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Here's a little something a few of you may enjoy, to get you primed and to get the fever going alittle bit, since the weather isn't cooperating much yet. It was last year, June the first to be exact. Me and my buddy headed out for a night of early summer lake fishing at a local lake. As we arrived, the evening had all the makings for a productive night we thought. We arranged our gear in the boat and prepared to launch. As we made our way out across the lake we discussed the area we were gonna target that night. We mainly only bankfish when we flathead fish on lakes. We feel the water most nights gets too calm after dusk, and any movements and sound carry for a long ways, so we try to use the boat for transportation purposes only. We arrived after a fairly long boat ride, and pulled the boat ashore. Dark was quickly falling at this point, as we grabbed our rods, and rod holders to seperate along the shoreline. Two big five gallon buckets full of a variety of baits including green sunfish, largemouth bass, and even some bullheads sat awaiting for their turn to be chosen, often smacking the sides of the bucket in attempt to free themselves! A beautiful sound!! We eventially had everything into place, Poles were seperated, each targeting a different area using big slipfloats to present our lively baits in the best manner. That warm summer day drug into the night, giving itself to a clear sky and a full moon as I remember. If any of you have ever been on a lake after dark, you will understand when I say silence fell! You could hear a raccoon a mile away that night. Dead silence! All the pleasure boaters were gone, and most fishermen as well. We sat there like the only two guys left on the face of the earth! Then at alittle before 10:00 pm the first sight of a possible flathead. My buddy slowly stood from his chair and made his way down the bank, towards the active bobber that was being pulled glowstick included beaneath the surface and into the dark water! As he was still tip toeing down the bank, I could hear the steady sound of his clicker coming into the action. Heart pounding anticipation for what might be taking place! I sat there waiting for the first sound of a hook up, not wanting to walk down there for the added vibration and noise I may cause I sat there. Then the sounds of a whale!! The fish flipping and vigorously shaking his head side to side as my buddy tustled the big fish into the shallow water shoreline. By this point, I was by his side, and walked out into the shallows to hand grab the fish! Not, the biggest of fish we caught last year, but a healthy 36 pound flathead. After a couple quick pic.s we let the fish go! After getting everything baited and back to normal we sat talking whether tonight might just be one of those nights! As the hours past by, we quickly learned tonight wasn't gonna end up being one of those great nights, but still one that would be appreciated for the one good hookup.. At 10 minutes till 1:00 am. I asked my buddy if he had enough or wanted to stay till day break like we often do. The moon was brighter than ever, and it just felt like it may not produce another fish. He replied with 10 more, we will round things up at 1:00. I agreed. I sat there for about 5 minutes when I heard the sound of a screaming clicker on my farthest pole. I didn't want to run down the bank again, so I started my slow pursuit knowing the reel the sound was coming from was my abu garcia 10000 spooled with plenty of line. As I made my was towards the pole the moon light drew on the gold colored reel bouncing in the rod holder. All of a sudden the pole bounced one hard time knocking it out of the holder and on the ground. At this point I quickly saw the reel was engaged by the fall and my 300 dollar st.croix/ combo was heading for the water. My slow paced walk then turned into a marathon for the last few feet. The rod was laying in the water and the reel still on the shore, I reached down to grab it after the intial lunge it made, but as I bent over, it was like it had its own mind. The pole shot out across the water like an arrow being shot from a bow. Without hestitation, I dove head first in after it. Like an olympic swimmer, I swam towards the bottom. Laying on my stomach and making a snow angel with my arms and legs desperately losing my mind, my left hand hit the reel. I grabbed the pole stood up in the chest deep water, and set the hook. At this point my buddy is running around the corner of the bank towards me thinking I have hooked a 70 plus pounder. Only to see me fighting a fish like a trout fisherman in a stream. As I made my way back to the bank the disgust of feeling the fish and knowing it wasn't of any great quality quickly overtook me. My buddy could do nothing but laugh to see the 12-15 pound fish that had whipped me like a dog at 1:00 am.. His only response, "I told you we should have left 10 minutes ago." ....hope you enjoyed this one!!! lol...rollo
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