Keystone Cops on the Allegheny

It was 23 degrees when Marilyn and I launched our jet boat at Franklin on the Allegheny and started up river.  One of those "double fleece, storm suit and face protection days" of winter.  Only the date was April 6.  Spring is still missing in here in NW PA.

A brief stop at an eddy produced a walleye on a green-pumpkin Get Bit Crawling tube (a tube with whiskers).  The 'eye was perfect eating, but out of season.  Back in the water it went. 

Next wintertime spot, which had yielded smallmouths a couple weeks back, gave up the first bronzeback of the day on the Get Bit Tube from about 10 feet of water ...but not another morning fish.  Water temp was struggling to break 40 degrees (8 degrees warmer than two weeks ago), and I expected better results. We probed the usual sites as well as new areas in this big, deep pool looking for somewhat active smallmouths but only succeeded in loosing jigs.

Two hours later we returned to the rocky deep rocky point where we caught the first smallmouth, hoping the warming sun may have triggered some movement.  Casting at the same time, Marilyn went shallow and I directed my cast deeper on the point - with my line over her line.  Marilyn was immediately snagged in the rocks.  While she trying to snap her tube loose, I had a distinct 'tap' on my hair jig which I had resting on the bottom waiting for Marilyn to get free.  So I set the hook.

With lines crossed, we had the makings for a Keystone Cops calamity.  "Here, take my rod with the fish, and hand me your rod with the snagged line," was my solution.  Blame it on cold hands, but Marilyn reach the rod towards me letting go before I had a grip.  Into the river goes our favorite G.Loomis GLX 882 Bronzeback rod - the absolute best rod ever made for smallmouth jig fishing!

As I see it sink beside the boat, I stab at it with  my G.Loomis IMX 721 rod - which had the bass connected to it.  I manage to tilt up tip of the GLX and Marilyn plunges her hand into the icy river to grab it.  Rod saved!  (Thank goodness since Loomis no longer makes this model.)

Marilyn takes the IMX 721 and hands me the snagged GLX, which I quickly sling-shot loose from the rocks.  Next I grab the net for Marilyn as she battles the hefty 3-pound-plus bass which was still hooked on the IMX 721.  Thank goodness for 4-pound Gamma Edge!  Just another winter day on the river.

We landed a couple more smallies on hair without incident before Marilyn had to head to the office, and I went home to warm up.