Lake Maspenock, MA Fishing Report

Name: A Tale of Two Slobbies
Rating: 5

5 Rating based on 6 Reviews

A Tale Of Two Slobbies

It all started on a Friday after an abnormally long and stressful work day. Captain Phil Napa gave me the heads up that there was going to be some angling that night. It was my first jitterbugging experience. I grabbed a few loose Sam's and picked up an 18 pack and a bottle of the Doctor to get prepared.

I arrived at the Legend Valpey's house early only to find fellow anglers JB and Valps himself already out on Maspy. While I waited Napa's arrival, I decided to set my Ugly Stik up with a watermelon Gary and cast off the shore for a bit. No more than 5 casts later, I felt a strike and pulled in a little bass. She was a cutey and looked to be about a pound and a half. She gave me a wink and a smile as I gently released her back into Maspy. Napa arrived shortly after as I pulled out another bass. This one was a little smaller but felt just as good. I could feel it was going to be a solid night. We packed up the canoe and prepared to set off. I was feeling absolutely spectacular. Little did I know, it was just the beginning. . . .

We paddled out a little off the shore and began casting. Napa was teaching me the jitterbug technique like the legend he is. After catching nothing but West Nile from a mosquito infestation, Napa suggested we head towards Smallville. This place earned its name after Napa caught a massive smallie there the previous summer. We arrived in Smallville and began casting as the sky began to darken. We enjoyed a few beers and after some time had passed with no action, a bit of doubt began to creep in mind about Jitterbugging.

A few minutes passed, and then I felt it. It was a massive strike. I tried not to get too anxious and let my jitterbug sit for a moment. I slowly gave it a gentle reel and then BAM!!! This thing was powerful, and I knew right off the bat this was a solid fish. As I reeled her in, I heard what sounded like an alligator flopping around on the top of the water. Napa grabbed the net and scooped her with the precision of a professional. It was my first big fish! I was basically in shock and wasn't even celebrating. Napa was flipping out and then we shined the flashlight on her only to realize it was a MASSIVE smallie! Evidently I didn't realize I was supposed to be excited since I just sat there with a dumb look on my face. We took a few photos and it finally kicked in as we celebrated. As Napa reached for his scale to weigh this beast, I committed one of the most foolish acts of my life and gently released the slob before we could weigh it. I'd say it was at least three and a half pounds but we'll never know due to my rookie mistake. I have no idea what I was thinking but I wasn't going to let it bring me down as we celebrated with some beers and a few knocks of the Doctor.

After the celebration, we started tossing our jitterbugs again. Napa felt a strike and pulled what looked to be about a 2 pounder into the boat. This poor little guy had about 4 or 5 of the jitterbugs hooks in him including 2 in his gills. A quick thinking Napa performed major surgery on this bass Jack Shepard style. We took a few post-operation pictures and celebrated. What looked to be a disaster ended very well as we were both relieved to see this little guy swim away alive and healthy.

A few more beers and a few more swigs later, and I was back at it again. Napa was on the phone with the one and only Stevie Napa getting the details of the Bruins and Celtics games when it happened. I felt an enormous strike and I immediately knew it was a monster. My line, my pole, or my shoulder: One of these three was going to break. I endured the greatest battle of my life as I could hear the slob going ballistic in the distance. As I reeled her closer and closer to the boat, I saw what looked like a hybrid bastard child between a pig and a donkey. Napa and I started flipping out as Stevie could hear the whole thing on the other end of the phone line. As Napa grabbed the net and started battling this monster, I had visions of Ali vs. Frazier. The two gladiators went at it for what seemed like an hour. Finally, Napa bested her and she barely fit in the net. We immediately started going bananas as I liplocked the beast and admired my achievement. She gave us such a battle that she had bent my jitterbug. The only words I could say were Wow, ROY, and Holy [Insert 4 letter word of choice]! We took some photos and we basked in the glory of the pig.

Fellow anglers JB and Valps heard the massive ruckus and made their way over. The pig weighed in at 4 pounds and 13 ounces. Easily the biggest fish I've ever caught. We celebrated with beers, booze, laughs and more photos. After one final bonding with the Larry, I gently released her back into Maspy with a glowing smile on my face. I had caught 2 massive fish in one night. One Smallie and one Larry! It was unbelievable and as I write this I am still on a high.

Shortly after Valps and JB had paddled off to continue angling, we heard screams and shouts in the distance. Napa and I quickly paddled our way over and the first thing I saw was JB holding some sort of prehistoric serpent by the head. It was a massive pickerel! This thing was absolutely terrifying. It was like we were fishing at Jurassic Park. Valpey decides to liplock this thing like the savage he is as it chewed his finger to the bone. Photos were taken, beers were pounded, and hard booze was chugged like water as we celebrated all the slobs we had been blessed with on this night.

Nothing else eventful happened this night except for some drunken douche speeding around Maspy without any lights on. The fear in his voice was apparent when he profusely apologized after being threatened by Valps and Napa. We laughed if off and headed back to the shore where more beers, booze, hilarity and good times took place.