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Posts: 209
| I was doing my usual springtime routine of re-organizing my tackle and getting rid of some junk equipment, and I realized that a handful of baits and a rod that I broke at the very end of last season were all past their prime, so I started a "hall of fame" for some of the ones that I did particularly well with.
Anybody else do anything similar? If so, what do you have in yours and what are the stories?
I just started mine, but the members so far:
-A Pop-R. Bought it in middle school and probably caught over 1000 smallmouth on it over the years. Finally got too banged up to work anymore.
-A little cowbell that I use for catfishing (put it on your rod tip so you hear your bites) that I had to fix with a 7-strand wire leader. I fixed it in elementary school, and I've bought and lost about 500 bells since then, but this one always found it's way back to my box.
-This one brings tears to my eyes. A Berkley Bionix 7'0 Medium power spinning rod (if anyone has one I'll pay you retail and then some for it) that I busted last year while landing a smallie. I beat the living you know what out of that rod for about 6 years and caught countless smallmouth on it, and now I can't find one anymore. The only rods I've found that I like the feel of as much as that one are G Loomis GLX's, and they're about 8 times the price. |
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Posts: 8772
| I have an old 5'6" two piece Ugly Stick rod that I've had since the 70's. I've caught thousands of fish on it. It's so old that at least once a day it will come apart on a cast, sending the tip end of the rod into the lake with whatever lure you are casting. I've had dozens of spinning rods since then, but never found one I like as much.
I've got an old double 10 Gerry's Girl from 2006 that I refer to as "my binky". The hole in the blades that the clevises go through is worn through nearly to the edge of the blade, so that you have to bend it back into shape at least once a day. The wire has been bent and straightened more times than I can remember. All the chrome has fallen off the blades. The shrink wrap has been chewed off. There's not much tinsel left. I will not leave home without it, and I only take it out now on special occasions, because I know it's not long for this world. But I am determined to catch a big fish on it, so I can retire it in it's rightful place, stuck in the mouth of a replica, hanging over the fireplace. That's if the blades don't fall off first.
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Posts: 1169
Location: New Hope MN | Yup. I have my very first musky reel that my father had inscribed for me. 1991 abu garcia 6500.
I also have the bait i caught my first 50" on. |
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Posts: 4266
| Decades ago, my Dad, who was working with one arm because of a stroke, built me a 'Treasure Chest' of a tackle box for Muskie lures. It has 10 removable panels that lures hang on. Quite an undertaking for any wood worker, but really a feat for a one armed guy. We used to use it for what it was designed, but last year my daughter started putting away "special lures" in it, and that trend will continue. What criteria have to be met are up to her, but sooner more than later, it's going to be full, and she will be the official historian of the treasure chest. Whether it is going to be used for a tackle box, I don't know, it just always felt good taking my Dad out fishing with us when we went. I suspect it is going to be around much longer than me.
Beav |
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Posts: 1529
| great story beaver.
what would life be without those treasured memories |
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Posts: 994
Location: Minnesota: where it's tough to be a sportsfan! | That plus some. I have a pole that I put lures that lost the battle to fish on. About 30-40 on there it different broken states. One of my favs is a 18 Rap that a big girl swallowed on a follow up went past the leader and when she turned went through the line like cutting butter. 2-3 years later I Had to make an emergency stop on an island and there behind the reeds laying in the rocks was that lure complete with my leader and about 4 inches of line on it. I retired her to the wall. |
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Posts: 42
Location: Ontario | I have a wall of SHAME. Baits that broke or was never able to tune to run the way I like. There are a few baits that where in the water way to long to not have caught a fish too. My girlfreind is the only 1 to keep baits on the wall that are pefectly fine. She keeps them because they look nice and I'd better not ouch them. ( I have grab 1 and it didn't work out well lost it and couldn't find another 1 to this day ) |
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Location: MN | I have a Pounder Bulldawg I call "Forty-Pounder;" it has a 54.5x26 and 52x24 to its credit. The bait is chewed up but still gets water time on special occasions.
I had a M&G Spinnerbait that caught many fish but eventually broke after bending the wire too many times. All that remains is the bottom shaft with a couple tuffs of hair. After retirement it remained in my boat for good luck.
My old 7' St. Croix Premier MH rod. This used to be my bucktail rod when 7' rods were considered long; now it's been reassigned to jerkbait duty. The rod has softened up and works great for gliders. Lots of big fish to its credit.
Edited by Mak51 4/1/2013 9:54 PM
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Posts: 121
Location: Plymouth IA | In the shop have old lures from the old man that I used to use fishing when was just a kid. Lucky enough to have the lure I caught my first muskie with. Have his old filet knife and the holiday gas station rod made by st.croix from way back then. He is long gone but all I have to do is take a look and he is still with me. I guess I am the old man now, gave the old st. Croix rod to my daughter this year. She wants to keep it in the shop as a keepsake so it is safe. 
Have added a few of my own like the pikie minnow I have had for years now plus some old rods and reels that have served me well for 40 years. |
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Posts: 309
Location: Elgin IL | some retired lures
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 retired_1_1_1.JPG (142KB - 130 downloads)
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Location: Eau Claire,WI | I have a few too.A topwater that has over 50 muskies on it,finally could not be repaired. I also have a few Crane baits that have been demolished,a PaceMaker that got a PIG and broke the metal tail and a few Dawgs that have been chewed on more than a puppy with a sqweaky toy. I have one of my early favorite topwaters too but that gets wet at least once per year,it has to have close to 40 fish on her... |
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Posts: 994
Location: Minnesota: where it's tough to be a sportsfan! | A buddy and I built a set of window cornices for up at the cabin. They are made out of boards that are about 1' wide. I then painted them a dark green and used Velcro to hang baits on that were either really old and beat or cool & nest. Also did a row over the fireplace. |
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Posts: 574
Location: Elk Grove Village, IL & Phillips, WI | I have a red-wing blackbird TopRaider that has a tooth stuck to the front treble hook hanging on the wall. I had a massive hit after dark and I ended up breaking the line overdoing the hookset. I was heart broken not only to lose the fish, but also one of my most productive lures. Next day as I was moving through the area, I found my TopRaider floating with the tooth and some of the fish's gum attached to the hook. It was too-cool to ever throw that lure again!! The meat dryed and the tooth stayed on. |
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| A couple baits so far.
M9 Grandma with a broken lip that has accounted for 3 different peoples personal bests - hanging in the house right now.
Keep meaning to retire a hawg wobbler with no paint left, but keep using it because it keeps catching fish even if it can only be used and hour at a time before it soaks up too much water and doesn't float. |
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Posts: 209
| scmuskies - 4/2/2013 10:31 AM
Keep meaning to retire a hawg wobbler with no paint left, but keep using it because it keeps catching fish even if it can only be used and hour at a time before it soaks up too much water and doesn't float.
That's hilarious!
A friend of mine has a hawg wobbler that's caught him over 30 muskies, including several 50 inchers, and he finally retired it at the end of the season a couple years ago. Well, he was having a pretty slow start to the season two years ago, and he had only caught about 2 or 3 muskies by late August, so he decided to take the old faithful hawg wobbler out of retirement. That same week, he caught 4 fish on it. |
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