I've been hunting a whole lot this month, but still haven't put one on the ground. Seen a few good ones, but haven't had the shots. To take a buck here at Lake Quivira you have to earn it, so to speak. We have implemented an "earn a buck" program, where in order to shoot a buck you must first harvest 5 does. I need to shoot 2 does this season before I can shoot a buck, and even the does are giving me nothing to work with! Oh well, I live for this time of year, and I just know that sooner or later I'm going to cross paths with the right critters.
BASS just recently announced that there will be a classic berth for the winner of the College Bass Championship starting in 2012. I hope my guys at KSU get to work so that they can have a shot at being a part of it! Alot of the elite series anglers have mixed emotions about this sort of stuff, but in all honesty this is the best way to grow and perpetuate the sport and its industry.
Next week I am going to be rooting for Bobbi and several other fisherman's wives as they relay race across Florida. These girls have been preparing for this for a long time, and I am really excited to show my support for them. I think it will be pretty cool to switch rolls, Bobbi the competitor and me her support. We will be back in time for Thanksgiving, and back in time to get in on the tail end of the rut!
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
Autumn Update
Wow! I've been so wrapped up in deer hunting that I have completely spaced out my blog! I just got home from being in the stand all day. No bucks on the ground yet, but I did see a couple of shooters, just no shots. That's the way it goes though. I didn't really want to be done with the season anyway, because I just got started!
I got my boat from last year's elite season sold! Which is a big relief for me. I took the wrap off the boat and truck by myself, which I haven't done before. I sold the boat down in Louisiana, with the help of some friends down there. Now I'm making room for my new boat, and working on new sponsorship opportunities. I got to get all of the companies that will be on the new wrap figured out, which is always some work but fun all at the same time.
Been crappie fishing quite a bit lately. Have caught 250 out on LQ since the last blog post. These fish are just stacked up and ready to eat!
Let's see, since the last post we had halloween with the kids, which is always fun watching them on a sugar rush...
BASS was officially sold to the Jerry McKinnis group, which ultimately I think is a good thing. The Elite tournaments and the Classic will still air on ESPN, but now it will all be done under new "management".
I got my boat from last year's elite season sold! Which is a big relief for me. I took the wrap off the boat and truck by myself, which I haven't done before. I sold the boat down in Louisiana, with the help of some friends down there. Now I'm making room for my new boat, and working on new sponsorship opportunities. I got to get all of the companies that will be on the new wrap figured out, which is always some work but fun all at the same time.
Been crappie fishing quite a bit lately. Have caught 250 out on LQ since the last blog post. These fish are just stacked up and ready to eat!
Let's see, since the last post we had halloween with the kids, which is always fun watching them on a sugar rush...
BASS was officially sold to the Jerry McKinnis group, which ultimately I think is a good thing. The Elite tournaments and the Classic will still air on ESPN, but now it will all be done under new "management".
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
I just got back from New Orleans last week and man did I have a blast down there! I got my game plan put together, and am excited for February to roll around. I elimiated alot of unproductive water, and also found a few good areas. We caught alot of fish, and not just bass. On any given cast down there you are likely to hook up with a redfish, sheepshead, trout, or flounder. It is just unreal. Those redfish are so aggressive and so much fun. There were instances when we were bass fishing that we would see a giant school of reds swim by, and make a cast towards them with whatever we had on and catch them. We had doubles and triples on reds on everything from jigs and texas rigs to topwater frogs! And these fish weren't small. We caught fish up to 15 lbs! I also got to put my new rods and reels to the test while in New Orleans. I got the new Wright & McGill Micro Honeycomb rods and Victory reels, and they are awesome! They handled everything I caught down there with ease, which definitely gives me confidence in them going into next season.
Besides having a great time fishing, I also got to hang out with some good friends. We stayed at Cajun Fishing Adventures, which was awesome, and no we didn't use their guide service! The accomodations were great, and the cajun food was out of this world. Honestly I can't say enough great things about this place, they have an awesome operation. After Katrina they had to completely rebuild there lodge, and it is just beautiful. I really want to say thanks to my good friends Richard and Ken Sherman and everyone at Cajun Fishing Adventures. I had a great time down there, and wish I had a good excuse to make a trip like that more often! Check Cajun Fishing Adventures out at www.cajunfishingadventures.com
Now it is back to the real world. I am working hard to get my boat sold, I just took the wrap off myself over the weekend. Getting all of my loose ends and necessities done and out of the way now so that I can enjoy a November full of deer hunting and time in the woods.
This past weekend we had the Howell family - Randy, Robin, and their 2 kids-,as well as Jill Lane, and Angie Faircloth stay with us. All the wives participated in the Kansas City Marathon as a relay team. Randy and I got to play Mr. Mom over the weekend. We took the kids out fishing and caught about 75 crappie. On Tuesday I went out crappie fishing for a charity trip for Ducks Unlimited and caught 102 crappie. We'll just say that I'm done filetting fish for a while!
Now I wish I had a deer hunting update for all of you, but sadly I haven't had the chance to get out at all yet. I am hoping to get out before November rolls around, but we will have to see what happens. Hopefully by November we will actually see some real Fall weather instead of this warm late Summer weather we've had lately! I can only hope anyway!
Besides having a great time fishing, I also got to hang out with some good friends. We stayed at Cajun Fishing Adventures, which was awesome, and no we didn't use their guide service! The accomodations were great, and the cajun food was out of this world. Honestly I can't say enough great things about this place, they have an awesome operation. After Katrina they had to completely rebuild there lodge, and it is just beautiful. I really want to say thanks to my good friends Richard and Ken Sherman and everyone at Cajun Fishing Adventures. I had a great time down there, and wish I had a good excuse to make a trip like that more often! Check Cajun Fishing Adventures out at www.cajunfishingadventures.com
Now it is back to the real world. I am working hard to get my boat sold, I just took the wrap off myself over the weekend. Getting all of my loose ends and necessities done and out of the way now so that I can enjoy a November full of deer hunting and time in the woods.
This past weekend we had the Howell family - Randy, Robin, and their 2 kids-,as well as Jill Lane, and Angie Faircloth stay with us. All the wives participated in the Kansas City Marathon as a relay team. Randy and I got to play Mr. Mom over the weekend. We took the kids out fishing and caught about 75 crappie. On Tuesday I went out crappie fishing for a charity trip for Ducks Unlimited and caught 102 crappie. We'll just say that I'm done filetting fish for a while!
Now I wish I had a deer hunting update for all of you, but sadly I haven't had the chance to get out at all yet. I am hoping to get out before November rolls around, but we will have to see what happens. Hopefully by November we will actually see some real Fall weather instead of this warm late Summer weather we've had lately! I can only hope anyway!
Friday, September 17, 2010
The Off-Season
It's definitely the off-season. Not alot of fishing going on to speak of, mostly working around the house and getting ready for deer season. I am definitely excited about my trip to New Orleans here in a few weeks for classic pre-practice. My Dad is going down there and fishing with me, so it should be a real good time.
Looking back, on the last month or so, Bobbi competed in her first mini-triathlon out here at Lake Quivira. It was awesome. She did a 500 meter swim, a 9 mile bike ride, and a 5 mile run. I was defintely impressed, and kind of got me to thinking that maybe I could do something like that with her in the future.
We are still getting into the groove of having the kids off at school all day long. Mason is also playing baseball right now, so it is fun to get out and watch him play. I spend alot more time doing house chores, and preparation for next year's season. Right now I am working on getting all of my stuff ordered for the Triton I will be running in 2011. Most people don't realize how much work it actually takes to get all your batteries, graphs and the like. I also plan on doing some real work here pretty soon. I am going to powerwash and seal the deck and the driveway, and for a fisherman that is definitely real work.
Now the work that I have put into deer season is starting to come into fruition. The food plots are coming up, and I have seen the first scrapes of the year. I got my trail cameras up, so now I am looking forward to getting some pictures of some monsters with velvet hanging off their antlers! Everyday I do some bow practice to keep me sharp and ready for the season.
When I get back from New Orleans there are two things that I have to do. 1 is get to work on getting my boat from 2010 ready to sell, and 2 is get in my tree stand and get to work on knocking down a good buck!
Looking back, on the last month or so, Bobbi competed in her first mini-triathlon out here at Lake Quivira. It was awesome. She did a 500 meter swim, a 9 mile bike ride, and a 5 mile run. I was defintely impressed, and kind of got me to thinking that maybe I could do something like that with her in the future.
We are still getting into the groove of having the kids off at school all day long. Mason is also playing baseball right now, so it is fun to get out and watch him play. I spend alot more time doing house chores, and preparation for next year's season. Right now I am working on getting all of my stuff ordered for the Triton I will be running in 2011. Most people don't realize how much work it actually takes to get all your batteries, graphs and the like. I also plan on doing some real work here pretty soon. I am going to powerwash and seal the deck and the driveway, and for a fisherman that is definitely real work.
Now the work that I have put into deer season is starting to come into fruition. The food plots are coming up, and I have seen the first scrapes of the year. I got my trail cameras up, so now I am looking forward to getting some pictures of some monsters with velvet hanging off their antlers! Everyday I do some bow practice to keep me sharp and ready for the season.
When I get back from New Orleans there are two things that I have to do. 1 is get to work on getting my boat from 2010 ready to sell, and 2 is get in my tree stand and get to work on knocking down a good buck!
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
End of Summer...Deer Season is Getting Closer!
A couple weeks ago I had a couple guys from the Kansas State Fishing Team come out for a morning of fishing on LQ. Ben Fuchs and Keith Cole were fun to fish with, even though the fishing wasn’t all that great. It was a treat to spend time with them, and really learn about all the time and effort that goes into the sport of college fishing. Collegiate angling is really making leaps and bounds towards the perpetuation of the sport of tournament angling. I really look forward to working with these guys more in the future!
The day after Ben and Keith came out to fish, we had a youth fishing derby at LQ. Mason won the panfish division, and got to bring home a really neat bluegill trophy. There were lots of kids out fishing, and it was great to be a part of it. One boy caught a 30 lb. grass carp! With the way the bass fishing has been out here lately, I might have to think about becoming a carp angler! The kids started school last week, which is pretty exciting for us. Mason is in first grade and Makayla is in kindergarten, and they were so happy and excited to go to school!
As summer comes to an end, I find myself really getting excited for deer season. I have been working hard in preparation of the season, putting in food plots, bow practice, and hanging stands at my Dad’s farm and mine. Every year my goal is to have stands hung before Labor Day weekend, this way the deer have plenty of time to get used to the new object in their environment.
Last weekend I went to the Triton owners tournament on Truman, out of Long Shoal. I was the weigh-in MC and had a lot of fun doing it. I didn’t get to fish this event, but I did see all of the fish that were weighed-in, and thought it was worth noting that there were no dead fish brought to the scales. I really think this is a testament not only to the effectiveness of Triton’s live wells, but of the health of the fishery at Truman. I got to say, as excited as I am about deer season, this weekend really made me want to get out and do some fishing! Next weekend I will be at the ABA fish-off on Big Hill for Labette county. Should be fun to watch the weigh-in, and hang out with some fellow Kansas fishermen.
While there isn’t really a whole lot going on this time of year, I still have to work on my schedule. At the beginning of October I will be going to the Gander Mountain in Hattiesburg Mississippi for a Costa Del Mar promotional event. After that I plan to head down to New Orleans to do some scouting around for the Classic. I am going to take as much time as I need to try and get an idea of where I want to spend my official practice. There are about 3 or 4 key areas down there that typically produce, but they are all cyclical, so it will take some work to find the most productive areas. I’m also kind of keeping my fingers crossed that I come across some redfish too! Those things are so much fun!
The day after Ben and Keith came out to fish, we had a youth fishing derby at LQ. Mason won the panfish division, and got to bring home a really neat bluegill trophy. There were lots of kids out fishing, and it was great to be a part of it. One boy caught a 30 lb. grass carp! With the way the bass fishing has been out here lately, I might have to think about becoming a carp angler! The kids started school last week, which is pretty exciting for us. Mason is in first grade and Makayla is in kindergarten, and they were so happy and excited to go to school!
As summer comes to an end, I find myself really getting excited for deer season. I have been working hard in preparation of the season, putting in food plots, bow practice, and hanging stands at my Dad’s farm and mine. Every year my goal is to have stands hung before Labor Day weekend, this way the deer have plenty of time to get used to the new object in their environment.
Last weekend I went to the Triton owners tournament on Truman, out of Long Shoal. I was the weigh-in MC and had a lot of fun doing it. I didn’t get to fish this event, but I did see all of the fish that were weighed-in, and thought it was worth noting that there were no dead fish brought to the scales. I really think this is a testament not only to the effectiveness of Triton’s live wells, but of the health of the fishery at Truman. I got to say, as excited as I am about deer season, this weekend really made me want to get out and do some fishing! Next weekend I will be at the ABA fish-off on Big Hill for Labette county. Should be fun to watch the weigh-in, and hang out with some fellow Kansas fishermen.
While there isn’t really a whole lot going on this time of year, I still have to work on my schedule. At the beginning of October I will be going to the Gander Mountain in Hattiesburg Mississippi for a Costa Del Mar promotional event. After that I plan to head down to New Orleans to do some scouting around for the Classic. I am going to take as much time as I need to try and get an idea of where I want to spend my official practice. There are about 3 or 4 key areas down there that typically produce, but they are all cyclical, so it will take some work to find the most productive areas. I’m also kind of keeping my fingers crossed that I come across some redfish too! Those things are so much fun!
Monday, August 9, 2010
Kids, Grass Carp, and Graduation
Been having a good time at home the last few weeks. Bobbi’s family came to visit after we got back from ICAST, and we had some fun. Mostly trying to stay out of this awful heat lately, but managed some fishing with my son and nephew. We went out crappie fishing and caught 15 or 20 crappie, a couple of walleye, tons of bass, and some carp. The kids have been seeing some big carp up shallow lately, and really wanted to catch some. We chummed the water with corn, and the kids caught several nice carp. Mason caught a grass carp that went 45 lbs! I couldn’t believe it!
Went to Labette county and helped out with a youth fishing derby in Parsons over the weekend. It was a pretty cool deal to be a part of. Eagle Claw helped out a lot with prizes and give aways, and KDWP helped out too. That night I headed back to LQ, and got ready for my 20th high school reunion. With all this stuff going on, it made for a busy weekend, but we had fun. It was really cool to see old friends, and people that I haven’t seen since graduation.
Not a whole lot going on in our world lately, but that is just as well! It’s really nice to have some time off, and be able to be at home. Next weekend, a couple guys from the K-State Fishing Team are coming out to do a little fishing. It’s going to be hot, but I think we will be able to get on some fish.
Went to Labette county and helped out with a youth fishing derby in Parsons over the weekend. It was a pretty cool deal to be a part of. Eagle Claw helped out a lot with prizes and give aways, and KDWP helped out too. That night I headed back to LQ, and got ready for my 20th high school reunion. With all this stuff going on, it made for a busy weekend, but we had fun. It was really cool to see old friends, and people that I haven’t seen since graduation.
Not a whole lot going on in our world lately, but that is just as well! It’s really nice to have some time off, and be able to be at home. Next weekend, a couple guys from the K-State Fishing Team are coming out to do a little fishing. It’s going to be hot, but I think we will be able to get on some fish.
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