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In the late 80's I used to live in the central valley and jump the canal fences and fish the gates and spillways. When the security guys would drive within view, I'd hop the fence and wait until they left. After a few years of seeing this, they finally stopped and asked if I ever catch any fish. We hit up a good conversation and they said they don't mind me fishing the locked gates as long as I don't leave any trash or bring friends. One day if was raining like heck and I'm drifting whole anchovies down the spillway when I get hit hard, as I'm fighting this fish the security guy pulls up to watch the show. A few minutes latter I pull up a nice 28" rainbow. I hastily pulled the hook, tossed back another chovie and proceeded to slay huge "bows' in the central valley canal. I was stunned that I was catching trout, he was stunned I was catching fish. After about the fifth fish, he walks up and says, "maybe you should be a bit more careful pulling those hooks, you are ripping their lips. From then of, when the fishing was hot, my buddies and I would say we're "ripping lips", a year or so latter my fishing buddy John starts calling me lipripper....add the zip, hence the name.
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