Wow Nellie

[5th Tuition]

As most know; my daughter is here from Japan for a week and I didn't expect to get out at all while she was here. Last night, she said she had appointments today to get hair done, eyebrows done, and whatever else they do. Good, I'll sneak down to the boat and do a shakedown cruise

I called a friend and told him to meet me around 11. The winds were out of the north west and waves were a foot or less I ran to the Eastern Shore channel in front of the Chester River. If any fish wanted to spawn in the Susky or the Chester, they had to past me

Main purpose was to see if all the electronics worked, check out motor, look for winter jellies, find bait, check out water temperatures, and lastly; catch a fish
I only trolled for about an hour, but we hooked up a really nice fish.

I stayed in the channel expecting any marks to be deep. Water temp was 42* and only a small amount of bait was seen between 30ft and the bottom (40-65 ft). I had no boards out because of the deep marks. Ran 6 umbrella's off the boat spread between 20-25ft down.

Mark and I caught up on what we did this winter and searched for birds. Saw lots of ducks, but not anything we wanted to see. Suddenly my deepest "hip" rod with 20 ounces started ripping. Not a steady rip like hooked on the bottom or a submerged net, but the pulsating rip of a big fish

Mark grabbed the rod and you could see the head shakes transmitted through the rod. "It's staying down deep" said Mark. "It's a good fish" I yelled back from the helm. Mark would gain a little and the fish would take a little. Luckily, when he swam, he went away from the other lines (toward starboard). I slipped back to the second station, not so much to help, but to watch this first battle of the season from a closer advantage point. I slowed up just a tad to help my friend with this beast. I rotated other rods out of his way while he continued the fight.

We were both grinning ear to ear when the line suddenly went silent "He's gone" said Mark in a hushed tone. "Keep winding" I yelled, not willing to give up on the first rock of the season. But I knew Mark was competent enough to know that the fish had spit the hook.

When we brought in the umbrella, the hook had been straightened out to the point where it slipped right out of her mouth. We trolled a little while longer, but pulled lines and headed for the barn in order to meet Don (Hunter) at my place to buy a couple of his reels (340 Penn's).

Here is a pic of the hook. I use "slider" rigs in the PSCR season so that I don't "ruin" any of my good lures The slider baits only use a regular hook that I grind the barb off. Anyway; I produced a good story. When they get here, it is going to be "On like donkey kong". We should see a big slug of fish headed up to spawn, and then see them headed back out to sea after the spawn. We should have plenty of opportunity to "catch". If the "slot" works, we should have sore arms this spring.
I'll see a few of you tonight at Adam's Ribs
5th