Thanks Hook-up, and a story

So last Friday, while on the 11 hour drive up to Erie, I had time to think about fishing. So I called Ben at the Hook-up, and ordered some of those punch skirts. Box showed up yesterday. Rigged up the black and blue one on 1/4 oz tungsten weight with a black and blue zipper worm. BOO YAH! Its been a tough bite on the local lake but I stick a solid 2.5 fish, pitchin. Picture later, not now. Anyways, if you havent tried those things, they are cool. Just something different, ya know?
Also came face to face with a 4' water mocassin. I was cruising the bank, tm on 1, casting a crank. Looked over my shoulder and there he is, 3' from the tm. Of course, I left the gun at home, thinking the cooler weather would make them go away. I thought way wrong. I hit reverse, but he is gaining on me, looking me in the eye. I yelled F YOU! and kneeled down to put the TM on 4, wondering if they can strike from the water. I bet they can. By then he was a foot away. Of course I was using my 7' light action crank rod but I whacked the crap out of him anyways and he went under the boat. Man I was shaking for about 4 minutes. Not fun. I "will never leave the pad without packin a gun" again.
So later, I am cruising down the lake and spot a good lookin area. Bank drops to 9' right off and has planted brush. I cast a DLN around, pull thru the brush....wait, there is weight on there! I swing and the weight is still there, but feels like life. I reel, for all my 12lb line is worth. No fight just weight. I get closer to the boat and there is the headshake. And I see color. This fish is easily 6 maybe 6.5. She pulls hard once and pop. Only thing I can figure is I pulled into her brushpile, she watched me get hung up, ate it, then I was reeling in her and a piece of brush, then she shook that, shook her head, and the bald guy in the tracker got owned. Oh well. I stopped off at wal mart and bought three more of those cranks. Taking Jo Ann out tomorrow, so maybe another long story to come.