Post by Petey on Apr 19, 2010 16:46:14 GMT -5
A couple of years ago a group of us set out for Cub Lake. At that time West Tennessee was seeing record rainfall amounts for April and the little 68 acre lake was about 2 feet higher than it should. All of it the color of chocolate milk. This time around we had excellent spring weather and the water levels were near perfect.
Me and my little family had a cabin for the weekend with other friends and family. The cabins are quite quaint but yet nicely done, with nearly all of them lining one area of the small lake. Each one has at least one queen size bed in the master, along with a queen sleeper-sofa in the den. There is also a gas fire place in the cabin and a gas grill on the deck of each cabin as well. Which makes for a nice little homestead.
The lake is full of large mouth bass. Some of them were kept and later introduced to the deep frier on Saturday night, while most were released back to their natural habitat. The large mouth were holding up tight to the overgrown banks and blow-downs. With the spring season being in full effect, the scenery was easy on the eyes. Wild azaleas and dogwoods were blooming everywhere along the banks. Poppers were the lure of choice and were taken quite eagerly by both bass and bluegills alike. Crappie made their appearances as well. As did one Blue Cat. But more on that later.
Over the weekend I got to see my oldest reel in her 1st large-mouth as well catch a bluegill all on her own. To watch her erupt with excitement was a true treat to watch. She got the large-mouth on a yellow and orange rooster tail. The bluegill came on a drowned cricket. The funny thing was two of us adults couldn't hook one for the little ones. Finally I handed the rod to Chloe and boom... magic happens. It truly warms the heart to watch your child get so much excitement out something you enjoy so much yourself. No matter how fleeting the time. You have to plant the seed somewhere.
Now back to that Blue Cat. We had wake-up calls at 6:00 AM and met at our respective boats. My boat went over to a river bank we had eyed the afternoon before and started to fish. The first fish I caught was a large-mouth that came on a baby bass puglisi that I tie. We continued to troll along working the bank. I pitched the puglisi up under some overhanging cover and started to retrieve. On about the 4th strip something slammed my offering and the water swirled. Whatever had just consumed my fly was making a break for the underbrush. I was able to get the fish to turn before it got me tangled up in a downed tree. Then it just stopped. It just laid on the bottom and my 6wt. could hardly budge it. I looked at my fishing partner and told him I had more than likely foul hooked whatever I had stuck because the fight was so awkward. I kept tugging and little by little I was able to pull whatever I had hooked off the bottom. All I wanted to do was see it, I just wanted to know what I had on the other end of my line. Just when I thought it was about to surface whatever it was caught a view of the boat and made sharp turn back to the bottom of the lake. The fight was on again. He started to pull the boat back out into the deeper water of the lake before he finally gave out. He was in about 10 feet of water when I was finally able to make him show his (or her's) face. My buddy was gawking over my shoulder in about as much anticipation as I was. As I made one more strip and a lift of the rod tip the nose of the fish finally broke the surface. Whiskers... whiskers.... A freaking catfish. A 4.5lb to 5lb Blue Cat. That cat chased down and hit the Puglisi with a ton of angst. And here he was on the end of my line after a good hard fight. I have caught several things over the years on the fly rod either intentionally or otherwise, but this was the first time I have ever caught a Catfish. And man what a blast it was. There is one thing about this sport that I continue to enjoy and love, there is always room for another first.
Blue Cat on the fly!
Team Blue Cat.
Desperation Point
Petey
Me and my little family had a cabin for the weekend with other friends and family. The cabins are quite quaint but yet nicely done, with nearly all of them lining one area of the small lake. Each one has at least one queen size bed in the master, along with a queen sleeper-sofa in the den. There is also a gas fire place in the cabin and a gas grill on the deck of each cabin as well. Which makes for a nice little homestead.
The lake is full of large mouth bass. Some of them were kept and later introduced to the deep frier on Saturday night, while most were released back to their natural habitat. The large mouth were holding up tight to the overgrown banks and blow-downs. With the spring season being in full effect, the scenery was easy on the eyes. Wild azaleas and dogwoods were blooming everywhere along the banks. Poppers were the lure of choice and were taken quite eagerly by both bass and bluegills alike. Crappie made their appearances as well. As did one Blue Cat. But more on that later.
Over the weekend I got to see my oldest reel in her 1st large-mouth as well catch a bluegill all on her own. To watch her erupt with excitement was a true treat to watch. She got the large-mouth on a yellow and orange rooster tail. The bluegill came on a drowned cricket. The funny thing was two of us adults couldn't hook one for the little ones. Finally I handed the rod to Chloe and boom... magic happens. It truly warms the heart to watch your child get so much excitement out something you enjoy so much yourself. No matter how fleeting the time. You have to plant the seed somewhere.
Now back to that Blue Cat. We had wake-up calls at 6:00 AM and met at our respective boats. My boat went over to a river bank we had eyed the afternoon before and started to fish. The first fish I caught was a large-mouth that came on a baby bass puglisi that I tie. We continued to troll along working the bank. I pitched the puglisi up under some overhanging cover and started to retrieve. On about the 4th strip something slammed my offering and the water swirled. Whatever had just consumed my fly was making a break for the underbrush. I was able to get the fish to turn before it got me tangled up in a downed tree. Then it just stopped. It just laid on the bottom and my 6wt. could hardly budge it. I looked at my fishing partner and told him I had more than likely foul hooked whatever I had stuck because the fight was so awkward. I kept tugging and little by little I was able to pull whatever I had hooked off the bottom. All I wanted to do was see it, I just wanted to know what I had on the other end of my line. Just when I thought it was about to surface whatever it was caught a view of the boat and made sharp turn back to the bottom of the lake. The fight was on again. He started to pull the boat back out into the deeper water of the lake before he finally gave out. He was in about 10 feet of water when I was finally able to make him show his (or her's) face. My buddy was gawking over my shoulder in about as much anticipation as I was. As I made one more strip and a lift of the rod tip the nose of the fish finally broke the surface. Whiskers... whiskers.... A freaking catfish. A 4.5lb to 5lb Blue Cat. That cat chased down and hit the Puglisi with a ton of angst. And here he was on the end of my line after a good hard fight. I have caught several things over the years on the fly rod either intentionally or otherwise, but this was the first time I have ever caught a Catfish. And man what a blast it was. There is one thing about this sport that I continue to enjoy and love, there is always room for another first.
Blue Cat on the fly!
Team Blue Cat.
Desperation Point
Petey
