First Specky....

My son has wanted to fish a small lake not far from where we cottage for ages but for one reason or another we never seem to find the time so we swore THIS year would be the year. It's a beautiful tranquil lake, maybe 20 acres in size, surrounded by Crown land. We had an early dinner, loaded the canoe in the back of the truck and made the drive. A five minute carry through the bush and we were in the water.
We paddled around, discovering that the lake was well over 50' in spots and decided to try the north west corner, now shaded by the bush. I told my son that I had read (probably here somewhere) that speckies like to sit under fallen logs waiting for an opportune snack. We were less then 20' from shore but in over 30' of water when my son said "look at all the sunfish". Dozens of small ones all attacking his worm just below the surface. I told him he wasn't going to catch anything at the top...let the worm sink. Well great advice, he casts, lets it sink and gets snagged on the bottom.
I put my rod in the holder behind me and paddled towards his snag when I heard my rod "clunk" against the metal of the holder. I looked behind me and my rod was bent in the direction of where we came. "GREAT, I'm snagged too!" I pulled my rod out of the holder and tried to reel in but no give...then my snag started to move! "Dude I have a fish on!" Back and forth under the canoe, not giving an inch of line when after 30 seconds it went slack..."Man I lost it!"
Take in some line and I felt weight again, it's coming to the surface. "It's a big smally buddy, she's coming up for a jump!" Well just below where I thought she would breach it decided to head south again so I brought the rod up and horsed a bit more line in and in the boil of water at the surface we caught a peak and my son shouts..."IT'S A SPECKY DAD, GRAB THE NET!!!!" Well of course my foot is on the net and he's reaching through the 2 seats between us trying to grab it the whole time we're both yelling "GET THE NET!"
What seemed like an eternity to get the net out and direct the fish into it ended and we landed our first specky....24" long and just over 5.5lbs.
We stayed til last light hoping to get one for the lad, fist pumping and retelling our versions of what has become known around the cottage as "The Fish."

Wow. Really nice story really nice fish and with your son. You are lucky man. Congrats.

That's one hell of a speck for august! Well done. Thanks for sharing.

Very nice fish you got a trophy fish!!!!!

Awesome! I'm heading out next week and would be more than happy to just a few small specks, let alone the grandpa!

That is a hellova "first Speckie"!!!! Going to be hard to top that one.
Congrats!!!!

FSHN 247
Jay

That my friend is a wallhanger if I ever saw one. Congrats.

Too cool. Well done!

WOW, what a catch for your first speckie. I have fished them for years (14 years to be specific) and haven't come close to that.....yet. Congrats on that beauty.

That's a hell of a fish! congrats. bet you'll be dragging the canoe out there a couple more times.

great fish and you kind of spoiled yourself for life catching one that big, they don't come along that size every day.

sure you and your son will be back there many times in the future.

Great fish & story. I think it's happened to many of us when we put the rod down without a hit & then something grabs hold.

Awesome fish!! Congrats on the trophy - I'd be putting that on the wall at the cottage for sure.

FishFrenzy

Thanks everyone! It was a thrill for both of us and that little lake will be a regular stop for years to come God willing. Now for some new memories in Hearst....only 5 sleeps!

Mike

Awesome fish mike. Have fun up north don't catch to many fish lol.

If i was a betting man i would say thats not the last time you're gonna be exploring those waters. Congrats on a dandy spec. Fish of a lifetime forsure!!!

Spectacular, you just raised the bar big time.