Well one of the best stories I have involves the fish of a lifetime for most and the lucky girl who caught it in her first ever tournament,

Last year my wife (who doesn't fish) had agreed to fish our clubs "guys and gals" tournament which we try to put on once a year, we didn't prefish due to heat and rough water so I just knew this was going to be "interesting" at best. I rigged her up with my sons tournament ready rod - a 6'9" carrot stick with 8lb test, we ventured to the lake so she could cast from the shore/dock to get the feel of a shakey head, 2 cast into it she hooks about a 2-1/2lb largemouth and wrestles it in like a champ, I'm glad Iaconelli wasn't around because she'd of made him go deaf!!! Rigged and ready to go we took off into our first ever tournament together, she was looking at these other women like a heavy weight showdown, these women weren't basser's either they just go to support us guys and to spend a day in the sun mostly.

We blasted off to what I thought woulbe be a great place for her to catch some small fish to get her going and after about an hour with little sucess she was dragging the bait behind the boat and was reeling it in to cast again and all of a sudden I hear drag ripping off her reel and I look back as to say "what are you doing?" when she says "I think I have a fish" and she's a cranking that poor reel as hard as her little arms could go not even looking back at the fish just staring down at the reel crankin - drag still screaming. As I had turned to see what she was doing about 30 yards back I see a HUGE smallmouth doing ariel accrobats at least three times before I could comprehend what was happening.

I dropped my rod and my first instincts knowing this bruiser was hard enough for a seasoned guy to land with this light tackle let alone this rookie, I wanted to grab the rod from her - yet I didn't, she was yelling and saying over and over "this is a hog, this is a hog" As the tears of laughter started streaming I began the job of netting this beauty (meanwhile she still crankin her butt off never looking away from the reel) I was yelling out directions as to how to get his thing to the net: as if I could tell a smallmouth where to go. Eventually after 10 or so jumps she drags it into the net; a 4.2lb smallie on 8lb test!!!

When we made it to weigh in she was walking like a prize fighter and I think she heard Iron Man playing in the background as she carried it to the scales. I will never forget that day, it was one of the memories I will always cherish especially when you need it during the low points in life I like to think back and chuckle........ it's a hog (my wife is a VERY reserved person, kind of timid)