So Close, Yet So Far

As if the wind wasn't enough of a distraction for me in yesterday's tournament, there came a point in the day that topped even that factor.

I've explained more than once that I always cut off one of the barbs on any treble hooks I use on my lures, and 99.9 percent of the time, that simple "weedless" modification works to perfection. Yesterday, however, was one of those rare exceptions to the rule.

I had pulled up in front of a small indention in the grassy shoreline, where I knew a log was lodged side-to-side at the mouth. High water is always a perfect time to hit this spot...or so I was convinced until yesterday.

After sitting there, making repeated unsuccessful casts (courtesy of the wind), I finally got lucky. My heavy, $25 topwater bait finally plunked down in the area behind the submerged log. I only had taken little more than a full turn on the reel handle when the water exploded, and I set the hook. Unfortunately, beside the one barb that found its way into the mouth of the fish, another one found that log.

So there I sat, holding tension on at least a 3-lb. fish, standing on its nose and thrashing wildly with the rest of its body, trying to free itself from this predicament. Meanwhile, I had only one choice: Go after my prize.

Did I mention I had to cross nothing short of a "minefield" of old laydowns (with only some visible because of the high water) to reach the still thrashing fish? Despite this mess, I didn't think twice about going after both the fish and my lure. I raised the outboard to the full-up position, which, of course, gave the wind an even bigger advantage and proceeded toward my prize.

When I finally had maneuvered the boat near enough to net the fish, I evidently relaxed the tension on my line just enough as I reached for the net, and with one more thrashing movement, the fish was gone. If anyone happened to be within earshot, I can assure you they heard a litany of four-letter words.

Granted, similar scenarios have befallen me in the past, and I have no doubt there will be more in the future, too. Will I ever learn to deal with them more calmly? Probably not.

That one-tenth of one percent will get you every time.