Cat's in the Cradle and Smoke is on the Water

Yesterday marked the culmination of a goal that PITB, Sir Fusses and I have had since we were in high school. You see we've wanted a boat so we can do some serious fishing and venture into waters that we wouldn't dream of taking our inflatable to. Well, yesterday our chariot arrived and man is it beautiful. Our first reaction as we walked into the marina was..."Whoa...I don't remember it being that big when we bought it."

This beauty is a 2008 Smokercraft 192 Millentia with a Mercury Optimax 115hp motor. Our chariot has room for six when cruising or when we're on the hunt we have four chairs, spacious casting decks at both front and rear, a 75lb trolling motor and two fish finders.

For her maiden voyage, we took "Smoke on the Water" out onto the Grand River looking for some Catfish. It would be a shame to not to return victorious on our first hunt in our chariot so I had to deliver. I was armed with my baitcaster (ahem, Duk) and we were fishing a modified Carolina rig that PITB read about and it required a great deal of patience since it was a very slow method with the bait just being left still in the water. I felt a tug and a bunch of line go out with my drag pretty much completely open. I added drag and set the hook and then nothing. I thought I lost it or I was caught on some structure but not a couple seconds later did I see my rod tip bend towards the water. The fight was on!

It seemed like an eternity of reeling, letting out drag, reeling, taking drag away but then it surfaced ensighting cheers, laughter and finger snapping from Sir Fusses. A barrel roll followed and it plunged to the depths once again. I continued the fight and brought it closer to the boat. We didn't have our net so PITB was tasked to use the grippers to grasp the fish as I brought to the boat's side and after a few tense seconds and more rolls from the fish...success! A 12.5lb cat!

So, now the bar has been set and the gauntlet has been thrown. The hunt is officially on and the first prize catch is in. I now put it to you other BASStards pony up and bring in the next big one!