A glimpse at a dying piece of Americana

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Check out this slice of Americana.  When I was first shown our lake (25 yrs ago), I had just gotten my license.  We would drive out there, buy shiners along the way and continue getting addicted to bassin'.  

This place is so cool, you show up any time, 24 hrs, ring the bell on the shed and you'll see Teds bedroom light come on,.....then the bathroom light,.....then (2 mins later,lol) the hallway light and then Ted would appear in person , jovial and excited for the 2 guys at his back door at 3am.  Great guy.  He also has a frog/cray pond that he would harvest often when I was a kid.  Not anymore.  

I was AMAZED to see Ted this fall, been years since we bought shiners and we ended up cleaning out the regular shop so we figured it wouldn't hurt to go check Ted in the shed, see if he's even still alive. (He was in his 50's when we met).

Here is a short clip of our last visit to

TED IN THE SHED!

[senile1]

Good to see Ted is still at it.  I get kind of sentimental about this kind of stuff.  You hate to see these types of places disappear.  It reminds me of a time when things were simpler, lakes were more secluded, and being on the water with no noise and clamor was a spiritual experience.  

[BASSMACHINE]

Just like the good ol' days! That clip sure brings back alot of memories, of the old local bait shop that used to be near the lake. Young punk bought it out and turned it to a jet ski repair shop! :'(

[JiggaMan512]

i cant watch with volume right now, but it looks like a southern mtv cribs episode (especially when you got a jon with DOUBLE trollers in the driveway, gangsta!) haha.

places like that are one of a kind and come once a lifetime

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Great to see you dont forget where you came from....keep supporting the little guy!

[Lane]

LBH,

Thanks for sharing that video! People like Ted are the backbone of the fishing industry.

I still maintain that big box retailers will never be able to provide the unique products,

and services that small mom and pops give to the consumer. I have found custom lures,

etc, that can't be found anywhere else. They carry the live bait that is specific for their

area lakes, rivers and streams. Again, thanks for sharing.

[Pa Angler]

Nice job Hooker, Good to see the old guy is still at it. It truly is a slice of America.

Chow

[KU_Bassmaster.]

That's the bad thing about Cabela's and BPS coming to your area ...... Those types of places are long gone.

[Keithscatch]

More power to the Ted's in the world. But I have tell ya, if you came to my house at 3am in the morning and woke me up, I wouldn't greet you with a smile or grin. lol.  ;D

[Alpster]

When I was 15, I worked for a wonderfull old man in Clarkston, GA (suburb of Atlanta). He had a bicycle & lawn mower repair shop on one side of the building, with a bait & tackle shop on the other side (Clarkston Bike & Mower). John taught me how to twist a wrench and raise golden grub worms in a plywood box. I build rods now, and I think of him some times, as I watched him fix reels and wrap rods many times. LBH, thanks for the video, I can certainly identify with it. I think the only hope for this part of Americana to survive, is if we pass it along. So, take a kid fishing and tell him the stories about how it used to be. He just might care enough to make some of it come back. JMHO

Ronnie

[Syfer420]

Thats the coolest looking bait shop ive ever seen. I bet that guys chock full of great knowledge!!

[Bassassasin12]

thats so cool. Theres a place like that right down the road from my house.

[Guest avid]

I use to go to a place like that.  You would pull your truck up on the grass next to their driveway.  There was one of these bare bulb lights with a tin hand made shade hanging over a back door.  The light shown on a sign that said "ring bill for bait"  the bell was cowbell with a rope hanging down.

The sign in front of the house, had a spotlight on it.  "live bait 24 hours a day"

You would ring the cow bell and an old gent or lady would answer, always very friendly.  You would buy a couple dozen shiners, worms, crickets, or crawdads, and be on your way.

The last time I was there was about 10 years ago.

[Rattlinrogue]

LBH,that is so cool.Reminds me of when I was a kid.Lots of memories in that shack...and lots of fishing stories too!

[YankeesWin]

Thanks for sharing once again LBH!!

That's too cool! Way too many of those little "by the way side" places have gone. It's nice to see 'Ol Ted still "keepin' it on". God bless him!

[Okeechobee_Cracker]

Ya I have go tho this bait store down the road and ive been going thier for a long time.......thier selling it now.......I sure hope the new owners take care of it :-/