# School of hard knocks, as always



## JUSTCRAZY (Apr 6, 2004)

So I took my very first trip out to target just flatheads in a lake. To make a long story short, I didn't catch a darn thing. 
I invited about 8 different poeple, but previous plans and some just being scared of the dark left me sitting in the woods alone with just the dog. But that was no problem, nothing was going to stop me from going. Friday night started a little behind schedule so someone beat me to the area I wanted to be in, some one was in the second choice area, third choice, and so I settled for the fourth choice.( Which still seems like it should be a good area, but what do I know I'm still a rookie!) So after letting my two baits get tangled together in the bucket as I took them out to drop them, the first lesson was learned. I finally had to cut and retie one of the lines. But hey now I can at least fish. So off to the bank to sit and wait, and wait I did. I had a short run on the first pole at 3:45 AM then another short run on the second at 5:15 AM. But nothing to show for it. Both just stopped as fast as they started. Turles, fish, flats? Who knows, but second line did come back empty. 


Now night two. I got out earlier , had the exact baits I wanted(two 14-16 inch suckers) and was putting both lines out just as the sun went down. The whole bay was mine, and I was in my first choice spot. I had learned some from my first night out and things should be smooth sailing. YEa right. The first bait is out just perfect, about 300 yds from shore just waiting to be eaten in a spot that I know has produced. But as I ran the second bait out I dropped the weight overboard about half way out and could not get the thing. So back to shore to follow it out and reset it where it was suppose to be. Now the action should be good. Once again I was wrong. At about 10 PM someone came in and set up about 30 yds from my first line, then after about 30 min ran toward my second line and ran it over! I couldn't figure it out. The night before 4 boats went over my line and never hit it. After going over and digging the line out of the guys prop and just tossing another bait out I figured it out. My mono lines sink, but the power pro line doesn't.
So up until 1 AM I had to deal with a family sreaming for their lost dogs, my second line got run over by a bunch of stoned idiots in a boat, and nothing good at all happening. But from 2-8 am the bay was mine, all mine, and not a fish to show for it.

So even though I got no fish, had minmal runs, and was cold(under 40 degrees). I can not wait to go again. Every time the clicker moved just an inch my heart stopped and I was waiting to land a monster. But it always seemed to be a bat hitting the line or my big old sucker just swimming away from getting eaten!

So two questions: 1) Did anyone do any good this weekend?
2) Are there any braided lines that DO sink?

Well the saga had just started!
Rob


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