Could be just me but........

[DZ]

Great story Crafty.

Now I know where that old wives tail about "Bass striking with their tail" may have originated.

DZ

[Crafty Angler]

Originally Posted by DZ

Great story Crafty.

Now I know where that old wives tail about "Bass striking with their tail" may have originated.

DZ

Yup, makes you realize that eel fishing hasn't changed at all in the last 100 years - pretty neat to get the story 1st hand like that from the angler himself.

Although I doubt any 21st Century eel man would use "For cat's sake" as an expletive...

[Back Beach]

Originally Posted by Crafty Angler

Although I doubt any 21st Century eel man would use "For cat's sake" as an expletive...

Yup ,these same 21st century folks covet thy neighbor's rods, plugs, and Van Staals without conscience..

Not too many good Catholics around anymore, I guess...

[Flaptail]

Originally Posted by DZ

Great story Crafty.

Now I know where that old wives tail about "Bass striking with their tail" may have originated.

DZ

Dennis, I stood with a gentlemen this past June on the end of a cement outlet down cape in that Truro country while he was live lining a live shad and as that shad was at our feet a bass about 25 pounds came up and in a micro second before our very eyes whacked the piss outa that shad in one good swipe of his tail then in another micro second while the shad lay paralized and twitching it whilrled around and took it head first. This all happend in broad daylight, the water was gin clear and the fish was no more then 2 feet under the surface maybe 3 feet out from the toes of my boots.

In all my years of fishing and all the tales told this was the very first and only time I have actually witnessed that happening.

[Finaddict]

Originally Posted by Flaptail

Dennis, I stood with a gentlemen this past June on the end of a cement outlet down cape in that Truro country while he was live lining a live shad and as that shad was at our feet a bass about 25 pounds came up and in a micro second before our very eyes whacked the piss outa that shad in one good swipe of his tail then in another micro second while the shad lay paralized and twitching it whilrled around and took it head first. This all happend in broad daylight, the water was gin clear and the fish was no more then 2 feet under the surface maybe 3 feet out from the toes of my boots.

In all my years of fishing and all the tales told this was the very first and only time I have actually witnessed that happening.

Very similar situation happened to me one summer afternoon fishing a jetty in Western Long Island Sound back in the late 70s ... had a chunking rod out, and a spinning rod throwing jigs, etc. Caught a mackerel, pulled it in, cut off a few fins and hooked it up on my chunking rod ...

... the fish wouldn't swim away from the rocks, no matter what I tried to do, I was getting ticked off ...

... when all of a sudden, just two feet below me in the water, a striper of similar size 25 pound class swirled in, smacked the mackerel with it's tail, and then proceeded to inhale the bait as it was quivering and starting to sink ... I was so stunned, that it took me a while to set up on the fish that I felt I could have scooped up with a net if I was ready for it, it was that close ... crazy ... got to love those situations

[bassmaster]

Originally Posted by Flaptail

Dennis, I stood with a gentlemen this past June on the end of a cement outlet down cape in that Truro country while he was live lining a live shad and as that shad was at our feet a bass about 25 pounds came up and in a micro second before our very eyes whacked the piss outa that shad in one good swipe of his tail then in another micro second while the shad lay paralized and twitching it whilrled around and took it head first. This all happend in broad daylight, the water was gin clear and the fish was no more then 2 feet under the surface maybe 3 feet out from the toes of my boots.

In all my years of fishing and all the tales told this was the very first and only time I have actually witnessed that happening.

sweet and the best time for that place is in the morn with the sun out into early afternoon, its amazin what a danny can do there

[Mike P]

I had a bass knock a Gibbs mackerel pencil popper 3' into the air with its tail.

[saltydog]

LARRY, my youngest daughter wanted to start saltwater fishing thisd year, so I got everything together, picked a nice 2 am tide, figured we would have both sides of it to fish, got there, only 2 trucks in the lot. 1. boat out on the water, is said ths should be GREAT no one around fished for 4 hours, nothing havent hit the beach sence, will wait a couple of week an try again,
looks like Ill bean maby tie a few flys, get some plugs ready for PLUG FEST
GOOD LUCK GOOD PLUGGIN

[Raven]

Originally Posted by DZ

"Bass striking with their tail"

DZ

it's a stun gun....

[BassDawg]

thanks, Crafty, for that
blast from the past!!!

very cool about the Bass smacking their prey
with their broom-like tails. the closest thing to that
i've seen was during a broad daylight BOIL about 3yrs ago
in SW FL where some reds were tailing and these snook were

tail SHHHMACKING the life outta finger mullet, shad, and whatever was in the mix.
so i waded down to where the action was and proceeded to live line sum freshly netted finger mullet into the fray; landing both reds and snook with consecutive casts,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

then this nice sized snook, about 30 yards away WHACKS my offering after a huge tail-smack, runs parallel to shore for about 60 yards, then bee-lines it for my feet. by now the mullet is up my line a few feet, the snook is racing towards me and STOPS~~ looking up at me within 4 feet of my feet!!

i am still reeling like a madman, reel held high, in the hopes to catch up to this young adult in the 30" range. then the oddest thing in all my angling days occurs~~~ this snook shakes the line, the mullet falls off, and within a millisecond from freeing the mullet, spits the hook and engulfs her prey as if she was never even hooked!!! that exchange still makes me go, HUH??, to this day. i know, it's not the same species; but, it's interesting to me that they both use the same predation technique.

thanks again, Crafty, for sharing Mr Church's story.