Post by cnot on Apr 11, 2007 20:51:24 GMT -5
(Sandy and I talked about this type of thing before, on HSF, but I don't think I told the story. If I am repeating myself, I'm sorry... But Bob's Karma comment brought it back to my mind, and it sets up some other stories I will probably tell in the future... Ok, ok, WILL tell, I can't keep my mouth shut while I'm waiting to get on that plane next week!!!)
One midsummer night, we were fishing the bulkhead at Alexander Avenue in Cape May Point. We were under a New Moon, and back then there were no buildings or lights along the shore from that seawall for several miles with the exception of one or two street lights marking the end of Sunset Boulevard. On the water, you could see the few lit buys that marked the channel for the ferry to follow on its twelve mile crossing to Lewes DE. The darkness was intense enough to make the lights of the Delaware shore look much closer than it was.
It was a dead slack tide, and the moon phase was slowing the flood current from getting started. So, we were just talking, drinking a couple beers, and flipping a jig out without much thought of fish biting, when a couple of fellows strolled up.
One of them opened the conversation with the standard question of "Catch anything?"
I replied in the negative, and a bit of small talk passed. I needed a refill, and while plucking one out of the cooler I offered them one even though, as one of my buddies put it, "they smelled like they fell in a pile of Oregano.", and they accepted. (Those were simpler days of "live and let live".)
After watching us take a few casts, one of the new comers asked "Man, where do you get those lures? They're really cCOOL!"
"they're just a 1/2 ounce lead head, you can get them at any tackle shop, I think the general store here in town might even have some in stock. Just ask Ed, he'll sell them to you, though he's high in price than if you go into town."
The answer didn't seem to sit well with them, and after watching us take a few more casts, they asked "What kind of bait is that?"
"Live Spot, we catch them in nets."
The words were no sooner out of my mouth when my friend's reel started to scream, "FISH ON!".
I never saw people watch a fish fight with such amazement before, but I just wrote it off to them being a couple of tourists that were not used to seeing fish over 5 pounds being caught.
After the fish was netted, a nice Weakfish, I was reaching in the cooler for the "first fish of the night celebratory beverages", and made the offer of another round to them.
"No," they said almost in unison, and one went on to say "I think they're going to our heads."
Concerned that we might have caused a problem to arise, I said "There's a couple of folding chairs here if you need 'em. I don't want to have to fish you out of the water, and there's rocks right below us, on the slack tide, that could be ugly."
"Don't know man, I swear I could see that fish glowin' or somethin' while he was reeling it in..."
Spewing beer out of our nostrils as we doubled over in laughter, they seemed to relax a little.
I set two of the chairs up right behind us, and said, "Don't worry, you're ok. Sit down, if the bite goes as planned you're in for a show."
The show did indeed start. Soon, there were streaks of green light zipping through the water, a few at first, then more and more. The water started to glow in bigger and bigger patches as the school of Weakfish started to boil on the bait. It was like an underwater fireworks display, building to a grand finally as the school reached full feeding frenzy.
I took a break from the action, carried a couple of brews to our new "friends", and explained.
"There's a phosphorescent algae that comes into the bay this time of year. It glows briefly when something bumps it. I'm guessing that you first saw it when our baits hit the water, then it must have been something to see that first fish come through it." I said with a laugh.
"That is the coolest thing I have ever seen man. It's like the fish have Auras."
"Well, the bite's on, you wanna catch some fish and join the show?"
We lent them our outfits, got them on some fish, and had a fun night of it. I think those guys had a "party story" to tell for a long time.
One midsummer night, we were fishing the bulkhead at Alexander Avenue in Cape May Point. We were under a New Moon, and back then there were no buildings or lights along the shore from that seawall for several miles with the exception of one or two street lights marking the end of Sunset Boulevard. On the water, you could see the few lit buys that marked the channel for the ferry to follow on its twelve mile crossing to Lewes DE. The darkness was intense enough to make the lights of the Delaware shore look much closer than it was.
It was a dead slack tide, and the moon phase was slowing the flood current from getting started. So, we were just talking, drinking a couple beers, and flipping a jig out without much thought of fish biting, when a couple of fellows strolled up.
One of them opened the conversation with the standard question of "Catch anything?"
I replied in the negative, and a bit of small talk passed. I needed a refill, and while plucking one out of the cooler I offered them one even though, as one of my buddies put it, "they smelled like they fell in a pile of Oregano.", and they accepted. (Those were simpler days of "live and let live".)
After watching us take a few casts, one of the new comers asked "Man, where do you get those lures? They're really cCOOL!"
"they're just a 1/2 ounce lead head, you can get them at any tackle shop, I think the general store here in town might even have some in stock. Just ask Ed, he'll sell them to you, though he's high in price than if you go into town."
The answer didn't seem to sit well with them, and after watching us take a few more casts, they asked "What kind of bait is that?"
"Live Spot, we catch them in nets."
The words were no sooner out of my mouth when my friend's reel started to scream, "FISH ON!".
I never saw people watch a fish fight with such amazement before, but I just wrote it off to them being a couple of tourists that were not used to seeing fish over 5 pounds being caught.
After the fish was netted, a nice Weakfish, I was reaching in the cooler for the "first fish of the night celebratory beverages", and made the offer of another round to them.
"No," they said almost in unison, and one went on to say "I think they're going to our heads."
Concerned that we might have caused a problem to arise, I said "There's a couple of folding chairs here if you need 'em. I don't want to have to fish you out of the water, and there's rocks right below us, on the slack tide, that could be ugly."
"Don't know man, I swear I could see that fish glowin' or somethin' while he was reeling it in..."
Spewing beer out of our nostrils as we doubled over in laughter, they seemed to relax a little.
I set two of the chairs up right behind us, and said, "Don't worry, you're ok. Sit down, if the bite goes as planned you're in for a show."
The show did indeed start. Soon, there were streaks of green light zipping through the water, a few at first, then more and more. The water started to glow in bigger and bigger patches as the school of Weakfish started to boil on the bait. It was like an underwater fireworks display, building to a grand finally as the school reached full feeding frenzy.
I took a break from the action, carried a couple of brews to our new "friends", and explained.
"There's a phosphorescent algae that comes into the bay this time of year. It glows briefly when something bumps it. I'm guessing that you first saw it when our baits hit the water, then it must have been something to see that first fish come through it." I said with a laugh.
"That is the coolest thing I have ever seen man. It's like the fish have Auras."
"Well, the bite's on, you wanna catch some fish and join the show?"
We lent them our outfits, got them on some fish, and had a fun night of it. I think those guys had a "party story" to tell for a long time.