While it’s preferred to get on the water before the sun tops the treeline we still managed to get a good fish into the boat this morning. The day started out a little cooler than what was predicted for the beginning of May when we launched the boat so I’m glad I brought a coat just in case. Air temp was 57° & breezy. We launched at Don Carter park for fishing “up river“. Being Dr Pete’s first trip out without a guide I had him setting out all the rods with bait and boards while I guided the boat. I think we had three rods in the water pulling boards with still several more to go when it was Fish On. The strike took the planer board under the water screaming off the drag as the fish took the bait. It put up a really nice fight. At one time Dr Pete said “I think the fish got off”. The reason he thought this was that he didn’t feel the pull any more but I told him that it was just swimming toward the boat. I had him reel extra fast to get the slack out of the line and then he starting feeling the pull again. I extended the net handle so we could quickly bring in the Striper before it had a chance to get away.

The water temp was 68°. The bait was a blueback herring with a Chaser #4 Kahle Octopus hook on a planer board 25′ out. The Striper was 24″ long but very girthy and it weighed right at 5 lbs. Thanks Dr Pete for another great memory.