When anglers go for 'stretch,' take stories with a grain of salt

Imagine this scenario: An angler went fishing at Mosquito Creek Reservoir one fine Saturday last May and actually caught 11 largemouth bass measuring 12 to 14 inches long.
On the drive home, he phoned his buddy and reported that he'd had a great day. "I got about 15 bass, some of them near 2 pounds," he said over his cell phone as he clippity-clopped down Route 11 toward Interstate 80.
Our angler's buddy later shared the news with another friend: "Did ya hear about Billy? He whacked them today at Mosquito. He caught 18 and two of them were pushing 3 pounds. Skeeter is hot."
And so goes what I call the "stretch."
Fishermen are not natural-born liars. It's just that they feel compelled to add a fish here, an inch or two there, and a pound or so just to round things up.
The stretch actually is a healthy activity. It adds optimism to our dull lives, and how can that be a bad thing? I say it's good if a little embellishment to a fishing report makes the time until Saturday pass a bit quicker.
What to do
But the stretch also is the reason why one should take fishing reports with a grain of salt. Take what you hear, cut the number by a third and knock off two inches and at least a pound from the top weight range. What remains is closer to truth than what you heard.
The stretch also applies to fish that actually came aboard the boat. Many anglers count fish that spit the hook at the boat. Of course, the escapees wouldn't count in a tournament, but they often do add to the tally on a fun-fishing trip. No big deal.
Another interesting opportunity to see the stretch in action is at a lakeside motel parking lot. The anglers gather after dinner and work around their boats, sharpening hooks, changing line and tying on tomorrow's lures.
"Man, this lake is on fire," says one to anybody within earshot. "Didn't matter what I threw. They were everywhere."
Meanwhile, those who struggled wondered inside what the heck this fellow had been doing. The stretch, in this case, is a head game. Those who also enjoyed a good day start thinking maybe it wasn't so special after all; those who struggled pin their hopes on better luck tomorrow.
About the 'shrink'
A variation of the stretch is the "shrink."
"Wow, tough day," the angler says. "Couldn't buy a bite out there."
Of course, all of these comments are painted by the abilities of the storytellers. Some pull off the stretch or the shrink better than others.
Nonetheless, it's tempting to react. I like to use the information I hear as a springboard. I don't put a lot of credence behind it, but figure there is a nugget or two that may be helpful once I weigh the factors myself.
My counsel is to take nothing for what it appears to be when dock talk is flying. Keep your nose down and do what you think is best, changing up as necessary to stay in touch with the fish or to gain a better toehold on the opportunities out on the water.
The stretch is an interesting game. Check it out yourself. Don't take your buddy's word for it next time he tells you he caught a bucketful of slab crappies or a stringer of 17-inch walleyes.
Odds are the crappies will be nice, but short of the foot-long mark. And it's funny how those 17-inch walleyes shrink to 14 -- by the time they make it to the cleaning table.
jwwollitz@aol.com