Regarding adding some kind of pad to the seat, I have a closed cell foam pad I bought at Walgreen's for a couple bucks that was meant for kneeling on while you work in the garden. Not sure they would stock them this time of year...
And 85 years is a bit of an overstatement, the average 10 year old bass is 18 inches, so you probably caught a teenager there.
http://www.sportfishsandiego.com/calico-bass-info.html
It was a legal fish, you caught it, you ate it, good for you.