In The Haze

Preparation Is the Key

I took the next hour and a half setting up a plug bag for Paul's spot and getting some other tackle ready. I grabbed my smaller surf bag and stuffed it with jigs, rubber shads, fin-s, and a trio of Storm Wildeyes. I also added a pair of plastic swimming plugs, and 4 wooden swimming plugs. My original intention was to throw jigs and try out the storms, but just for the heck of it I threw in the plugs. One Big Don, two McFadden's, and a very special plug. The two plastics were a Tsunami and a smokey joe bomber.

Paul's spot has a lot of current, and is pretty deep. I figured it would be a great place to test out the Storm WildEyes. It's also got a pretty high bulkhead, and I should have brought a gaff, but I figured with the luck I have had there, I didn't need it.

I've fished this spot with Paul many times, and have never caught anything larger than a tailor blue. Paul has caught many large bass while I was there, but I either didn't have the feel or luck for that place.

Getting Started

I got to Paul's spot around 12:30 AM. The air had become misty and there was a light south wind. The haze in the air and the quiet gave the place a very spooky aura. My guesstimate on the current was a little off. I planned to catch the slack and beginning of the outgoing. The tide was already outgoing when I arrived.

I started off throwing a large bass assassin. After a few minutes with nothing to show I decided to put on a wooden swimmer. I pulled out the "very special plug," wondering if it was as magic as some people said it was. I sure went through enough trouble to get it. I decided to try it and see how it swam, and then swap it for one of the more readily available plugs.

Surprise, Surprise, Surprise

My first cast was a little too far up current and it didn't seem to swim correctly coming with the current. My next cast was more out in front of me. I was bringing it back in, trying to watch how it swam, but it was too far out to make out clearly. All I could see was the V wake, which it threw off like a mini Henriques. As it got closer in and was making it's swing in the current, I could start to see the plug. Up until the point it disappeared in a big splash.

I set the hook and the fish immediately started taking line. It bent the 1087 pretty good. For a short while the fish was winning. Then we got to a stalemate where he was in the deep water right in front of me and I couldn't move him. Eventually, he started to come up. As he came to the surface I could see I had a nice bass.

Now I came to a dilemma. I had a good fish on, about 4 feet below me, a fence between me and the fish, and, to top it all off, a $20 plug that was next to impossible to get hung in the balance. I really needed Paul's net or my long gaff, but I had neither.

Luckily, there was a spot where I could get around the fence without having to climb it. Also, luckily, I tied on a 7 foot leader of 50# flouro. I was able to get the leader and pulled the fish up. It was a pretty heavy fish.

I got him on the ground. He flopped around a few times and the hooks came out. I was still holding the leader and was afraid the knot pulled, at least until I felt the weight of the lure. I grabbed the fish, admired him for a second, gave a half second thought about keeping him, and then released him. He was about 30-32 inches long. No idea what weight he was, I didn't bring the boga grip.

It was now 1:00

Finishing Up

I made a few more casts with the "very special plug" before I switched to a Big Don. It also swam well, but I had no takers. I then tried the Tsunami, same results.

I decided to make a move, and moved a short way south of where I was. I figured here if I caught another fish, there was a spot I could beach it. I fished here until 1:45 and called it quits.

I figured I didn't need to stay. I caught my first fish of the year, proved to myself the "very special plug" is truly very special, and caught my first nice bass in Paul's spot.

Besides, I heard my nap calling me back.

Until next week....