Lots of Wind and a Few Fish

When I left the house this morning, I knew the wind probably was going to keep me "tied up" all day long, and I couldn't have been more right. I seldom have a fishing trip which doesn't include at least one event when I have to look around and find out if anyone was watching what just happened to me, and today certainly was no exception.

I had hung a lure in some reeds along the shore, and when the lure turned loose, it went airborne. And don't you know, a gust of wind caught it in mid-air, causing it to start a circling motion around me. My subsequent effort to make the lure splash down on the water's surface only further exacerbated the problem. The result: The line ended up taking three complete turns around me, starting at my head and working its way down. I don't ever remember another time when I was so "wrapped up." For the better part of about 10 minutes, all I could do was try to maneuver my way into a clearing with the trolling motor, so I could get all the line unwound.

At long last, I finally secured my freedom and, after sitting and calming myself down for a couple of minutes, went back to fishing. If I hadn't managed to catch a few fish today, I probably would have been a total basket case by the time I got home.

The fish in this photo hit at 9:40 this morning and weighed 1-2. I picked up a couple more dinks in the ensuing hours before calling it quits at 2 o'clock. I also missed getting a hookset on one fish. All the action came on a jerkbait. I tried my luck with a chatterbait and a couple of crankbaits, to no avail.

Talked to my friend Ray Scott when I came in this afternoon and learned that he had caught a 1-7 bass in West Neck today. All my fish came out of Albright's. My decision to go there was based on the high water at the ramp this morning.

My only surprise of the day was seeing a snake first thing this morning--one of those with his whole body riding on top. He wasn't very big, but I still gave him a wide berth, as I do all snakes.

Incidentally, the only traffic I met on the North Landing today was a couple of sailboats during my ride back to the dock this afternoon. Didn't see any "big boys" running at all.

Said my pal Ron in an email this noon hour (Friday, Dec. 2), "Saw your post about being wrapped up--been there, done that. Amazes me how I can get a 'tip wrap' that looks like it was tied by a seasoned boatswain's mate! (oh yeah!). Have had to cut some body wraps that I just couldn't untangle (I came real close to doing that yesterday)."

Ron continued his note by saying he went to the upper North Landing Monday for almost an hour but didn't find a single fish.

This morning at 0245, he launched at the HRBT. "Caught 12 stripers," he said, "but couldn't find a keeper. Several were 19 and a half--close, but no cigar. As long as there was current and bird activity," he explained, "the bite stayed steady. Soon as the current stopped, so did the birds and the bite, That was about 0500."