Big Fish Fridays: Two for one

For years now, retired waterfowl biologist Steve Havera of Lewistown has been taking trips to Canada with his sons.

Most years, his sons have all the good stories to tell. But this year, Havera came back with a tale worth retelling. Here is his account of the catch.

“Hooked this 42 inch northern while just starting to retrieve the 9 inch smallie. Fortunately the northern somehow got the single hook in the side of its mouth and the bass had the line running through its lower jaw where the hook pulled out and the bass just slid up and down the line.

“Eventually saw the bass first since it was several feet above the northern on the line and was about ready to credit it as the baddest smallie ever until the northern flashed by the boat!

“After 20 minutes both were in the boat. I’ve gotten northern on northern and northern on bass before but usually they can’t release from their grip on the prey fish-or don’t want too-until it’s too late.

“Got the fish on July 2 in southern Ontario. Released the northern for the next trip. The bass was a goner.”