Michael Stafford
03-08-2006, 9:48 AM
This thread may have to be relocated so Mr. Moderator do so if you wish. It is turning related however as will become apparent.
Over 25 years ago when I lived in Chesapeake, Virginia my best friend worked for Nissan Corporation in a parts distribution center. He would receive part in wooden crates made from some of the most unusual looking woods. On occasion he would take apart some of the crates and bring the wood home for me. Of particular interest were these 3X3 corner posts that were used in large crates that held replacement fenders etc. This wood was alway a deep red color and just as hard as nails. Looking back on it I think it may have been ipe.
He and I did a lot of off shore fishing together for King Mackerel, tuna, dolphin, etc. and we had a genuine need for a "fish bonker". So he suggested that I turn one on the old Shopsmith I had. The guidelines for design was that the handle end had to fit in the rod holder on the side of the console. So we picked out the hardest, heaviest piece of this wood we had and I turned a nice "bonker". It worked like a dream. Most fish were subdued with one quick swing.
On one particular fishing trip we took a work friend of mine. He was very tall, about 6' 7" and skinny as a rail. He always wanted to catch a King Mackerel so we agreed to take him.
The way it worked on my buddy's boat was the last person to catch a fish had to drive while we were trolling. The person who was next to fish had to bring in the caught fish, i.e. handle the leader and subdue the fish.
So my fishing buddy catches this nice 21 pound King and I haul it into the boat. I am in the process of trying to subdue the fish and the tall guy is at the console looking over my shoulder. I did not know he was that close behind me. I guess you know what happened next. On my backswing I hit him right between the eyes, splitting his forehead wide open and knocking him out cold. He almost fell out of the boat but my buddy caught him. So here we are 20 miles out in the ocean with this unconscious tall skinny guy, a 20 pound king flopping and snapping all over the boat. The King was bleeding from the gills so it was slinging blood everywhere, the guy who I hit was bleeding like a stuck hog, the boat is on auto pilot and we have three more rods in the water....What a day!
As it turned out the tall guy was not hurt that badly. We just bandaged him up and fished the rest of the day. He said he was okay and caught several more fish before we went in. Alls well that ends well.
So every time I hear about someone turning a fish bonker I just have to laugh. Been there done that!!!!!:D
Over 25 years ago when I lived in Chesapeake, Virginia my best friend worked for Nissan Corporation in a parts distribution center. He would receive part in wooden crates made from some of the most unusual looking woods. On occasion he would take apart some of the crates and bring the wood home for me. Of particular interest were these 3X3 corner posts that were used in large crates that held replacement fenders etc. This wood was alway a deep red color and just as hard as nails. Looking back on it I think it may have been ipe.
He and I did a lot of off shore fishing together for King Mackerel, tuna, dolphin, etc. and we had a genuine need for a "fish bonker". So he suggested that I turn one on the old Shopsmith I had. The guidelines for design was that the handle end had to fit in the rod holder on the side of the console. So we picked out the hardest, heaviest piece of this wood we had and I turned a nice "bonker". It worked like a dream. Most fish were subdued with one quick swing.
On one particular fishing trip we took a work friend of mine. He was very tall, about 6' 7" and skinny as a rail. He always wanted to catch a King Mackerel so we agreed to take him.
The way it worked on my buddy's boat was the last person to catch a fish had to drive while we were trolling. The person who was next to fish had to bring in the caught fish, i.e. handle the leader and subdue the fish.
So my fishing buddy catches this nice 21 pound King and I haul it into the boat. I am in the process of trying to subdue the fish and the tall guy is at the console looking over my shoulder. I did not know he was that close behind me. I guess you know what happened next. On my backswing I hit him right between the eyes, splitting his forehead wide open and knocking him out cold. He almost fell out of the boat but my buddy caught him. So here we are 20 miles out in the ocean with this unconscious tall skinny guy, a 20 pound king flopping and snapping all over the boat. The King was bleeding from the gills so it was slinging blood everywhere, the guy who I hit was bleeding like a stuck hog, the boat is on auto pilot and we have three more rods in the water....What a day!
As it turned out the tall guy was not hurt that badly. We just bandaged him up and fished the rest of the day. He said he was okay and caught several more fish before we went in. Alls well that ends well.
So every time I hear about someone turning a fish bonker I just have to laugh. Been there done that!!!!!:D