The end of an era...

[FishDr]

In 2006 my swimbait game was largely based on two lures - the 7" MS Slammer and the 8" ROF 5 Hudd.  I did have a few other lures, like Lunker Punkers and one of the OG wood shellcrackers, but 9 times out of ten, one swimbait rod would have a Hudd on it, and the other would have the 7" Slammer.  After the '06 season wrapped up (or, to be more honest, was iced out by lakes freezing over), I decided that it was time to up my game, especially when it came to fishing for bass at night, as most of my night fishing until then was for walleye.  I ordered and soon received a 9" MS Slammer in light trout.  Why that color?  Well, my first Slammer, a 7" model, was in that color and it seemed to work well.

Once spring rolled around, I started throwing the bigger Slammer - it seemed huge, almost too big, but the bass didn't seem to mind.  After the first couple of trips where I waffled back and forth between the 7" and 9" Slammers, I had gained enough confidence to start throwing the Slammer a lot, and soon, given the amount of action it was generating, it was pretty much all I threw at night, sometimes with a bit of Baby Possum thrown in to mix things up, and much of what I threw during the day.  That first year was a learning one and the years that followed just got better and better.

Five years on and the "Super Slammer" as my kids named it, was going strong, a bit beat up, but other than new hooks every now and then, it kept doing the job.

Ten years on and the Slammer still held the #1 spot in the rotation, and more often than not was the first lure on the water and the last lure off.  It had a good case of hook rash and much more of the paint was worn off, but the fish didn't care - they continued to pound it night and day.

Fifteen years on, last night, the Slammer announced that it was closing time, but only after adding 5 more largemouth to its tally.  Then, on a long cast parallel to a steep bank, the lure touched down with an odd-sounding splash (when you've cast the same lure thousands of times, you get pretty attuned to the sounds and vibrations). I gave the lure a quick pop to start yet another potentially productive retrieve and didn't feel enough resistance - heck, I barely felt any resistance at all.  Even if the Slammer had fouled its hooks there'd be more weight.  Something was not right.  Reeling in quickly, I made the sickening discovery that all I had on my line was the line tie, lip, and rounded "nose" of the Super Slammer - the rest was missing. Uh-oh.

Throwing away the rule book on night fishing, I immediately flipped my headlamp onto bright, spun the pontoon around so I could kick over to the splash zone and churned over there as fast as I could, scanning the water as I went.  I could accept the Super Slammer breaking, but I didn't want to lose the lure.  As I approached where I thought it had landed, I spotted the lure, floating in nearly its usual attitude, and swooped in and grabbed it.  The nose and bill had cleanly separated from the head of the lure, leaving just a short "brow" extending out above where the bill attached.  I carefully placed the lure into my tackle box, along with the nose-bill section, and clipped on...another 9" Slammer (this was a deep cranking one).  That one didn't catch any fish, but, to be honest, after the Super Slammer self-retired, I was not fishing very hard - I rowed the two miles back to the truck, and called it a night.

Here's the Super Slammer.  She's had an amazing run and now she will get the position of honor above the fishing closet, where she can survey all comings and goings.

 

This Slammer was fished hard, and often for fifteen years on 3 continents, in 4 countries, and in the waters of 7 US states.  This lure caught smallmouth bass, wipers, channel catfish, rainbow trout, and northern pike but largemouth bass, literally hundreds of largemouth bass from 9-inchers to 6-pounders, were its specialty.  The Super Slammer was, and is, a special lure and its swimming days are over.

p.s.  When I got home I reached into the fishing closet and took out a virgin 9" MS Slammer, also in Light Trout, and tied it on.  I then got in touch with Mike Shaw to order another one. The legacy must continue.

[swimbaitrookie]

I am so sorry for your loss. 

Thankfully you were able to recover the remains and give her a proper tribute.

[basskid95]

I'd say it's definitely earned its retirement. Great write up. 

[MEGAMAG119]

Great Post. 

[SumoNinja]

And now its watch has ended....

Happy retirement 

[tybo jones]

Sorry for your loss. 
I too hold a special place in my heart for slammers. Especially ones with a lot of hour put in on it.
one of mine broke the same way. I sent it to mike and he put a bigger eye screw in it and epoxied it back together. I never trusted it though and ended up getting rid of it. 

 

[Mossypumpkin]

I probably feel for you more than anyone lol. This has also happened to me. Same EXACT color and I think the same year. I wonder if it was a certain batch. I’ll check the dates tomorrow. I epoxy or superglued mine and it has been fine since but doesn’t get used a lot with 136 other slammers in the mix lol

[chefchris]

pretty awesome story and awesome history

thanks for sharing 

was hoping it was good news and not the passing of someone or another shop closing down 

my baits dont ever seem to make it that long, lost my go to slammer last year on an epic bite, snapped off and the wind waves took it 

then lost my go to wade hoggs this season to a big fish in a rocky area

 

[chefchris]

2005 and 2006 are my favorite slammer years, my go to was a 2006 as well 

[FishDr]

2 hours ago, tybo jones said:

Sorry for your loss. 
I too hold a special place in my heart for slammers. Especially ones with a lot of hour put in on it.
one of mine broke the same way. I sent it to mike and he put a bigger eye screw in it and epoxied it back together. I never trusted it though and ended up getting rid of it. 

 

Thanks! It’s all good - I don’t see it as a loss.  The Super Slammer and I had a great run, and while I considered going for a repair, I figured it had earned retirement. I suspect that soon another Slammer will start to accrue mojo and tooth marks, because that’s just what they do.

[FishDr]

1 hour ago, Mossypumpkin said:

I probably feel for you more than anyone lol. This has also happened to me. Same EXACT color and I think the same year. I wonder if it was a certain batch. I’ll check the dates tomorrow. I epoxy or superglued mine and it has been fine since but doesn’t get used a lot with 136 other slammers in the mix lol

Those early 2000s Slammers definitely had something going for them.

Jesse, your Slammer collection is legendary.

[FishDr]

1 hour ago, chefchris said:

pretty awesome story and awesome history

thanks for sharing 

was hoping it was good news and not the passing of someone or another shop closing down 

my baits dont ever seem to make it that long, lost my go to slammer last year on an epic bite, snapped off and the wind waves took it 

then lost my go to wade hoggs this season to a big fish in a rocky area

 

This type of scenario was what I thought would happen to it, since I couldn’t bring myself to retire it. I figured one of the lone wolf tiger muskies or a big catfish was going to crush it one night and leave me with nothing but memories and some frayed, slimy, line.  This way I get to keep it around as a reminder of the fun we’ve had.

[chefchris]

5 minutes ago, FishDr said:

This type of scenario was what I thought would happen to it, since I couldn’t bring myself to retire it. I figured one of the lone wolf tiger muskies or a big catfish was going to crush it one night and leave me with nothing but memories and some frayed, slimy, line.  This way I get to keep it around as a reminder of the fun we’ve had.

yeah for sure, i have a few surf striper plugs retired and hanging on the wall and my pb bait from last year but those two were awesome baits, lost em at the same body of water too 

glad you got the bait back and can look at it and remember the memories 

[SVT THUNDER]

Thanks for sharing. Well written. My condolences. It seems that we all have that one special bait that’s always just stood above the rest when it comes to catching bass. That go to confidence bait with so much history. Luckily you found the rest of the slammer and can do a proper retirement and display. 

[bassbass]

Great read. Hang it on the wall and when the replacement comes do to same.