Hit the water about 5 pm Saturday night. My buddy Matt is a pretty funny guy, so around 6pm when Matt yells " We're on fire' I just laugh and shrug it off. That is until I turn around to see him disappearing in a cloud of smoke :-/

We dealt with the fire and continued on with just one trolling motor. @ 11:55 PM I get CRUSHED on the Hawg Plucker and find this at the end of the line

There's something special about catching fish on your own lure design, especially when it's an 8LB slob!

A few others caught that night on the Hawg Plucker.

The Hawg Plucker....

8-)

Man, beautiful fish for sure! Nice design on the lure, also.

Thats great man, congrats!!

WOW

BEAUTIFUL HAWG

You were in hog heaven for sure !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Its gotta feel good to catch a monster on your own design.  I am glad that fire didn't ruin your night.

The fire sure didn't slow you guys down at all.  ;D Nice fish and congrats on a very successful night. 

wow. Within a few pounds of the state record, that is truly amazing. Great fish

WOO-HOO!

Awesome fish, and nice lure!

Very Nice and congrats on that great looking Fish and Bait 

Big O

www.ragetail.com

Thats really cool you having such sucess on a homemade design.

Outstanding! 

Being a fellow Rhode Island basser for about 40 years, you have no idea how HUGE this fish is.

I fish every day on private and public waters and a bass like that is the fish of 10,000 casts for sure.

Killer custom ya got there. looks just like a sunfish.

Outstanding! Hoist-n-Hawgs.

Thanks Guys and Gal. ;D I've only had the opportuntiy to get 3 or4 times since then, and it's kiling me.

hookset on 3, this is the second fish 8lbs or better out of RI waters. I got blessed last year as well in November with an 8.2lb LM. I gues there's a possablity it's the same fish because she was caught not 20 yards from where I got the 8.2 last year. Outings like this go by waaaaaaaaay to fast!

congrats on the great fish! glad nobody hurt in the fire. what caused it?

congrats on the great fish! glad nobody hurt in the fire. what caused it?

A bad switch in the head of the trolling motor. Just waiting on the parts to so I can repair it. Leason learned.... No matter how small the boat gas powered or not,always carry a fire extingisher.

It would not be an adventure without something happening...(truck frame cracking, slicing foot open, no lights/livewell, ect ect..) LOL

Good to see you're still around Paul.   

Holy smokes, what a fish!  I looked at the pictures and just assumed you were from TX or FL or somewhere, then I saw the comments about RI.  That is a truly amazing catch!  Then I read you have done it twice.  To be able to catch one like that with your own bait is even better.  Congrats!

It would not be an adventure without something happening...(truck frame cracking, slicing foot open, no lights/livewell, ect ect..) LOL

Good to see you're still around Paul.

LOL it's good to see me still around in general, or after the fire.

How you doing Mike. BTW, whackjob is my new name on the other site, seemed fitting.

Holy smokes, what a fish! I looked at the pictures and just assumed you were from TX or FL or somewhere, then I saw the comments about RI. That is a truly amazing catch! Then I read you have done it twice. To be able to catch one like that with your own bait is even better. Congrats!

I've been very blessed with huge fish the last Two years.