Thank you Veronica!!

[Scott Kitchen]

Veronica and I normally go out fishing together on Saturday or Sunday mornings for a few hours in the summer (Veronica usually only fishes for an hour our so state side, then we just talk while I fish), but as the weather turns colder she prefers to stay home.  You see, sixty degrees is freezing to Veronica.  She did go out with me today, but when we got out on the river she asked if we could fish in UN1, "up by the Peace Bridge where it's warmer".  She knows that the shoreline there protects us from the wind and makes it warmer for her.  She also knows I have managed quite s few fish there.  She was with me a few years ago when I got three fish in three consecutive trolling runs in that drift one day in September.  Well, I had planned to fish in front of Strawberry, but she did come out with me so… off to UN1. 

There were two other boats fishing for other species (bass or walleye I would guess) and a nice south west wind when we got there.  We started the first drift just down river from the large concrete platform on the Ontario side of the river by Thompson’s hole.  The wind was perfect to allow us to drift all the way down to the International Rail Road bridge in the 16 to 20 foot break from the hole to the drop off and then down the low 20’s break to the bridge.  Casting/jigging a sardine colored 9” storm swim shad with an added #8 hammered nickel Colorado blade off the back and an extra treble hook over the eye.  Nothing on the first drift so we went right back up and started again in about the same spot.  Now there was another boat between us and the Ontario shore with three guys I did not recognize casting musky lures.  We drifted a few minutes and Fish-on!!  Not to hard a fight and Veronica netted what turned out to be a 49” fish.  It was an odd fish, which you can see from the picture.  It had a very large head and thin body that made it look considerably shorter in the net.  She also made me a littler nervous as she did not swim away, but lingered at the surface after a quick picture, measure and release.  Fortunately, when I used the electric to move over and see if I could get her to swim off, she dove right down and into the deep.

I have to mention that the fish managed to roll just as I was bringing her up for a picture and slime the front of my shirt.  Now I don’t mind the smell, I am link most of you and like it, but Veronica, not so much.  The entire ride home in the car she held the air freshener from my car about four inches from her nose to cover the smell.  I hope it doesn’t discourage her for going out with me again. 

[Scott McKee]

First off, what are you doing with a shirt on?  Secondly, congratulations.  Odd fish to say the least.  Probably an old 'ski .  And I wonder if "she" is a "he".  Scott, here's a tip for Christmas: I would suggest NOT getting Veronica Jojo's new designer perfume: SLIME!.  (I love it.  I even made pancakes with it yesterday.)

[jojo wilczewski]

Good call Veronica. By the way my perfume is. called " Old Musky / pDeadlilest Catch " ???