Five-Pound Bass...almost

[Bruce Litton]

Maiden Voyage of our Old Town squareback with hybrids in mind on the Spruce. We found plenty, wouldn't hit. Trolled, cast, jigged with big hybrids 10 feet under the canoe, and of course..the thought that had I bought herring, just put on a medium split shot and dangle away. Have been in situations like this with herring and they still wouldn't hit. Later, we entered a large cove, trolling w/the 55-pound thrust, turned to head out through the middle range, marking a big one at 14 feet, so I selected the slowest speed to get the Rat-L-Trap down. Fish on, heavy. "What is this fish?" Expected a hybrid. After a long struggle, a largemouth of about five pounds leapt three feet out of the water in our faces, throwing that half-ounce plug.