8/03/04
Darkness fell with a calm and peaceful quiet that can only be felt on a warm summer night. The early storm had cooled down the air and most of the boats had left the lake. Earlier there had been dozens of Jet Ski's and Cruisers churning the lake with a continuous volley of boat wakes.
As the stars began to show the lake was calm and peaceful. In a distant hollow you can hear the calling of an owl and shortly you hear another owl answer it from the ridge above. That same ridge is outlined by the glow of the moon starting to rise behind it. The sky turns a dark blue with streaks of white clouds as a moon as big as the world begins to show itself from behind the ridge. What beauty God has provided.
Suddenly, all is interrupted by the jerking feel of a bass crushing the Texas rig on the end of my line. I set the hook and watch as the smallmouth races toward the surface. The fish explodes into the air in a beautiful leap that is frozen against the moon lit water. Time stands still for just a brief moment in honor of the fishes majestic leap. Smallmouth are truly special fish.
The bite is good that night and many smallmouth repeat that scene as the night wears on. Afterwards one has to reflect and thank God that we are fortunate enough to be born in the land of the free where we can enjoy such simple pleasures. Never take the simple pleasures for granted. They are the best.
This is an article that I wrote for my weekly fishing report in the Knoxville Journal. It was not the most productive trip I had but was one that I will never forget. It was a perfect night top fish. Fish2win
