As Jim took the rod out of the holder he knew he had a big one on as he felt the fish shaking its head ripping off line with the clicker screaming. We turned the boat and headed toward the fish. With tree tops 20 feet below the boat Jim fought this striper for 15 minutes bending the Tiger stick almost in half crank after crank. We circled around the line several times right above the striper and managed to get him out of the tree for just a moment, then he went back in the tree breaking the 36lb Dacron line.

But we did catch fish today. We caught a three pound spot in the mouth of Bald Ridge creek and a six pounder almost to the mouth of Young Deer creek in the river channel pulling Lead Core 7 colors out. On into Young Deer creek we caught a 28″ striper right where two underwater points intersect. Jim got finned in the hand by the striper as we were putting it on the Seaqualizer and while moving the rod out of the way managed to stick the jig slightly into my hand. We gave each other the High Five with our bloody hands not realizing we became blood brothers forever.