lunch spot
scale compared to the lure
carp scale
Sort of another Grondhog's Day with the partly cloudy skies & gale warning prediction. But once again, the breeze was very moderate back in the creek. I figured I'd take a rod and take a few casts. I've had great luck with a shad dart/white paddletail combo. Chain pickeral can't see to resist it this time of year and it should be fished deep (e.g., the channels of back-water creeks and coves). I hooked a nice pickerel and got lucky as it shaked itself off right at the boat.
Then things got real. I was taking the last few casts before heading to a beach for lunch, when I felt the lure hit something. I figured I was hung up on a sunken log, but then the line started to move. I reeled in a little and took all the slack out of the line and HOLY CRAP, this is a fish and it's no grotty little chain pickerel.
There was some serious weight on the line...what the heck could it be, this time of year? It started towing the kayak!!! For about ten yards and then the line went slack. DAMN! I really wanted to know what this was! But I reeled in and got a clue. On the hook was a what looked like a piece of plastic. On closer look, I saw it was one giant fish scale. I guess when fishing deep, I must've foul-hooked a big ole carp. Because to this is a carp scale, for certain.
I'm sorry for wounding you, Mr. (or Ms.) Carp, and I hope you heal up OK and survive.