Outwitted a Worldly Fish

One evening, I was fishing for large bluegill with my 2wt flyrod and a fly that I call the Fuzzy Bee. It was a very successful kayak outing on one of my favorite lakes. The Fuzzy Bee, as usual, didn't disappoint. I'm pedaling my boat back to the shore at my campsite as it's beginning to get dark. Besides, I still had fish to clean.

As I rounded the point to enter the cove where the campsite is, I decided to try the point on the other side of the cove. I ready my 2wt, complete with Fuzzy Bee under a football-style indicator. I get withincasting distance of the shallow water of the point and send my fly swinging through the air to penetrate the water with a slight splash as the indicator settles gently on the surface.

A split second after the indicator settles, it disappears with a slight rippling of the water! I strip-set the hook to no avail and the indicator gradually re-surfaces. Realizing that it was approaching dark, I should have known that top-water would be the proper choice. I hurriedly reeled my line in and grab my 4wt that was already outfitted with a popper. I quickly scanned the water in three directions in an attempt to think like a fish.

To the left of the spot where the indicator was inhaled was very shallow water. No, I wouldn't go there. And surely he wouldn't come towards me as I was between him and deeper water. I surmised that his deep water escape route was to the right. I readied my rod and landed the popper with the touch of a feather about 20 feet to the right.

Wham! The popper must have landed right in front of the fish as it disappeared almost at the exact moment in landed on the surface! I resisted the urge to set the hook right away hoping he would move the popper well inside his mouth. Ever so slightly, the tension began to be felt on the rod. It was now or never! I gave the line a good hard strip and slowly raised my rod tip. The fight was on! The fish started to run and I raised the rod even though the tip was still pointing at the water. The line began to slack, I was stripping like crazy, and put the rod tip on the surface of the water. I feared that the fish was preparing to jump. Sure enough! I got my first actual look at the beast, a beautiful largemouth bass, as he launched above water, shaking viloently trying to dislodge the popper. Through it all, the fish jumped two more times, each time I feared losing him.

After what seemed like 15 minutes (actually probably only 3), he gave up, exhausted from the fight. I gently pulled him along-side the kayak, grabbed his lower jaw and hoisted him into the boat. I was very close to shore in the cove, so I made my way quickly to beach the boat in order to get a picture of this magnificent fish. I called to my wife to come take a picture and I hurriedly weighed the fish. He was a gorgeous 6.25 lbs.!

I put the fish back into the water and directed water through his gills. A moment later, he kick his tail and I knew he was ready to be released. An immense satisfaction came over me as I watched him slowly meander into the deeper water. Thinking back on what happened I realized that I outwitted that bass, one that had obviously been around awhile and seen alot. He put up such a fight and gave me so much pleasure, I just had to let him go in order to fight another day and share the joy with someone else. He was back in his natural habitat and I emerged victorious!

After being reIeased, I think the bass emerged victorious. Let's just call it a draw!