# 8 1/2 pounds w/ pics coming soon



## Rod Hawg

Headed out to the pond with another buddy from school. We got 5 Bass over 5lbs. 3 5lb. Bass. A 6 1/2lbr. And an 8 1/2lbr. that I got on 4lb. test! It hit and took me about 10 minutes to get in. What a fight! Sorry I don't have pics yet. I'll post them in around an hour. 23in. long. Caught on a Rod Hawg Hook w/ 4lb. Flurocarbon and a Nightcrawler. Was a great day of fishing!


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## Auk23

Cant wait to see some pics!


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## Rod Hawg

Check around 6ish. Should have one up.


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## dcfisherman

Wow! Thats a nice pond you got there! Can't wait to see it. congrats!


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## Rod Hawg

Here she is!


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## dcfisherman

Very nice! thats a fish to remember


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## PapawSmith

Very nice fish. You appear to be quite young in your pic. Will this be your first public beat down?


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## Rod Hawg

Haha! Dad's tought me all I know and everything else I kinda just fiddled with. Yeah. I'm pretty young. An 8 1/2lbr. in High School is pretty good. Fished every day this summer for a horse. And finally got him.


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## Coonhound

PapawSmith said:


> Very nice fish. You appear to be quite young in your pic. Will this be your first public beat down?


:Banane23: LOL

Nice fish!

What kind of scale/tape/measuring device did you use?


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## Pigsticker

PapawSmith said:


> Very nice fish. You appear to be quite young in your pic. Will this be your first public beat down?




Haha!

Great bass young blood. She'll be hard to beat. What did u do with her?

Do people get questioned on the catfish forum too.


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## Rod Hawg

Haha! I got a few more years. But if I don't get one that big before I die. I'm happy. My grandpa fished Bass for 65 years and never got one over 7. So I'm thankful. We put her back and we'll probably have a replica done.


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## Auk23

Nice fish!!


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## justin3687

Wow sounds like you were fishing one heck of a pond. Nice job on catching that monster. 

From my Evo


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## Rod Hawg

Thanks guys for all the nice compliments! Here's the six my buddy got and a few more pics he sent me of the 8 1/2lbr.


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## Auk23

wow that pond looks amazing!!!


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## Rod Hawg

Look at those ponds that never get fished. Try to get permission to fish em. Its hit or miss but if you hit. Tight Lines and Hang On!


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## Coonhound

So...you weighed these, right?

If not, please buy a scale.

Either way...nice fish! Gotta love farm pond action!


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## Rod Hawg

Oh yeah. First thing we did was bring out the Rapala Digital Scale. It first went right to 10 but once it adjusted was right at 8lbs. 8oz. 8 1/2lbs.


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## Marshall

Nice bass, sure looked like a fun day you will never forget. Thats a giant for ohio. Keep up the good work!


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## Rod Hawg

Thanks Marshall. I worked for it this summer and finally got em. There is no way I'd let that big of a Bass die either. We'll most likely have a replica done of it.


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## lang99

congrats that thing is a beast!


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## Rod Hawg

Thank you Lang99! I told my dad yesterday if I ever get one over 8 again it'll probably be in Florida. Haha! It was a hawg for Ohio thats for sure.


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## Ross

good job brotha, thats a goliath bass.


_OutdoorHub Mobile, the information engine of the outdoors._


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## Rod Hawg

Thankyou! Thanked God first and then thanks my line. Four pound test. What a fight.


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## puterdude

That is a beauty,from Ohio even makes it that much more special.Great Job!


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## Tokugawa

Nice fish!!!!


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## Saugeyefisher

Wow!Great lookin fish there!


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## Rod Hawg

Thank you guys!


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## FISHIN216

Rod Hawg said:


> Thanks Marshall. I worked for it this summer and finally got em. There is no way I'd let that big of a Bass die either. We'll most likely have a replica done of it.


That's very respectable

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## fish on!

That surpasses anything I've caught in a lifetime of fishing, I'm envious.
Now that the bar is set so high, whats next? Congratulations on the catch of a lifetime, and I thank you, and the fish thanks you, for the release.


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## Rod Hawg

Yeah. I got some ******* cousins who would've ate him. But my dad and I keep the little fish sometimes but mainly CPR them and always CPR the big fish. And next. I guess I'll become one of those State Record Hunters I guess. Haha!. It was pretty eye opening how big it was when one of our buddies who fished FLW hasn't got one that big.


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## chopper

Great job and thanks for posting. I want to also thank the other guys for not picking this post apart. I get tired of everyone wanting to call someone a liar. Its a great fish and a great story.


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## Tokugawa

chopper said:


> Great job and thanks for posting. I want to also thank the other guys for not picking this post apart. I get tired of everyone wanting to call someone a liar. Its a great fish and a great story.


There is nothing that arouses suspicion. The fish matches the weight and the pics are fairly clear. They could be bigger tho.


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## Rod Hawg

Yeah. I know a few of our charter captains do that. I don't hold em right next to me. But I don't hold em straight out. I let the size of the fish due the talking.


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## honkinhank

congrats on the giant!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S. check the batteries in your scale. yeah, yeah,,,, i know i said it


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## Coonhound

To avoid any argument, i'd recommend taking a pic of the scale showing the weight, with the fish on it.

It is a very nice fish, but i just can't believe that's 8.5 lbs. 5 tops.

Again, either way, nice fish.

To reiterate: I'm not calling anyone a liar. I'm not arguing what he says it weighs. I'm merely stating, that based on the fish i've caught in 20+ years of bass fishing, that the picture he posted, *IN MY OPINION* does not look like an 8.5 lb fish.

Just sayin'.


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## FISHIN216

Coonhound said:


> To avoid any argument, i'd recommend taking a pic of the scale showing the weight, with the fish on it.
> 
> It is a very nice fish, but i just can't believe that's 8.5 lbs. 5 tops.
> 
> Again, either way, nice fish.
> 
> To reiterate: I'm not calling anyone a liar. I'm not arguing what he says it weighs. I'm merely stating, that based on the fish i've caught in 20+ years of bass fishing, that the picture he posted, *IN MY OPINION* does not look like an 8.5 lb fish.
> 
> Just sayin'.


This is what every thread on ogf about a big bass becomes...it really is sad

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## Rod Hawg

Well. Let the Haters hate. I know what the weight was. My best friend knows what the weight was. And God knows what the weight was. 8 lbs. 8oz.


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## wtrprfr1

Congratulations! She's a beaut.


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## Rod Hawg

Thanks Bro! BTW. I understand if you guys don't think it looks that big. I mean. It was only a 23in. fish. But just a football. Was 5in. Across the back. Had a huge girth. I caught a 24in. that only weighed 5, 8 at a buddies lake last year. Just not thick. So I guess what I'm saying is I know your not calling me a liar. Your just voicing your opinion. I understand.


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## alock0889

Coonhound said:


> To avoid any argument, i'd recommend taking a pic of the scale showing the weight, with the fish on it.
> 
> It is a very nice fish, but i just can't believe that's 8.5 lbs. 5 tops.
> 
> Again, either way, nice fish.
> 
> To reiterate: I'm not calling anyone a liar. I'm not arguing what he says it weighs. I'm merely stating, that based on the fish i've caught in 20+ years of bass fishing, that the picture he posted, *IN MY OPINION* does not look like an 8.5 lb fish.
> 
> Just sayin'.


here we go again....


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## Coonhound

alock0889 said:


> here we go again....


:Banane28::Banane17:

I don't know why anyone bothers posting a weight. Why don't people just say, "Hey, check out these nice fish we caught!"


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## Rod Hawg

Alright. Enoughs enough. I don't really want to get into an argument. I posted this fish because I thought a lot of people would want to see it. Not to get into a big debate. And thanks everyone for the nice comments. I'll be sure to post some pics of the Replica when I get it as I released the real fish back into the lake.


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## Ross

happens to every post on the forum. anyway i like how you say 'it was just 23 inches' like its nothin. dude, thats big. i read somewhere that once they get in their 20's, they dont gain much length. just weight. something about that fish tells me its a pretty good assumption. again congrats.


_OutdoorHub Mobile, the information engine of the outdoors._


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## Intimidator

Rod Hawg said:


> Thank you guys!


No, THANK YOU!
That is a beatiful fish...period! Whether it came from a Pond, Lake, Stream, or where-ever it is a Fanatastic OHIO fish. 
You did everything possible to provide info, so don't listen to the idiots who want to lesson your accomplishment...and you also released this Monster to hopefully get bigger and fight another day. Hopefully you are able to get the mount so you can enjoy that moment forever. 
I want to commend you for being such a fantastic young fishermen, keep up the good work trying to get others involved in fishing, and keep impressing us "Old Dogs" with your "Lunker" pics...just make them bigger for those of us with "Old Eyes"!


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## fish on!

That's a great fish, and a great accomplished. You have every right to be proud, I know I'd be.
Please don't judge us because of the remarks of one hater, that's not what this forum is about.
Keep on posting, I'm looking forward to it.











Sent from my DROIDX


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## Scum_Frog

I still dont understand why everyone is calling coonhound a hater.....he was stating a bunch of times its his opinion only and he was trying to help rodhawg out by stating next time he should take a photo of the fish while on the scale to help show his case. Even I will admit with the pics it doesnt look like a 8½lb fish.....doesnt mean its not though....im a firm believer that rarely ever does a pic do justice for a fish....is it a 8½lb fish??? Rodhawg says it was and I believe him so it was!!! Its just photo alone if he put the pics up and said "how big do you think this fish was" I will put money on it that almost everyone will say its a solid 5lber. BUT knowing that he measured and weighed it we know it was well over 8. Great Fish bud now top this one! haha!!


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## fish on!

My apologies to Coonhound. 
Disbeliever would have been a better term. 
No malice intended.

Sent from my DROIDX


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## Rod Hawg

Haha! Thanks guys. This is a good site here and I didn't want any arguments. I'm going back later today w/ some friends and we'll see what happens. Now I guess I got to become one of those State Record Hunters now. Haha


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## Coonhound

The only thing i'm "hating" is that he can go out and catch hawg basses and i can't right now. lol

No, if i wanted to hate i would have said something to the effect of "if that's 8.5 lbs, than i'm the queen of England." My advice would be...don't post weights. There's no reason to. Anyone who spends any amount of time catching good fish knows what a fish like that weighs. And his buddy's fish for that matter. 

If it would make anyone feel better, go check out my fish and pick them apart: Jones Jigs


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## Rod Hawg

Haha! 10min. and I'm heading out. I'll post pics if we get anything decent. And I'll get pics of the scale this time.


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## fishingredhawk

Nice fish! Congrats on a catch of a lifetime. I've worked extremely hard to find a fish like that and still haven't been able to get one in the boat.


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## JSykes3

fish on! said:


> That's a great fish, and a great accomplished. You have every right to be proud, I know I'd be.
> Please don't judge us because of the remarks of one hater, that's not what this forum is about.
> Keep on posting, I'm looking forward to it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my DROIDX


I don't know how many times I smacked my screen trying to get that "bug" off. Lmao. Thanks for the laugh.


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## mo65

Hey guys, No matter whether it looks like a 5 pounder or the scale said it was 8.5, how about the fact he caught it on 4lb. test! That's some accomplishment! I have a light spinning outfit that I used to have 6lb. test on, but after having several fish like yours run off with me, I switched up to 12lb. Nanofil. You know, that could be a key to your success, the light tackle. If you were using heavier stuff, you might have been like me and only caught one 2 pounder! LOL:Banane57:


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## Rod Hawg

Mo65. Thats all I do now. I got a G-Loomis with 10lb. Braid I use for Walleye and USED to use for Bass. Never we'll do that again. 4lb. Test all the way! Those 10min. fights are awesome!


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## Fisherman 3234

Awesome fish Rod Hawg! Definitely a fish to be proud of!


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## Rod Hawg

Thankyou sir! I know they're a few unbelievers. I've used the same scale on all my fish. 20s that weigh 5lbs. I use it on Erie w/ Walleyes that weigh ten. Sunfish that weigh 3lbs. So I know its accurate on all fish. Its a shame if it doesn't look big people don't take your word. But again. Thanks bro! I'm blessed by God to be able to fish every day. And I thanked him for this fish 
1st. Then I thanked my 4lb. Test second. LOL


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## mpd5094

Great fish! Just ignore the nay sayers!


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## Rod Hawg

Thanks bro! Like what you said. But one thing bother me... That avatar. I won't hold it against ya. Go Brownies!


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## Coonhound

That bluegill is a TOAD!


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## Rod Hawg

Thanks Coonhound. Got him last year on the Fly-Rod. Was just trying to catch cut-bait for Catfish. I got a replica done of him this winter.


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## Rod Hawg

Just for anyone who stumbles apon this and doesn't feel like going 3 pages back to look at the pics.


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## Intimidator

Rod Hawg said:


> Just for anyone who stumbles apon this and doesn't feel like going 3 pages back to look at the pics.


Listen, you need to pm some of the guys on here that post pics and see how they post large ones!
I love to see pics of fish...I love to see the beautiful colors and markings...especially of BIG fish like you have caught....Congrats on the excellent catches, but give my eyes a break!LOL


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## puterdude

Like this,it helps & makes it easier for everyone


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## Intimidator

puterdude said:


> Like this,it helps & makes it easier for everyone


Man, that's a nice fish...now do the 'gill! LOL

Thanks PD!


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## puterdude

There ya be and yes it's a nice one too


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## Rod Hawg

Haha! Like that. Makes it easier. I should do that sometime. Its good my eyes are still young. Kinda. BTW-Did good yesterday at the lake. We got 2-5lbrs. 17-19in. And a 6. 19 1/2in. Also got a 4lb. Channel Cat and around 40 Gills. I got pics on my buddies phone but they're kinda blurry.


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## I_Shock_Em

I dunno rodhawg.... you sure are holding that fish quite far from your body... you trying to make the fish look bigger than it actually is???? hahahaha j/k that's one hell of a fish....congrats!!!!


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## firstflight111

to help post bigger pics take your sd card out of your phone and load them from the card dont send them from your phone heres the difference 









same pic loaded from the card


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## Rod Hawg

I Shock em! I'm still laughing. Thats pretty funny. Thanks though. It was a heck of a fish. Can't wait to get the replica.


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## Rod Hawg

Also. Fireflight. Generally its on a camera or my buddies phone. I'll try to upload to website though when I download them on the computer.


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## likes2fish

Nice bass!


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## Rod Hawg

Thanks! I told my mom about my plans on getting it mounted. She agreed but I think she's praying I don't get a 10+. I know where that'll be going. Laugh out Loud!


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## tipul3

wow, huge fish...


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## Rod Hawg

It finally set in. I got a 4 1/2lbr. tonight. Then I thought to myself. "I got one almost twice this size. This is a minnow" Thanks!


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## Intimidator

Rod Hawg said:


> It finally set in. I got a 4 1/2lbr. tonight. Then I thought to myself. "I got one almost twice this size. This is a minnow" Thanks!


Congrats again! 
You better keep these ponds "secret"....Man, those things are like Big Fish Goldmines! I think your getting spoiled by all these lunkers at such an early age, plus you're going to bankrupt your Mother with all the mountsLOL

The Gill was beautiful...once PD "super-sized" it!


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## Tokugawa

Intimidator said:


> Congrats again!
> You better keep these ponds "secret"....Man, those things are like Big Fish Goldmines! I think your getting spoiled by all these lunkers at such an early age, plus you're going to bankrupt your Mother with all the mountsLOL
> 
> The Gill was beautiful...once PD "super-sized" it!


Agreed. Keep the location secret. Nice job on getting in on 4lb test too.

That gill was morbidly obese!

Here's your next mission - go catch an 8lb LMB out of public waters.


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## Rod Hawg

Alright. Once I get that license(shows ya how young I am) I'll head out to Westbranch and Milton. Either that or I'll get a lunker from Florida but that doesn't really count. Haha


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## Intimidator

Rod Hawg said:


> Alright. Once I get that license(shows ya how young I am) I'll head out to Westbranch and Milton. Either that or I'll get a lunker from Florida but that doesn't really count. Haha


I know we don't have to tell you...but just a reminder...fishing is relaxing and to be enjoyed...don't ever make it more than it is. When you get older you'll understand how much you will NEED fishing to unwind or "get away" from it all. 
Take time to learn about the species you enjoy catching, it helps to make it fun.....learn everything about them...what they eat, the structure or cover they like, patterns, etc. Then learn all the different techniques....some only work when nothing else will, learn to pick correct lures...and learn what makes one swimbait or curltail grub work and another doesn't. 
Someday, when you think you know it all...Mother Nature will throw you a curve and show you that you don't...never stop learning or asking questions and have fun! 
Good Fishing!

My PB Bass is from Florida...And it Counted!LOL


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## Rod Hawg

Intimidator
I know. I love to learn. Learned a lot from my dad and grandads and have learned a ton from watching Fishing shows. In the winter all I watch are In-Fishermans and NAF's(North American Fisherman) I fish a lot besides just the ponds. My father and I fish Erie almost every weekend if its calm. That trolling is a lot of info and knowledge. Still learning. We fish Westbranch for mainly Musky. And Milton for Walleye. I've had terrible days at the ponds. Terrible days on Erie. But hey. Thats why its called fishing and not catching. Last. When life is stressful. Fishing is the most relaxing hobby I know of. Just get away from it all and relax.


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## Intimidator

Rod Hawg said:


> Intimidator
> I know. I love to learn. Learned a lot from my dad and grandads and have learned a ton from watching Fishing shows. In the winter all I watch are In-Fishermans and NAF's(North American Fisherman) I fish a lot besides just the ponds. My father and I fish Erie almost every weekend if its calm. That trolling is a lot of info and knowledge. Still learning. We fish Westbranch for mainly Musky. And Milton for Walleye. I've had terrible days at the ponds. Terrible days on Erie. But hey. Thats why its called fishing and not catching. Last. When life is stressful. Fishing is the most relaxing hobby I know of. Just get away from it all and relax.


You are wise beyond your years...Your Father sounds like a wonderful Man, I'm sure he's proud! Good Fishing!


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## Rod Hawg

He is. When I called him at work a year ago about that Sunfish he couldn't believe it. When I called him Thursday about that fish he was so excited. Really made his day. He had one of his workers texting pics to all our fishing friends. He's thrilled that I love to fish or else it would've kinda been a waist on those ponds. And we have great bonding time while we're doing it. BTW- first time in 2 weeks I haven't got a bass over 4lbs. in a trip. Just shows how good the fishings been.


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