The rat has taken its final paddle through the water.
The rat has taken its final dip.
The rat has taken its final plop.
Its swagger and undulating tail that enticed so many fish.
Lies still at the bottom of the Paint River Abyss.
May you cross the Styx.
In Purple and Chartreuse shades of glory.
SPRO BBZ-1 30 size Morning Dawn Rat
My impulse buy earlier this year turned into my favorite lure of all time. One lure caught 70 fish in one summer. That's really impressive as my other best lures in a single season were less than half that number. The BBZ-1 Rat 30 size in Morning Dawn is a smallmouth, largemouth, musky, pike, and walleye beast. It excelled in river current and brought me some sick strikes.
Tonight I cast it for the final time up into some churning water hoping to pull out a nice fish. Unfortunately another fisherman had cut their line and left a huge snarl and snag for my rat lure to hook into. I could see my lure stuck in the air as I pulled the opposing line out of the water, but it was too stuck to get off and ended up breaking my line. I have a glimmer of hope to try to retrieve the lure when the water lowers, but I know it is probably gone for good.
I encourage any serious U.P. fisherman to consider picking up one of these lures - they are a blast to fish - and they pick up some NICE fish.
My first huge river smallie on the rat.
The good ol' days.
As always.
Catch.
Release.
Wander.
C'est la vie.
Pura vida.
Carpe diem.