THE CHOPIQUE

The Chopique:
Some years ago, while fishing the Spring Bayou complex in Central Louisiana, a Texas friend hooked a 5 lb. grindle aka chopique aka bowfin aka mudfish, etc.. He managed to get it into his small bass boat with the help of a dip net. After getting it untangled, he decided he would dispatch it with his homemade fish billy (garden rake handle). The previously docile fish launched into a frenzy at the blow and flopped itself right into the Texan's open UMCO jumbo cantilever tray tackle box. The creature managed to impale itself with a half dozen or more lures and flopped back out of the UMCO into the boat, where it thrashed about with its treble hooked adornments. I was on the verge of abandoning ship. Alligators be damned- when the Texan pulled out his pistol. He was considering shooting the armored fish in self defense, but before he could get off a shot, the fish made a mighty leap for freedom taking the Texan's rod and reel along with a handsome assortment of his lures with it. We later managed to snag the rod and reel, but never saw the chopique or the lures again. As Emeril says: "You just can't make this stuff up"!

Kool story, SB is in my backyard. We probably traded waves at some point. Where is Yorba Linda, Ca??? You be careful you don't walk off the end of the land over there. Welcome to the forum from back home.