You gotta love the look in both of those guys eyes. It's like they just got shot at in a drive by shooting and narrowly escaped with their lives. That's what its all about. Sheer physical and mental exhaustion. Congrats Boys.

Many years ago, there was a dark buck steelie in the Jones Hole of the Betsie. Over the course of a week, that fish was hooked well over a dozen times. Sometimes he bit, sometimes he was fouled. He kicked everyones rump. He was fondly named IGOR by those of us fishing that hole. My buddy lost him when he sawed him off in some wood on a sweeeper. At the end of our trip, a guy landed him. This fish had hooks in its jaw, and hanging off a few fins. He looked like a frickin Christmas tree with fins. He ended up being about 18 pouinds. The guy that finally landed him, let him go to a standing ovation from about 10 of us that fished that run for the week.

I'm sure IGOR died after that springs spawning run, but I can still picture that mean old b*sta*d kicking everyones a**. One of which happened to be mine. Hopefully, one of his kids weill head up to the Jones Hole this spring. If so, I'll be ready.