Eyes and stripes 9-2-15

[Jigman13]

Been a long work week. Crashing the laptop until 1130-1200 the last few nights and needed a reprieve. Around 1045 last night I slammed my work pc shut bounced out to the river for some air. Glad I went!

Started real slow. Not a tap on big stuff. Continued to down size and change profiles until I got bit. About an hour of casting I finally hook up. Decent smallie way out. Jumping all over the place and spit the hook. Relax bait comes flying back at me. Oh well... then another lull. I switch to a narrow 3.5 swim bait, nada. Down size again... 3", curly tail wild eye in black and silver. Few mins later, I'm hooked up. Nice lil 15" striper which fought like the dickens. Landed, snapped a shot and off he went. Satisfied, I look at the time and say "20 more mins". I wallow a few yards further upstream of where I caught the striper and start slow rolling the ol curly tail through some fast stuff. WOMP! Thing gets pummeled. Feels like a good fish... 8 lb fluorocarbon leader so I had to take it easy. Fish darted upstream, turns, and with a few tail kicks, bolted down stream through some Rapids. I get her out of the fast stuff and slide her up on the wet bank and pop! My leader snaps! Oh sh*t! Lure still in her maw, I quickly pinned her down, secured her, removed the lure, taped her and snapped a few quick pics. Revived her nicely for about 2 mins and she soaked me as she took off! She measured 25" on the nose. My largest this season. Not a bad few hrs on the river... here's a few shots. I need coffee badly today...