Bubba 460

All things in moderation. I can fish when I want. My kids are all grown and have their own lives. My wife has her job as a teacher in a private school and loves it and is a homebody in the summer. I usually fish on average 4-5 days a week, sometimes more, sometimes less all year. Depending on the weather or what water I want to fish. Personally I like smaller bodies of water, under 100 ac. Gnarly is my cup of tea over open water. Standing timber, stumps, lay-downs, pads, lots of pads. grass, feeding flats. I hunt for bass in their lair. The presentation for me is the fun thing; to have a bass slam a frog on the pads or next to that lay-down that you just know a bass is hunkered under and to get him to commit. That explosion of water on a big Whopper Plopper or that subtle 'tic" on a wacky. Age dictates time on the water coupled with productivity. After about 3 or 4 hours the pain starts, how much pain I put up with depends on how the fish are responding so bring pain killers. On a good day I can put up with a lot of pain. Used to stand most of the time now I sit most of the time. Now it hurts to do either so I switch. You can not enjoy fishing if you are preoccupied with worrying about personal things, family, health, or anything that is constantly on your mind. It will eventually pass and you'll know when it's time to hit the water again. A break can be a good thing and there's always something to do around the house that fishing has kept you from doing. I really don't have another "hobby" at this time but I do enjoy physical work over mind exercises when I am not fishing.

I had to kill this 30" long copperhead on our property's walking path the other day. I went out to walk two of our dogs. One of the dogs, Poppy, had his head just 4" from the raised snake's head smelling it. I was not sure what I was seeing at first, the copperhead was stretched straight out and had flattened its body so low it looked like the ground. I just saw a head sticking up. Once I realized it was a snake and a copperhead to boot I yelled at Poppy to get away and he did. I tied both dogs to a tree and killed the snake with a stick. We as a family all walk on this path many times a day walking our 4 dogs or the girls just out walking. I went home and got the girls and we went back out and got a photo. Had the copperhead been deep in the woods I would not have harmed it but this is just to close for comfort. I like snakes and have caught hunderds when I was a young. We've seen several common snakes in this area in the last couple of weeks but this is the first copperhead we've seen in about four years here and the fourth one we have dispatched on our property ~ Here's a photo of the the one the other day and another of one some years that was very close to my 4 year old daughters electric car.

Last time I saw something that ugly it had a hook in it's mouth! (Said a famous comedian)

"Nautilus"? Without a doubt. But you have to admit , even being a water drop, it "looked" like it was lying on the bottom of the lake ~ that it what was throwing me off.

Tenn Boy , I think you nailed it ~ I remember there was a drop on the screen at just about that spot. It makes sense that the water would magnify the screen colors ~ great job. I was getting ready to don some speedos, a mask and go find it... Guess I would have been looking for a long time. Thanks

I bought a new fish finder. It's a Garmin Striker Vivid 7cv. I took it out yesterday and clicked a few screenshot photos to show my buddies. These shots were on the "clear view" option and shows a school of crappy. I did not at first notice the object on the bottom of the lake until I was looking at the photos later. A rather strange looking thing and I was impressed with the detail the Garmin captured. Obviously it's a made man object and not far from the smaller round object to the right of it. I would be interest in hearing your speculations as to what it might possibly be?

I was at home in Alaska sleeping (at that time there was a 5 hour time difference from the east coast). My brother called me about 4:30 in the morning and told me to, "Turn on the TV, we're about to go to war!"

That is true ~ I know some bank fisherman that don't even bait their hook so they won't have to get up.

I knew it could be done in a day... $3,500 was just robbery.

For her birthday my wife, Sharon, wanted a new kitchen. And who could blame her, what was there was the original kitchen done when the addition was added onto the 1779 house back in the 30's or early 40's. The sink was one of those 80 pound porcelain, one-piece behemoths and the metal cabinet under was mostly painted rust. The cabinets were as thick with paint as they were with wood and all the latches were broken off. See before and after photos. I went to Lowe's and picked out the cabinets, counter top, sink and backboard. Then I got and estimate on having a professional crew come in and do the install (just the install labor) they wanted $3,500 ~ WHAT! ~ No thanks! I called my retired carpenter friend and he and his carpenter son came over and we put the whole kitchen in in 11 hours, cutting the counter top and sink hole too.... BAM, just like that! Sharon and I painted the kitchen walls green and I dyed the curtain in some left over paint to match the walls. Not too shabby. I paid my friends $400 each for their excellent help.

Yep~ Sometimes you're the windshield and sometimes you're the bug.

Yep, I made it from the bed to the recliner ~ there's no stopping me now!

The trailer will come... the boat will be sitting in the driveway.

Your enthusiasm just makes me want to sing; "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah, Zip-A-Dee -Ay My- Oh-My -What - A-Wonderful -Day...

Thanks Tennessee Boy

I checked too, found nothing . ~ send it, like to read it.~ Thanks

Yes, a fish on the first or second cast comes with achievement awards, at least mentally. If you're gonna start, start off right ~ YES, I am invincible!

That reminds me of the blender drink I made this morning.

HA! I nice day on the lake is a slight riffle across the water.

Sounds good, I lived in North Platte for a year. Caught some smallmouth out if the Platte River just out of town. Lots of rattle snakes were I was fishing back up in the rocks. Yep, I hate the hot, sunny "dog days" of summer ~ more than ready for the cooler weather. Noticed an up-kick on top-water already.

Nice big boat, LOTS of water and big smallmouth. You are fortunate to live in a smallmouth paradise even thou you have a longer winter and ice-over to contend with. Unless I'm on a river I don't get to use my jet outboard much as I fish lakes either electric motor only or gas motors of 9.9 or smaller . If I could do a video, I'd do one for you of my Minn Kota FourTrax 80 revving up ~ that'll send chills up your spine.

I too prefer cloudy days, overall it just averages out to better fishing. If it's not cloudy day I cast to shady spots when they are available, that includes deeper water where healthy aquatic vegetation is.

Yes, the table's set....

You got that right ~ We're all riding a train and there's an end of the line somewhere up ahead.