Smokies Surprise Catch

I sometimes say that I like to fish for everything that swims, but I have to admit that I have fish in mind when I make that statement. Not that I minded Mr. Crawfish latching on to my Ugly Bug, but a craw really wasn't what I had in mind when I drifted my little hair jig toward the base of a current-swept boulder.

Seemingly the craw really wanted my bug. It was never hooked, but instead grabbed the bait and never let go. I thought I'd caught a leaf or some other debris when I felt extra weight but no real wiggling and then saw something brown spinning as I pulled it from down deep. Eventually I figured it out to the delight of my 9-year-old son, Asher, who was fishing beside me.

Even when I grabbed the craw, it only tried to pinch me with it's free claw, not wanting to let go of that jig. I wanted the jig, too, though, so I pried it free before affording Asher a closer look at my catch and then slipping the craw back into the creek.

Thinking back and looking at the picture, I'm thinking maybe I should have been rigged with a larger olive and orange Ugly Bug!