Good you let the old boy go to keep on swimming
I stopped om my way home for about 20 minutes the other day down at the west fork of the trinity river near Westworth . The wind was whipping good and it was just about impossible to cast the fixed quill float set at about 7 feet deep . I was wanting to ketch a fish or 2 and it just wasn't happening . the cross wind made for a fast drift that isn't good for crappie most of the time and it was just about impossible to get a presentation the way I wanted it and knew I needed .
So I was about done and hadn't even had a peck and my float is going by a bridge column pretty fast with me just a twitching it bigtime . you see river fish love a dancer and by that I mean a really jumping up and down jig . but to be sure it isn't really good if it is moving across the water with much speed .well low and behold I get a slight peck and the float leans a bit just for a split second . I drive it home like you cant possibly imagine on the hookset unless you go with me .
the medium action 8 footer arches hard and the shimano gives a little drag . I crank it fast as long range crappie have a tendency to get off if you don't apply real steady pressure and get them out of the water fast .fish feels pretty heavy but isn't fighting especially hard , I see it at about 15 foot out and say to myself oh my there it is .....
so at about 10 feet out the speed I am moving the fish speeds up and I get ready to run it up on the rocks under the bridge , I knew it wasn't going to get high enough out of the water due to its size to clear the surface much on the heave . so here we go, I swing sideways hard and try to beach it and it hits a rock and on the turn I step on a lose rock .we all go tumbling up the rocks and one real old crappie and one kinda old man come up with not much in the way of injuries....take a photo or 2 and let that old man swim on .I would venture to say that fish does not have a many seasons left in it and to think as a fry he survived the torrents of flooding a couple years ago made me admire him and his poor shredded up appearance .
mind you I am guessing it was a male fish due its build and it was real long . I would guess it to weigh in the 1.5 range maybe ,at a little over the 15 inch mark
that's my story and hope you have a great weekend
sum kawl me tha outlaw ketchn whalesscottymoe thanked you for this post
Good you let the old boy go to keep on swimming
I really appreciate your stories and reports. But that one made feel like I was there with you.
Thank you Sir.
Great post and story.
I was hooked from anticipation to landing. This old boy enjoyed the experience.
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May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you.
May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26
great story, you do a good job
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Excellent story. I always enjoy your posts.
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Fine story teller you're becoming. Great pics too.
"A voyage in search of knowledge need never abandon the spirit of adventure."