We Interupt this Fishing Blog...

For some hunting!!!

September brings bird season and they are thick this year. We got to go back to the Duda for part of the long Labor Day weekend for some fun, family, fellowship, and hunting. It was a blast!

I didn't hunt, just the guys. I am a firm believer that if your going to shoot it you better eat it and I don't eat birds. So I don't hunt. They limited every day and had a great feast on Sunday night.

The Three Amigos

I just love that place and wish we could spend much more time there.

I hope everyone that has been hunting has been doing well.

The "Camo Country Club"

Be safe but have fun!

Now back to our regularly scheduled fishing - State Championship in 14 days! Watch out Del Rio!!!

Twin Buttes Tournament

It was a very hot weekend! Weatherbug kept telling me on Sunday that it was ninety eight degrees, but when I got in the pickup, the thermometer was reading 105. I tend to believe my vehicle!

Registration was at Field and Stream (thank you Cliff) and then most of us headed over to Logan's Roadhouse for a bite to eat and a few had a drink or two (the margaritas are great!). I think a fun time was had by all!

The tournament started at 5:45 AM which meant we had to get up at 4:00 AM! Yuk!!! But we did and we even had time to stop at Whataburger for some breakfast. The weather was nice, a bit cloudy and around seventy five degrees and not much wind. Around sunrise, we had a little rain which was nice, but I think it just rained on me and Frank. There were some people fishing about 100 yards from us and the water around them was as smooth as glass. I felt like the "Born Loser" with a little rain cloud just above my head! While we were enjoying the rain, we also noticed a promise from God, a rainbow, in the western sky. It was not very bright but there none the less. I think the worst part of the day, even worse than the heat, was being attacked by gnats and flying ants. Frank didn't believe me when I told him some of those pesky things were ants until they started biting him. I think he wanted to jump in the lake to get them off of him. Those little critters hurt!!! You should see the welts they left on him. As the day wore on and the heat continued to rise we felt as if we should have stayed home. We lost two fish a piece on buzz baits with trailer hooks and thought the day was going to be just like his pre-fishing day - no fish! The mood in the boat was not a very pleasant one, but that too changed. Most of the morning looked like this - just blue skies and the sun shinning bright! It was hot by 10 AM! We both prayed for a little relief; rain, wind, whatever He could do for us to make it through that heat. And He did - He sent some of the most beautiful clouds I have ever seen. It was still hot, but every once in a while there was a break with a cloud over the sun. It was indeed a blessing.

Bored with what we were doing, Frank decided we should change tactics. We started throwing a Hag's Tornado blue fleck, Texas rigged - IT WORKED! About 11:00 we caught fish, both of us at the same time. By the end of the day we had four fish in the live well, three pretty nice and one little dink. We had to measure him again just before weigh in to make sure he still crossed that 14" line. We had a 9.00 bag and were just thrilled. We didn't win, but after Frank's discouraging pre-fish last week, we would have been happy just to have that little dink! (No pictures - we were trying to get them back in the water as quick as possible to reduce stress on them)

We did see another unusual site. We had seen dirt devils all around. Late in the afternoon, one decided to join us in the water. My picture is not very good but you can see how the water was lifting up inside the funnel. It was really pretty neat!

Go Fish or Go Zoo?

There is an open tournament at OH Ivie this Saturday. It is one that Frank and I fish regularly. But there is also a temporary exhibit at the Dallas Zoo, an albino alligator, that I think Mattie May would really like.

So should I go fish with my wonderful husband at a lake that we absolutely love and visit with friends that we only see this time of year, or should I take my sweet little granddaughter, that would live at the zoo if we would let her, to see an exhibit that will not be there for long?

I'm really torn here. Give me some guidance.

I Can Not Believe

...how cold it was! Sunday morning, when we got to the lake it was twenty two degrees!

...how many layers I was wearing to stay warm! Let's say, Randy from "A Christmas Story"!

...how unbelievably sore I am today! Who said fishing is not a real sport? I have the sore muscles to prove it!

...how close we came to not having a fish for weigh in! Weigh in starts at 3:00 on the dot, Frank boated said fish at 2:59!

...how close said fish was to not being legal! Just sweep over the 14" mark!

...how I didn't take pictures this weekend! I have two pictures of a red bird and that's it!

...how happy I was to sleep in my bed last night just after one night away!

...how miserable I was all day, but how much fun we had!

So Much Fun at the 2009 Bassmaster Classic

Just one word -

WOW!!!

We are having so much fun!!! Friday we slept in and didn't go to launch but we did go to the Expo and weigh in. What fun. This morning Frank and I did get up and go to launch. So amazing! Tonight we went to day two weigh in which is also elimination day. They cut the field from 51 to 25. To my dismay, Kim and KVD were cut but how amazing to be here when the first woman is competing against the men at the big show! When you consider she finished the day yesterday just behind Kevin VanDam, you can see this is a sport where the women are on a level playing field with the men. As one of the women put it "the fish don't know if it is a man or woman behind that lure". That is so true.

Tomorrow is day three. Frank and I are going to get up a little earlier and hit the launch again. It won't take as long because of the narrowed field. Then back to the Expo and hopefully KVD will hand me the keys to the boat he has been competing in all year. I am sure I will win it (lol)! After that it will be weigh in and the long drive home.

Pictures - yes I am posting this without pictures! Yes, I do have pictures. As a matter of fact, I had to go to CVS and drop them from my cards to disc because I was running out of room on both of my cards, but the computers at the motel won't let me work with my pictures! So I will have pictures as soon as I get home!

So much more to tell you all, but you just can not imagine how much fun we are having. So much fun, we already trying to figure out how we are going to afford making this an annual trip!

Shreveport/Bossier has been a fantastic host. Even with this being the last weekend of Madi Gras, we have not run in to crowds and traffic the way we thought we would. All of the people that we have talked to that call this their home could not be any friendlier! If I wasn't so stuck on Texas, this would be a great place to call home. Thanks Ya'll!!!

2009 Bassmasters In Shreveport/Bossier City

We made it!!! We are in Louisiana all checked in the hotel. Yes we have been to the casino. I left Frank there (I know, not smart) but I am already out for two very good reasons - the cigarette smoke makes me terribly sick and I have already lost money! Neither of those are my favorite things so I decided to come out and find me a computer and start surfing!!!!

The tournament starts in the morning. If you get up early enough (and I know you do if you are interested in the tournament), watch "Mike and Mike In the Morning" (or set your DVR like I did). They are doing their show from the launch site in the morning and Frank said he is going to do everything he can to get on the show. This is frightening for two reasons 1.he can act pretty weird sometimes and 2. it is Mardi Gras here. Don't look for me! I will be in a good position to take pictures just in case he really does achieve this task.

It has been a fun trip already and I plan on having plenty of pictures, but I don't want to hold up this computer any longer (not that there is a waiting line - I think everyone but me and the employees are in the casino).

I will check in soon!