Woo Hoo for TOXIC

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Well, what a day.....Let me first say, I have NEVER swung on so many fish and not got a good hookset!! I must have missed 7 to 10 fish on bad hooksets. I finally came to the conslusion that with the colder water their mouths may have hardened up....it's the only thing I can come up with. They weren't hitting short....they weren't tail biting. The clients who drew me as a guide were a father and son and the father was in his 70's....I could not get him to swing hard on the fish (ever seen a "wrist" hookset???) and as a result, he lost a bunch of fish also. I broke off 2 which is also rare. One broke off at the boat and was a solid 4lbs. The other I lost was in deep water and rocks so I think it was probably a walleye (yep, we got those here too!!) My 2 clients lost at least 15 senko rigs also!! Pops hooked into a big pickrel (pike for you northern boys) and as I was taking it off the hook (I had my hand around its gills) it went ape **** and got ahold of my finger. The dang thing clamped down and wouldn't let loose and I was hoppin around on the deck spewing all kinds of choice words trying to get to my needle nose pliers to pry its cotton pickin mouth open. Battle scars to say the least!! We get back for the weigh in and start culling at the dock (3 guys 5 fish limit for the boat) and one of our bigger fish shoots out of the livewell like it was a rocket!! So that meant we had to keep one of our smaller fish. We get to the weigh in table and Teddy is weighing and measuring fish and he says "Hammer, you've got a slot fish....13 1/4" I say B.S.!!(we measured all of our fish) and before we can re-measure, he pitches it in the lake. AAAAAAHHHHHHHH, I could have thrown him in after it!! He weighs us in....... and we still won and had big fish besides!! What a day!! And the boat was running like a galded goat!! It was on fire!! Was burning down the lake, 3 guys, full tackle, 1/2 tank of gas and still sucked one of the drink holders right out of the hull (now I gotta call Craig!!Hahaha)!! I couldn't trim it too high, it just wanted to go and go!!



Guess who's got braggin rights for a year!!!BWHAAAAAA!!! Better than a check any day!! Teddy will have pics soon.



TOXIC

 

[Carlos Hathcock III]

Tox,

Congrats man!!!! Good thing you did not need stitces, as your new nickname would have been "stictch" instead of Tox HAHAHAH



Nice of teddy to "hook you up" at the weigh in.......



You know, I was also having hooksent problems for a bit, i ahd to let the fish take the Senko for a bit longer to get them to eat it...weird, liek they were jsut moputhing it and not taking it all the way in....



Glad the 929 is running well!!!! What area were you hitting? Can you say?



Congrats on the bragging right. After this and the Hope Springs deal, you are da man!!!



Carlos

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Everybody was saying that the fish were on a shallow grass pattern......BUNK!! They were in deep water with shallows nearby. We never caught a fish shallow all day. You KNOW where 2 of our keepers came from!!LOL!! We actually took one in the morning and then came back in the afternoon and got another. I also had luck on another area that I used to fish but it is tricky....did bang the trolling motor on some rocks there. I'll show you when you get back (not far from my honey hole). Teddy shadowed me but the rig was running so good that I dusted him (not on purpose) and he would lose track of me.



If that dang pickrel had slipped out of my hand while he had me clamped you would be calling me lefty!!LOL!! Would have been imposible to do the shocker!!BWHAAAAAAA!!!



TOXIC

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Hey Congrats .... Stay on 'em

we fishing Saturday???

 

[Terry Heydt]

Good job Tox!! Come up north and we can give ya some "toothy-critter-handlin' " lessons... ;^)

 

[Terry Heydt]

Good job Tox!! Come up north and we can give ya some "toothy-critter-handlin' " lessons... ;^)

 

[Carlos Hathcock III]

Terry,

We saw a BIG toothy critter from a distance while we were up North. Looks liek fun, but need BIG needlenose

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

Way to go and congratulations Toxic! I not only had a big Pik grab my finger but also hook me when he went nuts while trying to get him off.

Glad you did well.



Bill

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Yep KB we are on for Saturday. Seems that my daughter and wife are heading to the Baltimore aquarium for a "Breakfast With the Dolphins" program. They know better than to take me cause I'll drop a line in one of those tanks before you know it!!



TOXIC

 

[Terry Heydt]

CIII,

The wife - who is from South Africa - wants to take me back there someday for some Tiger fish action. You wanna talk about l-o-o-n-g needlenose...

 

[Christopher Laurencio]

Way to go Toxic

 

[Greg Meyer]

Hey Tox... You ever heard of a "jaw spreader"? I'll send you one if you haven't. They work on the principle of keeping the pikes mouth open till AFTER you get the hook out!

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Yeah sure but I don't make it a habit of snagging those slimy hammer handles on purpose. And if I do I'm "normally" skilled enough to flip it off without much trouble. If I had to not carry one piece of gear, the jaw spreader would have to be in the top 5!!! Of course looking at my finger, I might have to change my opinion. LOL!!



TOXIC

 

[Rich D]

Way to go Tox!



Rich D

 

[Bill McElroy]

Way to go Tox!! You better put on a show for us in 2 weeks!

LOL...sounds like that pike took to your finger like Mini and a hot wing! Pix's???



Seeya in a couple weeks!!

Mac

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Mac, KB and I are going to pre fish again this Saturday and hopefully my pattern will hold. My neighbor wants to fish with us. This is the guy that I used to go to Champlain with. After this years trip and the stories from my trip up north, he wants to be become a "made man" in the MVM!! LOL!!! BTW, I have some stuff for you to bring from mini. We'll talk. I've got to go to the ABC store and tell them to order in more Jack and Coke!!HAHAHA.



TOXIC

 

[Carlos Hathcock III]

Do not forget the 'shine either!!!!

 

[Corey Carrico2]

Nice work Tox! I thought we taught you how to handle those Northern while you were up in Wisconsin?

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Just so you wouldn't think I was fibbing.....here is pops with 2 of the 4 (and Teddy). My rig is also docked in the background.



TOXIC

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

and the winning team.

 

[Carlos Hathcock III]

Cool Tox! Nice fish man!!!!!



You make it look like it is cold there or something. It is hot here still!!!!



You out this weekend? I am in late Saturday evening. I would call when I get to Cali, but I forgot my cell at home when I left....

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

39 degrees at blast off, cloudy and windy at weigh-in, it was chilly!! Pops borrowed Teddy's camo bibs for the day (took them off for the pic). KB and I are going out Saturday to play and make sure my pattern holds up for when the "family" gets here. If it doesn't, then KB will sniff em' out!!



TOXIC

 

[Carlos Hathcock III]

Man, I hate winter...... Nice of Teddy to let Pops use his bibs.



What is the WX for eh nest little bit there? Water temp? Ever hear from Bill?



KB sure does have the nose that is for sure! Just do not drive too fast and freeze it off HAHAHAHAAH

 

[Bill Hamilton]

Hey CIII,



Shame you are coming in on Saturday night. I got a kitchen pass and going to go out on Saturday with Tox and KB. Will be meeting them at Sturgeon Creek at 0700. Don't think Tox knows but Kenny does and he told me to come anyway (ha ha). Glad it's Saturday since we got to set the clocks back on Sunday morning. Don't think I want to take the run from the house up lake to Sturgeon in the dark.



Would like to meet up with everyone on the 14th if I can get an invite. Promise I won't bring the spicy hot beans this time since no one could stand Tox afterwards (LOL).



Keep the faith and see ya soon!



Bill

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

GREAT!!! By all means on the 14th also.....make them beans spicier this time, let's give them something to remember!!! Good to hear from you again!!



TOXIC

 

[Carlos Hathcock III]

Bill!!!



glad that you are doing well man!! Was wondering about yous out there!!!!



As for my showtime. I leave here at 1000 SAturday morning and get in at 1900 Saturday night. HAHA Not too bad huh?? I am sorry I am going to miss you guys. have fun and let me know how it goes. Make sure that you have your TM all charged up so you can plane your boat with the TM!!! Ohh No more of those beans man!!! I am jsut glad that Tox was by himself for the ride home HAHAHAHAH



PLease do be there for the 14th! Sounds like some fun a brewin HAHAHAHAAHH