eel bandits

[ecduzitgood]

I was fishing the ditch from a spot that allows me to wade. I brought 8 eels left over from a previous night and kept them in a white mesh bag, tethered to the rocks behind me. I am drifting an eel and just enjoying the beautiful night. Has always I glanced back to check the eel bag. The first thing I notice the bag is missing, and my heart skipped a beat. The rope was there so I calmed for a moment continued my drift and then thought, I don't remember a wake or even a wave go through. I finished my drift and went to investigate. Has get closer I see the bag and notice a dark shadow move as I am lifting the bag from the rocks just in front if me. It doesn't come loose so I put my headlamp on and there are 2 mink and 1 is gripping the bag trying to pull it away from me. The little bastard would not let go. I had to hit it in the head with my rod butt to get it to let go. I then noticed there were 3 all together and 2 of them weren't giving up that easy. I had to go right after them to get them to back off. I grabbed the rope and went back in the water to check my eels. Somehow they managed to get 3 of them through the mesh. I clipped them to my side and returned to fishing when all of a sudden a horsehead comes slipping silently out of the water maybe 10 feet from me inside the rip. The seal looked at me for a moment while I started my retrieve and then it headed to see what was on my line. Oh crap, I reeled as fast as could and changed location. Looking back I should have realized that the night would not go well. Fished 17 hours with just one short landed and yet I still can't get enough.