A couple of developments - one HUGE one !
all right, all right, all right, I ordered the 860 HR tourney blue - but I may end up painting the room, which btw, I just now found out needs large areas of sheetrock demo'd to access and remove wet insulation. it keeps getting more fun.
here's the
HUGE development. hard to believe but my pal RKC says he's got me covered, figuratively, and literally. :thumbup:

:smile: He's coming to fix me up next week! How about that? Things are defintely looking up. :smile:
Now, Mr. Brumback, yes that is a carp in the pic - good eye. There's a row of pics there many featuring big carp. My buddy holds the common carp record here in CT at just over 42 lbs. My personal best is 34.
At the end of last season, 3 buddies and me went out on my boat of the season finale in November. We were targeting pike with live suckers and at the very end of the day, after being shut out and as we were reeling in our lines I got a big hit. It was a small mouth that came right to the side of the boat, broke the surface, didn't like what he saw, bent in half and effed off into the depths of the lake breaking off the hook.

My buddies, the three experts on board, all agreed that it was a state record smallie by a lot. The standard record is 7 lbs plus and they were positive this one was well above 10 lbs. Yep, the proverbial one that got away!
JB, I know you're an avid fisherman so, if you're ever anywhere near CT, let me know. I have a very unusual and fun boat that gets to fish quickly and comfortably.
The marlin is plastic.
below are pics of a 23 and 27 lb common as well as a couple boat pics.
thanks to everyone for your funny, critical, and supportive responses.
best,
brian kc