Art Appreciation Night On The Tour

The mountain bike gods shined upon Brighton Recreation Area tonight as rain was everywhere in the area except in the park. The ride was great but the tree carving within the park was equally cool. I'm not sure if that is a new addition to the park; regardless, that is some outstanding work. My last wood carving attempt resulted in a trip to the hospital so I can appreciate the effort.                                                                    Trail Head

                                        

Badwater Bass Club - Session I - Kent Lake - Duck, Duck....Goose-Egg!!!

The math speaks for itself on the production yesterday morning in the opener of the Badwater season at Kent Lake. Eleven guys fishing for six hours. Those eleven guys throw roughly 30 casts an hour which bring a grand total of close to 2,000 attempts at a legal bass. Of those 2,000 attempts, only five fish (all from one boat...interesting....) made the weigh-in. It was nice knowing you Kent Lake but I don't think the tour will be coming back anytime soon with that kind of output. It can't be the fisherman's fault in that we couldn't bring home the bacon, could it? Naaaa. As it always seems to be the case on our fishing luck, a guy at the boat launch on the way in was talking about how they were hitting them pretty good between 6-7AM but the production fell off after that, the time right about when we got there.   

Congratulations to the Team Vaden boat for taking all the winnings today. The other fisherman, well, we have our work cut out for us.

Trail Head

fog welcomed the Badwater opener

   

 

big fish

 

Almost a No-Hitter and Walkerton, Ontario Hits The "D"

It was no surprise there was a full moon in what I experienced in the "D" tonight. Some good and some wacky scenes. Case in point number one.We had a group of eight tickets in the right field bleachers but the people sitting in our seats were adamant that they were in the right and we were in the wrong. EVERY SINGLE SEAT! Who knows, maybe we were in the wrong section. It wasn't worth the battle and after it was all said and done, Comerica is a great park to walk and we got to see the final innings of the 8 1/3 inning no-hitter (so close) in the rock star section on the third base line. The "don't talk about the no-hitter" jinx is all a bunch of bully as I was calling for a no-hitter after the first inning. Joe Mauer is a great hitter so my talking about it had no bearing on the outcome. There is my two cents for tonight.

A shout out to Mike W. for making the trek east from Portage for the game tonight. A gold star also to the "woo!!!" girls from Walkerton, Ontario (pic below) whom we met while enjoying some pre-game beverages. The ladies came to the "D" about a year ago for a concert, had a great time, so here they are again taking in a ball game.  Walkerton is on the Sarnia side of Canada for those keeping score at home, about four hours from Detroit. Keep on keeping ladies.

Trail Head

see through building

Crouse conference

 

 

Walkerton, Ontario posse

 

Riding Rainout - Gas Station Campaign

There was optimism in the air at about 3 PM today that the rains coming through the area would clear and the big head would be able to mountain bike at Island Lake tonight. It was not to be as while I might have been stupid enough 10 years ago to get both my ride and clothes full of mud, in my wiser years, I choose to get dirty another day.      

All was not lost for the evening; however, as I stopped for gas at Novi Road/Grand River on the ride home from the park. I slid the card in, threw the pump in the tank and went back inside my truck because it was darn cold outside. I look over to my left and there is a car with Coleman Junior's name and number on the side of it getting gas right next to me. Who the heck is riding around Novi with that on the side of his car (possibly just off the highway)? A few seconds later, out walks a fella with a very bright khaki suit in pure campaign mode, junior. Everyone got a hand shake and if there was a baby present, you better believe said baby was getting a kiss. The American spirit, alive and well in Novi tonight.

Trail Head 

No-Mo Tourney - No Contest

My third attempt for glory in the No-Mo (no motor) fishing tournament has me needing to reassess my approach if I want to continue the effort. The tournament is open to all public access lakes in Michigan and most of the contestants head to the bass mecca of Michigan, Lake St. Clair. Rather than running with the masses and having a chance at first prize (kayak), yours truly goes the stubborn route and tries to fish elsewhere. My lake of choice today was Lakeville. A beautiful lake it is and while I did catch a few nice bass, it's like a junior varsity-varsity scrimmage when trying to compete against the anglers on St. Clair. Case in point is the picture below of the what Doke pulled there  yesterday with Jim. Those are two hogs there.

A shout out to Doke and Laura for making it out to Lakeville this morning. Both had some fine production. Nice bass haul Laura!

Trail Head 

stretch!!!!

Lake St. Clair production

Lakeville

Lakeville

Lake Guntersville - Day 6 - Last Call For Bass

The big head took a break from the boat world this morning as the 45 year-old back that I possess just doesn't like standing in one place for an extended period of time these days. All whining aside, that didn't prevent me from pulling in this dandy off the boat house dock on a pink wacky worm. For all the tackle we purchased before this trip with all the bells and whistles, it still came back to the wacky worm for production.                                    Everyone got their last catch in today before the trek north tomorrow morning. While I was lollygagging on shore, the Al, Jerry, and Slick boat all hit their limit on the north side of the lake while Doke and John O. had some nice girth to present as well. Isn't that the way it is that we finally figure out this enormous body of water on the last day? We definitely won't be working the south end the next time around as we spent roughly an hour yesterday heading there via water as we heard some good things about "Brown's Creek." "What can brown do for you?" Not a whole lot for six fisherman. The north end seemed to be the place to be and we were fortunate to be calling home on said end for the past week.
A great way to kick off the 2013 season.
Trail Head   

view out back yard

 

Lake Guntersville - Day 5 - "The Machine" Rolls On

big f****** fish

Well, the "biggest" claim didn't last long for John O. as Al's 2012 magic seems to have carried over into 2013. The day started innocently enough this morning under some minor fog in the area. After about a couple hundred yards though, the minor fog turned into major fog as you couldn't see 10 feet in front of you. While Doke, Jerry and I were feeling our way in the fog to the marina for a gas topper, Al was throwing a rubber frog into a dense vegetation area and "bam!" a 6.9 pound largemouth jumped up and Al was in business. The man is on a roll in the fishing world.

The sun eventually burned off the fog and while Al's production was the exception today (roughly 10 hours on the water and maybe seven legal fish for the two boats), a great day it was.

Trail Head 

serious AM fog

the crew

"only" a two pounder

 

 

 

Lake Guntersville - Day 4 - Fish-a-Plenty & Mud Bog Alabama Style

Welcome to the fun Senor Slick who flew into Huntsville last night to join in on the bass catching festivities. The sun is a-plenty and my face feels a couple hundred degrees; I love it!

The morning fish today was followed by one member of our party (who shall be nameless) getting un-hinged to the suck hole he created a few days ago with the rains that rolled through. Even clicking into 4-wheel didn't get that one out. While pulling the vehicle out, the neighbor walks by with the only comment that need be said, "you fellas haven't experienced Alabama mud, have you?" Umm, no.

Trail Head

 

 

AFTERNOON/EVENING FISH UPDATE (10:30 PM EST)

The "biggins" have arrived as the 4+ pounders are becoming commonplace. While not a bass, Doke pulled in an 11 pound drum. Al pulled in the attached 4.78 pound, 22 inch largemouth in the last hour.