I have to tell you about a very odd and wonderful adventure I had with a big Blue Heron while fishing the SBCC tourney Saturday. Bryan and I were watching this beautiful bird standing along the shoreline when one of our big baits decided to flip on the surface. Seeing this, the bird quickly flew over and scooped up the bait, along with hooks and line.
I quickly grabbed the rod hoping I could retrieve the bait before he made off with it and the rod. However, keeping the bait held firm in his beak the Heron made 4 attempts to fly away, each time getting 3-4 feet off the water before the line quickly drew tight and brought him back to the waters surface. Unfortunately after the 2nd or 3rd attempt, the hooks caught on the bird’s wing as he released the bait.
My immediate reaction to Bryan was to say that we needed to cut the line. But the bird began to settle on the water about 35 feet away from the boat and became very still. Slowly I began to crank the rod as the bird gently drifted closer, still not attempting to fly. Unbelievably I reeled him right next to our boat, reached over slowly and picked up his wing, unwrapped the line from around his wing and removed the hooks penetrating the front of the wing… all the while watching to see if and when he was going to jump all over me. After removing the hooks, I gently let him have his wing back, only to have him sit by the boat and stare up at us for what seemed like a a minute. Ever so slowly he drifted a few feet away and finally decided to attempt to fly away. What an experience to have with such a wild and beautiful creature.
Every so often God and nature see fit to reward the fisherman with something just as beautiful as a “Screaming 6500”, or watching a big 30lber swim off after completing his weigh in… It didn’t make up for the one that got off, but it sure made the day a little more bearable.
Nicely written and described Van .I really believe you saved that beautiful Herons life.Sorry about the BIG Striper. The way you and Bryan fish the next big one is comin soon .
TOM GITTO
Team Shad Up and Fish member
20ft Sea Hunt cc Red T Top
Great story, Van! Definitely a lot of bird life out there Saturday am. Herons wading and picking off fish, mallards flying by and quacking perfectly enough to make the Duck Commander jealous , drake wood ducks whistling by, loons singing like only they can do (chasing a ton of bait, too), and opportunistic ospreys dive bombing baits…
God’s creation and presence is all around us if we just stop and look.
Billy Pittman
USCG Licensed Captain
—Team Pitt Crew–
Sailfish 236CC
Amen to that Billy! The older I get, the more I find myself savoring HIS creation, especially while fishing alone like Saturday… Wonderful story Van! Maybe that bird will point you in the direction of a 40 pounder one day and you’ll put her in the boat:smiley:
I fished alone all day on Saturday also and maybe I paid more attention to my surroundings than I would have if I was talking to someone on the boat, but it did seem that the birds, ducks, geese, loons, etc. were very vocal and active on Saturday. I hooked and fought a bird myself for awhile!
I’m no expert Van, but having hooked a few birds down South in Florida it would appear that your Heron has been hooked before and understood the situation … or God was being kind to you guys after your big fish broke off at the boat … take your pick
