Early May 2009. I spent all winter restoring an old 15 mod v starcraft, was a huge learning experience, got a lot of great info from reading post from guys like all of you, finally finished and have never been prouder of something I have built. I took it out a couple times to test things out but this was my first real time out. I took a vacation day to return the favor and take a buddy out who always use to let me tag along. That morning I get up and there's a terrible thunderstorm going thru all morning. I sat and watched the news channel waiting to see if it would pass like a kid waiting for xmas morning.

Finally at noon I waited long enough and decided the new boat was gonna get wet. What contniued was the craziest day I have ever had fishing. We fished a 50 acre water sheld thru thunderstorms and rain all afternoon. Spent almost more time running for shelter, there wasn't much, than actually fishing.

4:00 p.m. After sitting in the truck and listening to the radio say a tornado touched down 2 miles down the highway, the lightning stopped and we headed back out. Not ten minutes after we got back on the water, I threw my quad shad spinnerbait in a culvert that had about 2 foot of water running hard out of it, and she killed it. Spun the boat around trying to turn her...three jumps later we net her...8lbs.13oz largemouth. It was my personal best and the biggest bass I had ever seen caught. Could've died a happy man, was definetely worth the storms and rain. Not to mention running the trolling motor in 30 mile an hour wind.

I was still shaking as I make my next couple casts and whamm! Another one nails it and my line snaps! I was so excited I never checked my line after catching that lunker. As I am tying on a new spinner bait my buddy snags something and reels in a long peice of braid. I snag the end and the FISH is still on there. I start pulling line in and lip a 6lbs6oz. We just look at each other and start laughing. Definetely a day I never forget.

Love the stories guys and hope we all get to add a few more this fall.