"The Bass Angel"

It was July 10th, 2008 on the Dix River below Dix Dam where deer, the beaver, the otter, the great blue heroin, the muskrats and raccons are free to roam. It is where my brother-in-law, Sam, my neighbor, Earl, and I fish from time to time to relax and to take time away from our work to enjoy the palisade scenery and catch a bass or two if we are lucky. We put our seventeen foot Jon boat into the river that late evening and had an hour or two to fish before dark. From Landreth's Bend, it is always the tale of two rivers. Sometimes the fishing is best up the river, and sometimes it is best down the river, depending upon how much flow is coming from the Dam. Our plan this time was to go up river toward the Dam and make our way back before dark on the opposite bank.

After an hour or so we had made it all the way up to the transition water at Duggins Bottom without a fish. We then turn around and make our way back down the river on the oppoite side just as we had planned. We had made it halfway back down to Landreth's Bend when I caught a glimpse of a small row boat in the far distance slowly making its way toward us. I kept my eye on the little boat as it got closer and closer. As it got near, I could tell it was a lady in a small sailboat without the sail, and as she passed, I could see she had a small ventilated metal box in the bottom of her boat. Slowly on up the river she rowed and around the Devil's Back Bone bend and out of sight. The three of us continued to fish without success. It was not long before the little boat came back into view, making its way back down the river.

On the opposite side of the river, a herd of black and white Holstein cows was making their way down the river on a well worn path to graze the river bottom pasture. As the little boat approached us, the lady in the boat introduced herself as Patty. As she drifted closer to us, I could see the small ventilated box was jumping around on the bottom of her boat. In a kind voice, Patty asked if we owned any of the land on the river. Earl said no but we did know some of the land owners on the river. Patty then said she had a question to ask. With interest, Sam, Earl and I without hesitation look at one another at the same time. Again, the small ventilated box began to vibrate. Patty then asked if we knew where she could turn her possum loose. She said she was looking for a safe place to turn him loose.

In this moment, I could tell Sam and Earl by their expressions on their faces were a little puzzled by the question and went back to fishing. The thought came to me very quickly that you should be able to turn a possum loose most anywhere on a river and he would be just fine. So, that's what I suggested. Patty said from time to time she nurses injured animals and birds back to health and then returns them to the river. She said a dog had bit this possum and was ready to release him back to the river. After a long pause, Sam said Earl had a garden down the river, and he wouldn't like it if a possum ate his cantaloupes. Earl, of few words, agreed I could tell, but said nothing. Sam in the meantime had thrown an ugly brown lizard against a log near the bank, and as soon as it hit the water, a 3 lb+ LM bass engulfed it. As soon as Sam set the hook, another one the same size crushed my white Zoom fluke. This was totally unexpected because we hadn't had a hit until now. Everyone got excited including Patty and the possum. However, this was not the time to think about a possum in a box. Sam and I had our hands full, but somewhere in the back of my mind, I was still trying to figure out why in the world this lady couldn't find a place to release this possum somewhere on this river. At some point, Patty had drifted into the our war zone, and I had to ask her if she could back off some so we could fight our fish, which she gladly did. After a good fight, both Sam and I boated and released our fish.

I could tell Patty was really concerned about finding the perfect home for her possum. Sam and Earl were not helping me by saying nothing, and after some thought, I suggested she just take the possum over on the opposite bank and lit him go. She looked around, took a long look up and down the river and said she couldn't do that because cows kill possums, and she didn't think that was a good idea. At this point, I could see Sam and Earl had left the possum thing totally up to me because after catching those bass, I could tell a possum wasn't their first priority. After the cow statement, I was without words so I made another cast to give me some time to think and so did Sam and Earl. Earl gave a few jerks with his old beat up Devil Horse and another good bass did a "shark surge" on it. Sam's lizard found the grip of a pair of jaws as well. I could not fish for trying to keep Sam's fish out of the trolling motor. Earl was in the back of the boat trying to keep his fish out of the boat motor. Sam and Earl finally boated and released their fish. All along, the possum was watching the show. I don't know if you have ever caught a bass in the Dix below the Dam before, but I can tell you the high oxygen content in this water makes these bass violent fighters.

With a pause in the action, my mind drifted back to Patty and her delemma. What I knew for sure was there was only two things she could do. Either keep the possum as a lifelong friend, or turn him loose somewhere on the river. Just about that time I caught a movement out of the corner of my eye close to the bank near some logs, and the closer I looked at it, I realized it was a beaver. Out of some strange reaction, I threw my fluke near the beaver, and when the fluke hit the water, the beaver slapped the water with a loud pop and disappeard. At that very same moment, a bass nailed the fluke. Sam and Earl thought I had hooked the beaver and Earl started to pull out his pistol until he realized I had a good bass. Out in the river, Patty couldn't believe our luck and was talking to the possum. I could tell Earl was totally annoyed with me over taking him on catch count and with the possum thing and he just wanted to fish.

The sun was starting to go down behind the palisade walls, and down on the river it gets darker faster than up on the cliffs so Patty said she should make her way down the river. As she began to row her boat, she said she would take her possum home and make a decision the next day. I have to say Patty was a very nice lady, and after thinking about the events of the evening, I realized we hadn't caught a fish until she arrived, and we didn't get another bit after she left. I feel like we were visited by the "Bass Angel", but I have a hard time figuring out what that possum had to do with it. I found her interesting and hope her possum lives a long life wherever she decided to release him. If we could catch bass like this, I wouldn't care if that possum ate everyone of Earl's cantaloupe.

Neat Story.

Not bad at all, I enjoyed reading it.

I hope you guy's know that lady and that possum went missing about two hundred years ago--Just though you guys should know--Wow the things that happen on that OLD Kentucky River :rolleyes:

OK Bonefish, when is the next chapter? I was waiting for more.:) I was thinking she was going to levitate or something? Good story.

Great story. By the way, did you happen to get Patty's number? I need a fishin buddy this weekend.........

[QUOTE=biggw;334211]I hope you guy's know that lady and that possum went missing about two hundred years ago--Just though you guys should know--Wow the things that happen on that OLD Kentucky River :rolleyes:[/QUOTE]

I'm captivated and curious....... I was wandering the whole time I was reading if that was a possibility. Strange things happen all the time.

Man, another great story from the keyboard of a Fishin.com member. Maybe some of you guys need to put together a book.
" The Daily Ponderings, Thoughts and True Life Adventures of Fishemen"