Worked too late to mess with the boat, so I met my buddy Tony at a spot on the Hudson just south of Kingston for some shore fishing. Tony lost a leg to diabetes a couple of years ago, but he is a member of a boat club that has a good access for his wheelchair.. I made a quick stop at a marina on Rondout Creek for a few herring, and met Tony and our freind Rich who where already set up soaking clams, at about 5:30.. They'd had a couple bumps on the clams, but no fish yet.. I chunked up a herring and tossed it out on a fishfinder rig.. I did'nt have to wait too long before the baitrunner started buzzin..Did'nt feel like a Striper, but pulled pretty good.. .. Soon had a nice 3-4# Channel Cat flopping on the bank..Tony was glad to see it and handed me his stringer.. he loooves eating fish, and it's been a long winter! The herring continued to get most of the action, and we soon added another cat about 2# to the stringer, and released a few smaller ones and a couple BIG eels
. Finally near the bottom of the tide, I had a fast run off on a chunk, and set up on a Striper. I offered the rod to Tony, but he was afraid he'd lose it, and was more interested in adding it to his fish fry! It was a perfect eating fish too.. about 26" male..Did'nt measure it as he was well over our 18" min. and Tony was busy stringing 'em up
That was it for the Bass for the evening, as the tide died.. It was nice to get the first bass of the year out of the way, and it's always tons of laughs fishing with Tony and Rich.. Sorry, no pics.. I left the camera right where I would remember it .. just did'nt
Water temps gettin into the upper 40's now, and the herring are in, so it's on up here..