Skinnyh2ofishin Posted July 30, 2009 Posted July 30, 2009 Well, I had my most expensive and overall heart crushing fishing outing the other day. It's even taken a couple days for me to be able to let it out... Monday, I lost my Matts Hard Gill after only my third outing with it! I still have it but it is now a true three-piece bait, and not in a good way, thanks to a no good, low down, just plain mean softshell turtle. I had just made a long cast near some topped out hydrilla patches when the water boiled on my bait and I felt the pull of a potential personal best. The excitement only lasted about ten seconds though as the fight suddenly seemed very odd. "Maybe he's dug into the hydrilla" I thought as my kayak coasted closer. Then as I got on top of him I saw the tail segment of my 'Gill floating on the surface. "GULP." Then suddenly I could see the huge softshell spinning in circles about seven feet down. "***#$$#$#@@##$$##@#@#@@#@#$%." Well, the story ends with a long battle to unhook a PO'd turtle from my prized bait without adding a finger to two to his tally of destruction. My gill is now missing the entire front hook and pelvic fins, part of the dorsal, and the tail segment. I may attempt to epoxy the front hook and weight back in and fix the pin in the tail section to see if I can get it to work again, but it's pretty futile since the action will never be the same. There's no way I can afford another so I guess I'll have to do my best. :'( Quote
tritz18 Posted July 30, 2009 Posted July 30, 2009 It happens to the best of us. I spent 40 min pulling up branches that had my lucky craft pointer on it, and didn't find it. I can't imagine having a bait that expensive getting wrecked, especially by a darn turtle. Well I'm sure you will fix it right up and catch a monster. Quote
Mattlures Posted July 30, 2009 Posted July 30, 2009 sned it back to me and I will fix it. Send all the peices you have. AND QUIT CASTING IT AT TURTLES!!!!! Seriously its only a lure and it could have been worse had it taken a finger. My friend caught a big softshell years ago and it destroyed a Rapala. We kept it for a while in a little fountain pond. Those things are almost as nasty as snappers. Quote
Super User Big Bait Fishing Posted July 30, 2009 Super User Posted July 30, 2009 sned it back to me and I will fix it. Send all the peices you have. AND QUIT CASTING IT AT TURTLES!!!!! Seriously its only a lure and it could have been worse had it taken a finger. My friend caught a big softshell years ago and it destroyed a Rapala. We kept it for a while in a little fountain pond. Those things are almost as nasty as snappers. your a class act Matt , can't wait to meet you at bass-a-thon ... Quote
wickyman Posted July 30, 2009 Posted July 30, 2009 Now that is a man who backs his lures! Straight up the best warranty I have seen... lol I know how ya feel bro, just lost my lucky rapala DT10 to a fallen tree. I was like 8 feet from it, but it was jammed into that tree so deep, that I had to break it off... Friggin' underwater structures... Without them, this would be a turtle forum, and not a bass forum! haha Quote
twitchfish Posted July 30, 2009 Posted July 30, 2009 The picture in my avatar. When "learning" spinnerbaits, went to Gander and Walmart and bought in bulk, figuring on losing most because still not deadly accurate with the baitcasters yet. Learned well after some guidance from a good friend and have been catching fish on them since. I am going to buy me a really nice spinnerbait now. Went and got a $6 dollar model at the recommedation of the BPS guy. Only got one. Was ripping this thru some cover I felt in about 4' of water bouncing it off this tree, I was positive it was a tree or log because same spot everytime. 10th cast in the same spot it stopped dead in it's tracks and I thought had finally hung it up. That's when I wrestled this character to the surface. That picture is as far as I got him out of the water and almost donated him a pair of pliers too trying to get that spinner bac. I have started buying in bulk again. Twitch Quote
Skinnyh2ofishin Posted July 30, 2009 Author Posted July 30, 2009 Matt, I just PM'd you....And you're right, it would have been a much worse day had he taken my lure AND a finger or two. Those guys are nasty as all get-out and have necks so long there isn't much safe range for handling them. It was especially harrowing since, as I said, I fish from a kayak, so when he caught glimpse of my leg or anything he could snap at on the 'yak he went for that as well! I have to say, if this post was about breaking any other lure, I'm sure that the manufacturer wouldn't be jumping on here to say, "send it to me and I'll fix it." If Matt's lures weren't worth every penny for their outstanding workmanship and performance, they'd be worth it alone for the over-the-top customer service!! Quote
Big Mike in Fl Posted July 30, 2009 Posted July 30, 2009 you shoulda killed it and ate it, soft shells are delicious... then again, I think there are new regulations on them, wouldn't want to do anything illegal Quote
endless Posted July 30, 2009 Posted July 30, 2009 thats like me luckily i wasnt using lures just minnows but i pulled out a three foot snapper. when i seen his shell i step further back on land. i tried everything to get him on land and finally he snapped my line. Quote
mrlitetackle Posted August 1, 2009 Posted August 1, 2009 sorry about your lure man..... i own 2 hardgills, and would be equally devastated if they were to be destroyed!!!!!! but, Posted by: Mattlures Posted on: Jul 29th, 2009, 11:42pm sned it back to me and I will fix it. Send all the peices you have. AND QUIT CASTING IT AT TURTLES!!!!! Seriously its only a lure and it could have been worse had it taken a finger. My friend caught a big softshell years ago and it destroyed a Rapala. We kept it for a while in a little fountain pond. Those things are almost as nasty as snappers. ....thats a good guy right there. that is a personal comitment to a quality product if i have ever seen one!!!! so......Skinnyh2ofishin....... good to hear that he's gonna do that for ya, its quite the nice gesture (above and beyond, to say the least) that is no doubt unheard of in any lure manufacturer around. Quote
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