VENISONEATR said:
So what's the story? Live bunker? Chunks? How long of a fight? How much cursing involved. I hope she made you promise to marry her if she landed the damned beast!
Jimmy,
Part of the "team" effort involves me acquiring the fresh bunker via the snag rig throughout the day. In fact, I had just decided to go snag some more freshies shortly before Mel got the fish...
I had actually just left to get more bunker shortly after suggesting that Mel freshen up a particular rod and toss it into a seam, off the corner of the pier, on the incoming tide. Apparently, after I left, she did just that...Mel cut a fresh bunker head, baited it, and cast into the spot.
Meanwhile, I was already on the other part of the pier, (far enough away I could not see or hear her if she hooked up), and interestingly, I received a phone message from Mel??
I thought it was very strange that she would have called?(If she had a fish, I knew there was no way she could have the ability to call, and if she didn?t, she would not likely have called right after I had just left ??(It turns out that phone reception is spotty in that specific location, and Mel had actually called earlier, however, the message never went through until I moved to the other part of the pier... ))
In any case?I decided to go back and to see what was up?
Sure enough I find Mel leaning into a bent rod, reel screaming?.
I immediately eyed the reel to gauge the state of her fight and for the first time in all my years of fishing for stripers, was shocked to see her not only losing ground on the spool with 40lb power pro?but also nearing the end of the line?.
I quickly let her know that she had to put the brakes on that fish or she was in risk of getting spooled?
Mel fought for several minutes to maintain what little line she had left?Fortunately, after a number of runs the fish finally relented and she began to gain ground.
Once the fish finally tired, and was approaching the pier, Mel handed the rod off to me, hopeful not lose the fish while we attempted to work the gaff?.(Gaffing a fish with a pier grappling is always a tricky proposition, big or small.)
Once, we finally gaffed the fish I was amazed when my friend holding the gaff asked for help lifting the fish?.when I finally hauled on the rope with him?I quickly knew why...
JEFF
rayer: 
