Sea Ray

Yesterday, my right arm was really sore. I think I have "fisherman's elbow." I tried to talk myself out of fishing last night, thinking I needed some recovery time and especially since it looked like there could be storms later. I packed the cooler and was idling through the mouth of the Magothy at 6:30 PM. By 8:00 I had hooked up 4 Rockfish and managed to get two in the boat trolling three rods - deep running lures below 3/4 oz bucktails (flies). First fish was about 22 inches and had sores all over it. I've never seen a fish in such bad shape. I was surprised that he was still feeding and hanging with the school. It was a bad omen. The sky was starting to look a little threatening, but there was still some light left and a few other boats around, so I decided to make one last pass.

Just as I was about to troll across the shelf at Pohickory Point, I hooked up again. Right away I realized this was the heaviest fish I've ever felt. I hooked him on my lightest rig with 14lb test line. Thirty minutes later, I was still fighting even though it was now obvious that there was a hellacious storm coming. Unable to gain line in what was now a very strong wind, I had to back the boat into the building waves. They crashed over the transom causing a continuous heavy spray. Deep down, I knew it was a ray, but I was still holding out hope for that world record Rockfish, or well, anything else! With rain now falling, I knew I should turn loose, especially with lightning cracking all around. I just couldn't!

Even though I fished commercially for a couple of years down in Tennessee and caught some huge catfish, I hadn't felt anything this big before. I never yelled and hollered so continuously and loudly with no one around to hear! Forgetting to pay attention, I got too close to Sandy Pt Light, only realizing it when both my other reels started screaming, hopelessly hung up in the traps. I yelled even louder while slicing through both lines with one whack of my filet knife.

I'm not sure who really won the battle. I did in fact get the winged beast to the side of the boat, but there was no hope of getting him over in the blinding wind and rain. I got a real good look at him before cutting the line. He looked to me to be about as wide as an F-150 hood. The dash back home was one to remember. With 50 mph gusts coming straight down the Bay, my little Sea Ray 250 Express was really bouncing, but the wide open big block Merc and Bravo 3 outdrive really scoots and kept me on top of the waves until the bimini blew off right between first two channel markers at the mouth of the Magothy. I wrestled it into the boat and managed to turn back into the teeth of the storm. It was dark now, but Dianne had turned on our string of white deck lights, so I could more easily find the house. She saw me coming and came out on the dock, but there was no hope of tying up in the storm. I turned back and headed for my neighbor Bret's more sheltered dock inside Lake Placid.

Finally making it inside the house, I was soaked, sore, a little scared, and still pumping with adrenalin. I learned a few lessons last night, realize I did some dumb stuff, but dern, I never felt so alive! I've also never been more determined never to do anything like that again! -S