Make-A -Wish

McFarland Harbor, Florence, AL

Make-A-Wish Fishing Tournament, Saturday October 8th.

Money raised: $14,700 net after prizes and expenses.

Winning bag was just over 22 lbs. My fishing partner

and I had a chance to be in the money and win Big Bass.

We picked an eddy to camp on after pre-fishing on Friday.

Both largemouth and smallmouth were active, but most of

the fish were short.

Just before 11:00 I picked up a Fluke (watermelon/ black

flakes), C-rigged with 1/8 oz weight. Cast into current

and released another 20 yards of line. My line tightened

as the water pushed the bait towards shore. A couple of

subtle twitches and a long pull, then dropping on slack

line. The next twitch didn't...

Initially the strike had all the characteristics of a smalljaw.

She ran out, dug deep, then shot up like a rocket. The fish

went airborne, completely out of the water. Dark black back

fading to green. We just about pooped our pants!

With spinning tackle and 4 lb test line it was hard moving

this fat girl in current. After a minute or so, up and out

again. My buddy was a mess. I said, "How 'bout a net?"

Now I've been fishing with Rick for a decade or more. Rick

and I fish 50 days together every year. The net has never

been an issue.

So I finally get the pig near the boat. She didn't like Rick's

boat. Down she goes and here we go again. Next time up and she

is still green (pun intended). I know she's about to turn again,

but for some reason Rick panics and stabs at the fish with our

net.

Well, I wasn't screaming at my friend, but I was cursing a blue

streak. This fish would not have been a PB, but regardless

of what she actually weighed, she was definitely a $3000 fish.