but calling it a grindle was a whole different matter. As Rob was sliding the net in the water, the fish came up, revealing for the first time that it was none other than a nice, big bass. In a split second, the fish bid us "adios," and that was the extent of our action for a good spell.
Eventually, we both got on track and managed to catch a few fish, but that bass I lost was our best of the day. In the final analysis, Rob (as best I remember) came up with 5 bass, 1 big grindle, and 1 pickerel. My tally was 6 bass and 1 nice white perch. Most of the bass were keeper-size but nothing more.
We both pretty much owed our success to two lures: a spinnerbait in firetiger and the Yo-Zuri SS Minnow in a couple different colors.
I reckon Rob and I will remember this day, not so much for the fish we actually caught but for learning what happens when you call a bass a grindle. I urge you to think twice before you make the same mistake.
Met Jim Bauer yesterday 30 May, a real nice gentelman. I saw him breaking in his new motor. By the way I'm Charles Murdock better known as DOC (retired BMC). I have been following your blog for over a year. I just want to thank you and Charlie for your blogs, with your help I've become a better fisherman. Yesterday I caught a 2.3 bass on a homemade swim jig. The topwater bite wasn't there. Hope to met you personnally one day. Again Thank you for all the good information.
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