The Fish of a Lifetime 48 inches!

I had been skunked the last two days out on the Flats with Lisa. There had been two Nor'Easters both days right before my two scheduled trips and the fish were stacked up thicker than we have ever seen them ,exhibiting the famous striper lock jaw.

I was inconsolable! I had caught no spring stripers. I just wanted one respectable fish, nothing more. My sweet husband decided that the up coming weekend would be beautiful weather and our last chance to take Mosey out before he hauled her out for some hull work (under water lights). He suggested that we head up to the Flats, anchor and, depending where we anchored, I could either kayak fish or we would take the dinghy. GREAT idea and so we left Saturday PM hoping the big high tide on the flats Sunday morning would be productive.

We wound up anchoring just off of Locust Point in calmer water near the channel. It was too far to kayak and get to Sandy Point at 7:30 AM without kayaking in the dark amongst the seventy some boats all vying for a spot on the incoming. Not a good idea, so we launched the nine foot hard bottom dinghy and made it out quickly and safely where upon arriving the DNR came over to check out the two idiots fishing out of a little dinghy amonst the seventy or so fishing boats. I tell thm we came off of the big boat out there. After a quick show of license and safety equiptment, they left us to fish.

Ken was not comfortable with my fly rod in the dinghy, so I brought my seven foot med. St. Croix with 12 lbs. fireline and a 20 lbs. flurocarbon leader. I also had my new Shimano Stratic 4000 too!

We made it to Sandy Point and leisurely drifted trying to mark some fish. I put on my 3/4 oz. chartreuse and chrome rattle and after it raised a few 20 plus inchers in six to eight feet of water, I was very hopeful as to what this tide would yield. If these fish were biting in this water depth, they were hungry.

Stripers began to pop up and roll all over spawning and the water was covered with visible eggs and streams of sperm! We found a few weedy little dips that were holding some great fish and I started to make big, long casts toward the shore at a ninety degree angle to the incoming and, suddenly, had a huge hit. The fish pulled to the right and then -nothing. I was puzzled and I reeled in to find my leader flying in the wind a good foot shorter than before. When I went to tie my next rattle on, I felt the abrasion of teeth marks. I was breathless. Only a huge striper could have done that.

I had a 1/2 oz. chrome and blue and was hoping that it would still attract a bigger fish. It cast about as far and it felt good, not too light, in the water conditions. I still felt that the technique and retrieve I was using would still be effective on the lighter rattle.

It was just at high tide. Everyone else was anchored and mainly bait fishing. There were a few in small fishing boats with lures. I saw one neighbor catch a very nice fish on live ? herring, but there was not a lot of action. I cast out long, retrieved and then there was "FISH ON" , a few firm tug, tugs where the fish could be 18 inches or 50 inches, and then the moment of truth when the fish knows it is hooked and runs and shows you what you really have on your line by pulling it wayyyyyyy downnnnnn and then the drag goes out.......and I think holy crap this is a big fish and I am fighting it and it just keeps pulling harder and harder and I am breathless and in disbelief because I can't fathom the fact that I have this fish on and it is not like anything I have caught before. Oh my God, I am trying to keep my cool because it is pulling the dinghy around going under it to the left and to the right and all I can think of is keep that rod UP and pump. I hurt and I am blowing out and taking some quick breaths like I am sprinting in a race!

Three or four times I think it has tired only to have it make a run. After almost falling in once, finally it comes to the surface and I think for a split second"WHAT IS THAT THING? Is it a monster?"Well, I know it is a striper and the biggest one I have ever seen. I look again as it pulls closer and closer and every time it gets closer I just keep saying " Oh, my God, Oh my God, Oh my God because it keeps getting bigger and now I have to get it in the dinghy. Ken is taking pictures and keeps telling me to wait a minute"I am documenting this " I said to him "You have got to help me land this fish NOW. You don't understand, I can't hold out much longer!" I look at it and think that there is no way I can lift this fish with no grips, no way. Then, I say to myself "You GET that fish in this dinghy right now. DO IT" So I grabbed it by the mouth and hauled it up still saying "Oh my God, Oh my God" because it just won't stop getting bigger and I have my hands at my chest!

I remove the rattle,a few quick pictures and then put her back in swishing her back and forth. She kicks off and gone in a split second to spawn another year! I feel so good she is OK.

I sat down to catch my breath and noticed all of the boats around me were watching (typical) and some were cheering my catch!

After bringing in a nice 30 incher, my wonderful, patient husband, who gave me one of the most exciting moments in my life turned the dinghy toward Mosey and I though that this is just the beginning of many more adventures.

Somebody was telling me about these bone fish and how you can catch them in the Exumas.....especially on flies.....hmmmmmm.