I had tied on a #14 weighted Hare's Ear as the best all purpose fly that would take trout, bluegill, small bass of either variety, crappie, whatever might be in that pond. As I began working the shoreline, the rises and surface activity finally got to me, so I paddled directly to it, and found I could see a school of good sized fish moving just below the surface. Periodically they would bunch up and one would rise to the surface with what looked likea take of something. I couldn't identify what they were but I threw
the fly into the middle of the school and had an immediate take, the school disappeared, but the fish came loose. Humph! Still no clue as to what the fish were, but they would take the fly!
I was able to spot another area of surface agitation, and sure enough, there was another school of fish hanging just below the surface. I cast again, had another immediate hit, AND BROKE OFF!
Now, there just aren't that many fish around that can break 5 lb tippet that easily, although the rainbows I had left the day before could do it without sneezing. Now I was really stoked, but I still had no idea what kind of fish I was dealing with
Unfortunately I couldn't locate another school hanging under the surface, so I eventually gave up and went back to working the shoreline. I worked the nymph right into the brush and logs, all the bassy areas, and FISH ON! The tippet and I survived the take, and it was immediately obvious this was a BIG fish. I couldn't budge it with pressure when it turned for the shelter of shoreline branches, but the leader survived the "ticks" as the fish went through. Then it took off in a long run for deeper water that took me into my backing. I had caught enough bass that I was beginning to imagine one in the double digits if a
largemouth, over five pounds if a smallmouth.
I charged after the fish in the float tube hoping to at least identify the species before I might lose it. I yelled at my fishing partner who then watched and followed the fight with the same mysterious interest.
Finally, after another five minutes of short runs, I finally got the fish slowed down to the point it started to wallow and allow itself to be pulled away from the bottom. Heart pounding, I put all the pressure I dared on the leader to get this thing to the surface, just once. Then, there it was, gasping in
