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Cermele: Bass Coughs Up Bling
I already posted today, but I just came across a news story that I thought needed sharing. An angler in Texas caught an 8-pound largemouth, and when he opened it up (I presume, or at least hope, for dinner purposes) found a class ring in the stomach with the name "Joe Richardson" etched upon it.
The lucky angler did a bit of Internet sleuthing and found Mr. Richardson, to whom he returned the ring. Richardson, of Buna, TX, says he lost the ring in Lake Sam Rayburn during a fishing trip in 1987. Here's the full story if you want to check it out.
This story got me thinking: is it worth starting a website listing the where and when of items lost while fishing in case they're later found in the gullets of gamefish? Clearly this story proves fishing will eat anything. I'll start.
If you find:
- A navy-blue Adidas hat with pewter striper pin in the stomach of a wahoo/grouper off Aruba, it's mine and it was my luckiest hat ever. Lost 2005.
- A Verizon Razor cell phone in a striper/bluefish/fluke stomach off Seaside, NJ, it's mine. Lost 2007.
- A 6-inch folding Buck Knife with redwood handle in a striper/bluefish/fluke stomach around Atlantic City, NJ, it's mine. Lost ca. 1996.
- A pair of American Aviator "Top Gun" style aviator shades in a bass stomach from Spruce Run Reservoir, they're mine. Lost 2006.
- A B.U.M Equipment watch in a bass from Rosedale Lake, keep it. B.U.M. Equipment is so 1988, dude. Lost ca. 1991.
So what have you lost?
I heard this story on the radio this morning. It made me wonder how it ended up in the bass' mouth. Did the bass just see it on the bottom and pick it up? Did he get it from eating another fish with the ring in its stomache? Did the ring actually travel through the food chain? I would say that the bass picked it up on the bottom, but that fish wasn't even born when the ring was lost. I find it highly unlikely the ring sat on the bottom that long without being covered by sediment. Also, why eat an eight pound bass. Any fish gets stronger tasting as it grows, and that bass has done quite a bit of growing. Maybe he was getting it mounted.
Posted by: alabamahunter | December 04, 2008 at 04:41 PM
Lures, and an I Phone.
Posted by: Alex Pernice the 13 year old fly rod winner | December 04, 2008 at 05:09 PM
Brushed gold wedding ring. June 1997, Delaware River above New Hope. Married May of 97.
Posted by: jcarlin | December 05, 2008 at 07:36 AM
jcarlin...one of those big old smallies at the Lambertville wing dam probably swallowed that up.
Posted by: JC | December 05, 2008 at 09:22 AM
JC
Based on the action that day and the location its a possibility, but I strongly suspect that I lost it while paddling a canoe upstream through some shallow ripples and it settled in the rocks. Such is life. My wife's an understanding lady.
Posted by: jcarlin | December 05, 2008 at 10:23 AM
I lost my lucky mossy oak hat I've had for 6 years, lost at the rock jetty next to the red buoy, Atlantic beach NC in 2008
Posted by: Jason J. | December 05, 2008 at 01:21 PM
I lost my lucky mossy oak hat I've had for 6 years, lost at the rock jetty next to the red buoy, Atlantic beach NC in 2008
Posted by: Jason J. | December 05, 2008 at 01:22 PM
Action optics amber lense Ambush sunglasses. Black frame. 4th Lake, Old Forge, NY. (2002)
15 LB. boga grips. Saints Landing Beach, Brewster Mass (attached to small flounder). (2001)
Shimano Sahara attached to G. Loomis 6.5 ft GL-3 attached to medium sized (might be large by now) redfish in the mouth of a white heron. Pine Ave. Naples, Fl (2000)
Left-foot Sperry Sandal with faulty snap closure. Saints Landing, Brewster, MA (2005)
Posted by: ChachE | December 05, 2008 at 02:53 PM
If you happen across a couple Tink's brand buck bombs around West Virginia, they're mine. Not that I want them now, or anything.
Posted by: Matt Zicafoose | December 05, 2008 at 06:33 PM
Alabamahunter, the bass probably was given the ring as a Xmas present from a lucky angler, and then released. The fisherman probably wanted to see if anyone was lucky enough to catch the whopper, and then give back the big ring and create a whopper of a tale in the process. It sure sounds a lot better than another message in a bottle story to me, anyway. The bass might have also gotten the ring while a fisherman was unhooking him, and then flopped back into the water. In any case, it's unusual seein that bass typically eat live bait.
Posted by: Matt Zicafoose | December 05, 2008 at 06:38 PM
Lost Maglite flashlight, Somewhere on private property, WV, 1997
Lost Buck skinning knife, Plum Run, WV, Sometime near 1993
Numerous lost jars of shrimp eggs, Trout streams, 1990-2008
Realtree Bow holder, Still in one of my last trees, 2008
Posted by: Matt Zicafoose | December 05, 2008 at 06:45 PM
My wife dropped her engagement ring in Percy Priest Reservoir about 1992.. still wondering how that thing "slipped" off while we were jumping in the water. She's not so stupid, the replacement was much larger.
Can't even count how many hats have blown off when I turned my head just the right way while zipping across a lake. Dozens at least.
Posted by: Dr. Ralph | December 06, 2008 at 10:07 AM