Well, about thirty-three years ago my buddy Marshall and I went fishing one afternoon after work. We went to a small gravel pit pond. All we had to fish in was an old canoe that had ribs in the botom of it, at least two were missing and it leaked a little. We pushed it out in water and started to fish. I had stopped at the local bait shop and bought a dozen shiners, we both were using rod & reels with artificial baits fishing for bass, but I had a Zebco 202 reel and cheap rod rigged up to put a shiner on. I baited that hook with a shiner and threw it out and laid the rod and reel in the bottom of the boat. We were both watching the line with the shiner under it. I don't remember how many fish we had, but about dark we had caught nothing on the shiners and were talking about leaving, about that time something hit that shiner, it went down so hard it bounced the rod and reel right out of the canoe. We gathered all our tackle and started for home.

On the way home we decided we had to go back the next day and try to get my rod & reel. That night I had an old bait they called a Mr. Champ, it was a solid peace of chrome with a treble hook on the end of it. I decided I would use it to find my rod & reel.

We got to the gravel-pit pond about 5:30 P.M. The canoe was still there, we left it because we didn't think it was worth stealing. We started bass fishing first, it took us about an hour to fish our way over to where I thought the rod was at. I,d make a few casts and I had another rod with the Mr. Champ on it, I throw it out and drag it back in. I must have done that about ten times with no results, then I threw it out and I hooked my line. I got hold of the line and started to pull it in, then I saw my rod. I got it in the canoe and started to reel it in. I told Marshall,"I think something is on the line." It was a 3lb Crappie still on the line. It took me almost 24 hours to land it, but I got it in. I looked at my buddy you are my witness. Hardly anyone will believe me and nobody will believe you.

Thunter49(Eddie J Blanchard)
Kentwood, La. 70444