THE BIG BASS AND THE "LONG FACE"
February 2, 2019
Fishing was one of David’s very favorite things to do. I will always treasure my memories of teaching him how to fish and seeing him become a good Outdoorsman. The outdoors is something we often enjoyed together. One of his favorite spots to fish was our Lake…York Lake…his Lake. This is a story about one of our many days on the lake. I believe David was 11 at the time.
In order to set this story up I have to first tell you about “Jimmy Houston”. Jimmy Houston is a renowned Tournament Fisherman, Outdoorsman and Outdoor TV Show Host. He has a cherubic face, silly hair style, real southern mannerisms and an infectious laugh. David love watching his show and actually, at the time, they both had very similar hairstyles…that classic “Bowl Cut”. Well, one of Jimmy Houston’s trademark moves on TV was to give any nice Bass he caught a big kiss before returning it to the water. “Give me some sugar” he would say, giggle and return the fish to the water. David loved it and, of course, added this technique to his fishing style. I have some pictures of him smooching big Bass and he would really ham it up!
The day of this story was back before the age of Smart Phones with built in cameras and I always kept a camera in my Tackle Bag to capture those special “Fishing Memories”.
David and I were fishing the lake from our 14 Foot Starcraft with Electric Motors, bow and stern…our “York Lake Fishing Machine” and having a pretty good day as usual. We were fishing with what they call a “Texas Rig”, a killer rig in York Lake for sure. It is made up of a scented rubber or soft-plastic worm on an offset hook with a slip sinker above. The way you fish it is to cast, reel in the slack and just jig or bounce it off the bottom. When a good fish takes the offering you can feel it or see the line start to run out away from the boat. I taught David to count to 3 and then to set the hook…fish on!
Like I said it was a pretty good day with lots of action and lots of fish but the fish we were catching at the time weren’t anything exceptional as far as size goes. They weren’t what we call “Picture Fish”. Of course, David would unhook the fish and still give them his usual Jimmy Houston Smooch before returning the fish to the lake.
We had just about covered the whole lake and were working the cove on the way back to the boat dock when David suddenly stood up and I saw his rod deeply bent. He snapped the road back to set the hook and it actually looked like he had snagged the bottom to me. The Rod and the line didn’t appear to be moving. “It’s a big one, Dad, I can feel it!”
“Are you sure? It looks like you’re snagged to me”, I said staring at the line motionless in the water.
“I’m telling you it’s a big fish!” I was just about to repeat that I thought he was snagged when I saw the line suddenly zip out and his rod sharply arched further. “Wow, hold on”, I said. “Easy, easy.”
He played that fish very well for an eleven year old and I, myself, got pretty damned excited when he finally brought it to the boat. “Wow, easy, easy…I’ll get the Net!” We brought that big Bass into the Boat and it was indeed a Monster! My scale told us it was just under 7 pounds!
David was absolutely beaming as he held the Fish up by its’ lower Jaw. “Dad, take a picture…hurry!”
I fumbled through my Tackle Bag but couldn’t find my Camera! Damn, it suddenly hit me, I had just cleaned and reorganized the Bag and must have left the Camera on my workbench.
“Dave, I don’t have the Camera…sorry.”
His beaming face sharply turned into a scowl and then drained into a long face as he placed his trophy back into the water. “I’m really sorry, Dave and that really was a Trophy Fish, too. You’ll catch another one.”
He put his fishing rod down and we rolled into the Dock. He didn’t say another word as we got into the Truck and drove up the hill.
“ I may have forgotten the Camera but you forgot to give him some sugar.” David’s long face cracked a very slight smile. He sure didn’t want to but he did.
In order to set this story up I have to first tell you about “Jimmy Houston”. Jimmy Houston is a renowned Tournament Fisherman, Outdoorsman and Outdoor TV Show Host. He has a cherubic face, silly hair style, real southern mannerisms and an infectious laugh. David love watching his show and actually, at the time, they both had very similar hairstyles…that classic “Bowl Cut”. Well, one of Jimmy Houston’s trademark moves on TV was to give any nice Bass he caught a big kiss before returning it to the water. “Give me some sugar” he would say, giggle and return the fish to the water. David loved it and, of course, added this technique to his fishing style. I have some pictures of him smooching big Bass and he would really ham it up!
The day of this story was back before the age of Smart Phones with built in cameras and I always kept a camera in my Tackle Bag to capture those special “Fishing Memories”.
David and I were fishing the lake from our 14 Foot Starcraft with Electric Motors, bow and stern…our “York Lake Fishing Machine” and having a pretty good day as usual. We were fishing with what they call a “Texas Rig”, a killer rig in York Lake for sure. It is made up of a scented rubber or soft-plastic worm on an offset hook with a slip sinker above. The way you fish it is to cast, reel in the slack and just jig or bounce it off the bottom. When a good fish takes the offering you can feel it or see the line start to run out away from the boat. I taught David to count to 3 and then to set the hook…fish on!
Like I said it was a pretty good day with lots of action and lots of fish but the fish we were catching at the time weren’t anything exceptional as far as size goes. They weren’t what we call “Picture Fish”. Of course, David would unhook the fish and still give them his usual Jimmy Houston Smooch before returning the fish to the lake.
We had just about covered the whole lake and were working the cove on the way back to the boat dock when David suddenly stood up and I saw his rod deeply bent. He snapped the road back to set the hook and it actually looked like he had snagged the bottom to me. The Rod and the line didn’t appear to be moving. “It’s a big one, Dad, I can feel it!”
“Are you sure? It looks like you’re snagged to me”, I said staring at the line motionless in the water.
“I’m telling you it’s a big fish!” I was just about to repeat that I thought he was snagged when I saw the line suddenly zip out and his rod sharply arched further. “Wow, hold on”, I said. “Easy, easy.”
He played that fish very well for an eleven year old and I, myself, got pretty damned excited when he finally brought it to the boat. “Wow, easy, easy…I’ll get the Net!” We brought that big Bass into the Boat and it was indeed a Monster! My scale told us it was just under 7 pounds!
David was absolutely beaming as he held the Fish up by its’ lower Jaw. “Dad, take a picture…hurry!”
I fumbled through my Tackle Bag but couldn’t find my Camera! Damn, it suddenly hit me, I had just cleaned and reorganized the Bag and must have left the Camera on my workbench.
“Dave, I don’t have the Camera…sorry.”
His beaming face sharply turned into a scowl and then drained into a long face as he placed his trophy back into the water. “I’m really sorry, Dave and that really was a Trophy Fish, too. You’ll catch another one.”
He put his fishing rod down and we rolled into the Dock. He didn’t say another word as we got into the Truck and drove up the hill.
“ I may have forgotten the Camera but you forgot to give him some sugar.” David’s long face cracked a very slight smile. He sure didn’t want to but he did.
