HOLY COW!

I woke up early Saturday determined not to get my usual late start at the OTWM Walter Bundy picnic. I plugged West Meadow Beach into Waze at 6am and off I went. Waze decided to bring me to the back of the park behind the marsh. So much for being early, I found the park on my own. I pulled in the lot a bit after 7am and started to set up after greeting other members who were mulling around and getting setup as well. My plan was to fish for Sea Bass during the slack and then switch to trolling or chasing Albies. I decided I would troll out to Cranes Neck before switching over for Sea Bass. I set off with an Albie setup in my rod holder (just in case) and a tube n worm setup in hand. It was perfect conditions for spotting Albies or trolling. There was barely a ripple on the water. As I approached Cranes Neck I saw a fellow club member pulled up on shore so I decided to pull in close to make sure he was alright which fortunately he was. As I took off I continued to troll and stayed in relatively shallow water, 15'or so, passing near some rocks. A few members were also fishing the general area. As I was coming around the NW corner of Cranes BAM my rod got hit like a freight train. My initial thought was it's a gator blue and man is he strong and angry I'm just hanging on for dear life and having fun. My next thought was did I really want to land him in my lap to unhook with all those big teeth. Very shortly thereafter I realized he's not coming up to the surface he is staying down just ripping line off my reel and that he is really a she. I got a little scared at that moment and said to myself "my god Tony you have the biggest Bass of your life on the other end do not screw up!". So it was game on just trying to react to what the fish gave me. I gained some line and she took some line as I was pulled around in 2 big circles. After 10 minutes I finally felt I was getting the upper hand and beginning to gain back line. My adrenaline was totally spiked as I slowly fought the Bass to the boat. The water was pretty clean and I got a good look at her while she was still a few feet away. She looked 4ft long and I wondered did the water really magnify the fish that much. With the fish finally next to the boat quick decision time where to grab. My instinct told me put hand right in the mouth no fooling around my brain said what about the hook. I listened to my instinct and just grabbed into the mouth. OK so how do I bring it up into the boat I never had a fish near this big before? I started to slide it up with one hand and realized quickly it was going to take a lot more strength. I reached over and with both hands pulled her onto my lap just hoping I wouldn't capsize. When I got her in my lap it was HOLY COW I did it I caught a cow. Someone called out and asked am I going to measure it and I just smiled sitting there in awe and shock thinking of all my years fishing and what I had just accomplished. This is my fish of a lifetime she fought very hard and after 50 plus years of fishing I was rewarded with a special fish 46” long. Thanks to all the members who all were truly happy for me, you guys are the best. Lastly, I firmly believe that Walter and Wayne must have had a hand in this, without help from above it wouldn’t have happened. Tony Fleck