(Illustration by Charles Weiss)
On one early June, morning sun sparkled on the waters of Wentzells Lake was an inviting sight.
Periodically, the shoreline surface water would be rippled with swimming movement of kiack (alewife) fish in spawning form.
Meanwhile, schools of marauding smallmouth bass which will eat pretty much anything that moves or swims are close by.
I was fishing from shore and casting a surface popper lure anticipating a catch. After casting out the lure I was letting rest as the centrifugal water rings were widening and disappearing from the lure.
With youthful enthusiasm, I considered the best part of fishing was admiring the shoreline “waterscape” scenery such as emerging blue iris blossoms among interesting shapes of driftwood.
Suddenly, a splash and a burst of energy was enveloping my lure and a bass was jumping after feeling a hook. The fight was on!
It was a good-sized fish and beneath the water it had gained weight and energetic swimming movements.
I retrieved a line on my reel as the fishing rod bent in a curve.
You could have knocked me over with a feather when I realized the splashing at my feet was from two fish, not one!
A bass on the back hook and bass on the front hook, of twin size fish of 15 inches each.
It was the best of times.
Charles Weiss is an artist and writer living for the past few years in Pleasantville. He is originally from Southern Ontario where he illustated and wrote editorial stories for newspapers and magazines including the Toronto Star and Real Fishing magazine. He regularly exhibits his paintings and sculptures in Lunenburg Art Gallery.