My ole buddy Rtark and I were vertical jigging a likely area in about 30 feet of water, I was useing my 11' Ozark rod and a orange and chartruse slab buster on some Mr. Crappie 8# line.......I got a hit simular to hooking a semi on I-40....seriously,,he ALMOST jerked me over the side of the boat,,I almost turned loose of the rod, Holy Cow..I ain't NEVER had a rod almost ripped from my hand,,and when I got the other cheek back on the boat seat,,with rtarks help I might add...the battle raged. The drag was too tight on the reel and I was tring to hold on to the rod and loosen the drag...HE WAS A MONSTER...His whiskers were as big around as a stick of bolonga, I said,,OMG Ray,,this thing only has one eye, he said,,OMG,,the other eye is over here,,on the other side of the boat...WELL, TRUTHFULLY, we never saw the fish, but he left his calling card, slime for 7 or 8 ft. up the line, I would have loved to see him,,and we were close at one time, but when he decided to go...he went and went and went...My shoulder was acheing,,my hands cramping...and I bid him farewell...he straightened the hook and continued on to find a cow or horse or something to gnaw on.....God Bless Him..


This was a true story,,til I got to the bolonga and eye thingy...lol