A genuine "Golden Buckeye" now.
(Ohio sends a "Golden Buckeye" card to residents 60 years old, and several retailers offer discounts for folks who have the card. Think I'll see if I can modify my card to just say - Old Buckeye.
)Beautiful day here in southern Ohio, though. I decided it would be a good day for some fishing. Since it's very windy I decided to leave the fly rod at home and grab the baitcaster (ABU Garcia 6500 "catfish pro") and give the channel cats in the local lake a try.
My son was along and was getting tired of the monotony of watching a line in the water with no action, so he asked me the old line, "How long did you plan to stay, Dad?"
I told him until I caught a catfish, and I would like to get one bigger than my personal best from the lake so far this year (27.5"/8lb-9oz).
I was using cut bait, actually some freezer burned trout I soaked in fish attractant scent. I was about ready to give in and bring him home when I had a very short run on my line.
The fish only too a few feet of line, but in the cold water that isn't all that unusual. I let the bait lay where it was, but picked up my pole and took the clicker off. The fish finally started slowly moving off and I let it take several feet of line, then took the reel out of free spool and let it tighten the line. When the line went tight I started reeling (using 5/0 Daiichi wide circle hooks) and felt the weight of the fish. It was on, and it felt pretty good!
The fight wasn't all that impressive, given the cool water (in the mid 50s F), but it was a decent cat.
It was longer than my other good channel cat this year, but weighed slightly less.
Still a good birthday present from Creator!
28"/7lb-12oz
.......bob
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