The two that got away?

A couple of weeks ago Nathaniel and I spent a morning up at Tallulah Falls lake fishing. This place has been our new go to spot for a while since we decided to try new waters that are also more local. I'm going to go ahead and say that I was way under prepared for what happened. Both gear wise and mentally.

The first moment was up at the power plant. I was fishing my new Lews baitcaster in the tailwaters of the power plant using a large white spinner bait on 8lb test line. I made a cast to the right of the structure and it was on. I know that current can make any fish seem larger than what it really it, but when that bass jumped out of the water I knew that this was the fish of my lifetime. Finally. After fishing most of my life since I was a young boy, I knew I was close to my 10lb bass! Unfortunately I will never know how large that bass was, but I do know it was strong enough to break 8lb test like it was thread.

After the bass broke off I sat there in disbelief of what seemed like an eternity. I was speechless. But on the inside I was throwing a tantrum that would compete with any 2 year old in any department store. I wanted to yell at the top of my lungs. I wanted to beat the boat into a metal hunk of pulp. I wanted to jump over board and get swept away. Just like the one that got away.

Instead I placed my head into both my hands and bent over. Cried. I cried. Not necessarily tears of anger or even pain. But more like a catharsis of sorts. Memories of fishing from my childhood came up and went down with that bass in such a way that it actually felt good. From the lure selection to the placement and reading the structure. Every thing that I did was because of years of fishing. Now my selection of 8lb test was pretty irresponsible considering that several people told me that big bass are in this lake. So other than that, it felt good. I got to share that moment with a real good friend and in my moment of vulnerability I wasn't judged but I was allowed to experience that moment in the best way I knew how.

A while later while fishing a buzzbait another lunker of a largemouth bass struck. And though it wasn't as large as the first, it was still hefty. This one jumped and threw the lure out of its mouth. For a moment I thought that these fish were descendents of Moby Dick. Well, the composure that I had with the first loss was used up and I'm pretty sure that the old couple across the lake looked over our way and wondered why one of the guys on that johnboat was yelling damn! damn! damn! while beating on the aluminum seat of the boat.

After that loss I knew that I had to up my game. By that I mean I had to up my line test and focus.

Nathaniel and I thought that we'd try to see if we could duplicate what we experienced on Sunday by going back out on Monday. Though we didn't get anything to hit that was the size and caliber that we had on Sunday, Monday did produce more bass of good quality and size. Oh, I believe that this was the first fishing trip where both of us were either really tired and sleepy the first hour or extremely focused to the point where we had tunnel vision for wanting to hook into any bass over 5lbs. Either way, it was a Monday well spent. Fish being caught or not, spending time with buds while on the water, in a river, or on the banks is time well spent.

Caleb and Nathaniel @ Tallulah Falls Lake