Once, while fishing a small private lake (just a pond, really) for bluegills, a small 'Gill took the Bug. He/she was only about 3" long, so I started horsing him in just to get him off the hook so that I could go back for some REAL fish. I had skipped him about 2/3 of the way back to me when a Largemouth Bass grabbed him. After a short fight, I landed them both. The Bass was about 13" and had the 'Gill in his mouth. He wasn't hooked, he just made up his mind that the little 'Gill wasn't going to drag HIM around! I have several witnesses to that one.
Another time, fly-fishing in the late evening on a small lake, again with the infamous Michigan Bug, I dragged the bug out of the water and into my back-cast. However, when I started to bring the rod forward to make another cast, it felt as if I had snagged the bug on something during the back-cast. The problem was that snag was fighting just like a small 'Gill!
Turns out that an evening Bat had decided that the bug was edible and grabbed the thing during the back-cast. I managed to land the Bat (he was hooked in the mouth, just like a fish) and get him off the hook. He flew away, somewhat the worse for wear, but I'll bet he was more careful of his selection of flying critters after that.
Two REAL stories, not just Fish-Stories....
Adam Keller
Aiken, SC
