Striped Bass: a Love story

   I'm not sure what it is, the fights, the smells, the flies, or just chilling with my friends,  but lately I haven't been sleeping much.   
   I usually wait till my wife is asleep, (easy to tell, she has a cute girl snore)   then I slowly sneak out from under the covers, grab my clothes off the floor, unplug my cell phone, and try to sneak down the stairs.    Three feet from the bed, the floor creaks, , I momentarily get vertigo, lean against the closet door, step on a hard plastic toy, all of which makes just enough noise to stir my bulldog, Abe.  Good thing Abe is a lazy SOB.    I quickly quiet down, ....   listen softly.....   OK.   still good.  the Wife is still asleep.     Now the Stairs.  .  .  .  .    What a loud mess.   An elephant on rollerskates has more grace.   My house was built pre-USA..   it's a small 1771 farmhouse built by a farmer for his daughter's wedding gift... It has more than one creak and groan.   the Stairs are noisy.   If I make it downstairs somewhat quietly, immediately on with the TV!...  that grey noise in the backround will now serve two purposes,  first, it will mask my getting dressed & grabbing beers from the fridge. second,    if..... goodness forbid, my wife wakes while I'm gone,  obviously I am watching TV.  Haha  Not.    
  I keep my rod rigged.  all summer long, stowed in the front seat of my car, along with a pile consisting of Fishing pliers, Flies, CREE flashlight, and Tippett.   The survival tools of the midnight fisherman.    If I pull out of the driveway with my lights off, the barn wont glow like a red luminary lighting up the bedroom window.     ahhhhhh.  homefree,   Crack a Road-soda, Text the other addicts, and dream of screaming drag.
  Several hours later, I come home drunk, smelling like fish, with just a few hours till work.   successful or not, I usually fall asleep happy. this routine happens every other night, if not more. Since the supermoon last week, It's been more. 
    Last night, I landed 10 Bass in the shitty rain, none of them over 16 inches. no fish tales here...    they were small.    but that still counts as a great night.   


I really should buy more powerball tickets. I need to quit my job.  then waking up would go a little smoother.

Last night's First fish of the night.    fought like at least an 18 Incher.  tough little bastard

 This guy from Friday was closer to keeper size.  actually fought like a pussy. most bass half his size are stronger fighters

Here's my latest Cinder-Worm .. Sz 4.   Its very small, maybe 1.5 inches,   but damn it works great

 
Folks... Sleep is for the birds.  get out there under the moon & fish!!!