[Valigator]

Left Lauderdale at 6PM last night....got to Belle Glade around 8, had dinner at one of those hole in the wall catfish places....it was good...but the weather was horrible here in Lauderdale all the way there...we got to the ramp around 8:30 and walked around waiting for the rain to let up, I did notice there were about 5 other trucks and trailers parked, so some people were weathering it...right about 9:15 the heavens cleared and we left the ramp....rode into the shallows where we have been lucky lately...all we could find were little boys, everywhere,....came up on another boat after we heard the bang stick and he was pullin a 7 footer in...this was about 11PM ...we took off and came up on a nine footer, but I wouldnt throw...turned the airboat off, watched the stars for a while and listened to the animals, it turned into a gorgeous night...we started up again cruised for an hour, shut down and debated..I said the big boys dont come out till later, "lets keep looking" finally around 3am "I" spot something good size make him turn around, and get up closer it was so shallow we could see he was a monster..I throw and get him square in the back, now he's nothin but pissed, he's running and snorting, I had never quite heard that much noise from one like that..I grab another harpoon and hit him again, good thing cause the first one pulled out of him early on, My guy is mumbling now, Honey get ready, this one is mad and I dont want him eating my paint job!! too late he surfaces and comes right at the boat full force with his mouth open, chomp, chomp, chomp a good three feet...I hit him one more time with a harpoon and start pullin in closer, it was perfect, he grabbed the bang stick and hit him, I go to pull again and he starts fighting again and pulls us about 50 yards into this thick mud, no way, start the boat and pull him out..finally after 5 44's to the head, he gave up the ghost. Big deal, it took us another three hours and one winch and 4 ropes to just get him balancing on the side, we made our way back to the launch and two guys in another boat helped us straighten him across the bow just so we could get into the trailer..finally brought him to the freezer at 7 am, filled out the paperwork and now I am home writing this...9:26 am, I too tired to spell check, pics later, he was 11 feet and somewhere around 600 pounds.....