Fished the first small lake for about an hour... Nada. Loaded up and headed to the second lake. It had been a good spot for crappie and modest bass. Some changes in the years, the edges were covered in lilly pads. Good for the frog rod, sux for the fly rod. Tina was killin it on the crappie and hooked a nice bass in the 18" range. I got some strikes. Had been out about three hours and was working my way back to the launch when the water blew up and i hooked about a 21 incher. Bent the heavy frog rod double. He hit the frog just after it dropped onto the lilly pads and I made it hop, and buried himself deep on the bottom. I let him. When he broke and ran, I let him tow me. I played him for for or five minutes before bringing him up between our two kayaks, and as I reached in to lift him out for his picture, he snapped his head to The left, and broke the leader.... Off he went.
It was okay... I was thankful for the topwater blowup, the nice fight, and seeing him right beside the kayak. Long, fat, and full of color.
We would have released him anyway.
