A friend of mine invited me to go kayak fishing to a secrete spot. I am a firm believer that there are no secrete spots; only secrete systems. But. I was not going to decline an opportunity to go fishing! After nearly countless turns through a small country pumpkin town, we finally arrived at his secrete spot. There was no launch ramp. No ramp! We had to hoist our kayaks overs a metal guard rail and drag them down and up a 12 foot long 45 degree slope to access the river.
The secrete spot was a fallen tree just down current from a feeder trout stream. I fished this entire structure with nearly everything in my Plano boxes. Nothing! I drifted and fished other structures down river. Nothing!! After the sun had set, I paddled back up river to fallen tree. I put on a white 5″ Gary Yamamoto swim bait rigged on an Owner Beast hook. I made a long cast to the down river side of the fallen tree. Fish on! My 7 foot heavy-action rod was bent over. The fish jumped out of the water. When the fish landed on the water, the erupting sound echoed up and down the river. And then…without warning…my line went slack. 🙁 I know my gear. Trust me, I know my gear! The fish was huge. HUGE!!!
During the drive home, the adrenaline was pumping through me. My mind was thinking so clearly, I felt like I was half my age. I have landed fish, big and small on this presentation. This was the first failed hook up on this presentation. What went wrong? When I got to my work shop, I compared the swim bait to my other Gary Yamamoto swim baits. Eureka! The hook was one size smaller than I normally use on a 5″ swim bait. Mea culpa. I now use the largest Owner Beast hook on my swim baits that will not impede the paddle tail’s seductive side-to-side action.
In fishing there are no guarantees. Sometimes you win. Sometimes the fish wins. When I lose, I learn. The more I learn, the more I win. I am well educated. 😉
