Ol Captain
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Posts posted by Ol Captain
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Time
In Ecclesiastes 3:1 we read “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” Recently, I have noticed the days are getting a bit longer. We’ve seen new growth on the Weeping Willow trees. Here in north Georgia, several afternoons have reached the 60’s with a few approaching the 70 degree mark. I’ve witnessed the blooming of a few yellow Daffodils along the roadside. I knew in my heart that the time had finally arrived. Is the Ol’ Captain referring to March Madness? Is it time to throw out the first baseball? Is it time to till the soil? Is it time to trim my toenails? I thought you’d never ask……….
Please don’t get me wrong. Fishing from the bank is fun. It is easy can have several people involved at one time but (change of direction) there is just something magical about being aboard a boat………..
Boats are enchanting.There is almost a feeling of weightlessness as the prow penetrates and pierces the water out in front of you.You can taste and smell the sea as the salty spray hits your cheeks. In a boat, you can feel the warmth of the sun on your face and feel the wind in your hair. As Captain, you have the ability to stop and go as you please. At your command, the anchor drops. With a word, the anchor is up and you are once again gliding across the glass.
Did I mention Time? Yes folks, after being garaged for several months, it was clearly time for the ALVA D to make its 2005 debut! The Ol’ Captain spent an afternoon this week scraping off some old registration stickers and replacing them with stickers good through 2007.As a side note to you "pilgrim" Captains, a fellow needs to remove his registration stickers occasionally because if you are not on top of things, they will accumulate
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My guest today is no stranger to our readers. Roger “Bull” Bentley has joined the Ol’ Captain on many occasions. As you can see from the following picture from last summer, we make a great team!
We are however, very careful not to lean too far at the same time on the same side of the boat .
Many of you know that we are almost two full months into 2005 and still we are without a Top Cat. Our goal today was to see some whiskers in the boat and place the raging Bull on the scoreboard! We began our morning with a Cracker Barrel breakfast and by 10:00 AM we were slipping and sliding our way across Sweetwater Park Lake in hot pursuit of the elusive Channel Cat. We bumped the bottom with shrimp and chicken livers until 1:00PM and decided to call it a day. The final result can be summed up in one word.....................
Even though we didn't get 'em today there is always next time. If you ever find yourself traveling a Georgia highway and come upon the following rig just rest assured that you are behind the Ol' Captain and his guest of the day!
Thanks so much for reading our tales!
Until next time,
The OL'Captain
"Be Ye fishers of men....You catch 'em and He will clean 'em."
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Riverside Bridge
Several members of the DRCFA gathered at the Hooch Ramp on Friday afternoon to have a go at the now World Famous DRCFA Scoreboard.
Due to the extreme amount of mud left by the receding Chattahoochee River we had to make a decision. It was way too muddy to fish the Hooch.We decided to try a new venue. Leaving the ramp we headed down Riverside Drive. As we passed King “Butterbean” Wynn’s Fire Station, we knew in our hearts that he would be proud.
This was our first trip to this bridge that crosses Sweetwater Creek so we were all filled with anticipation.
It wasn’t long until the Ol’ Captain and Jerry “Take it Easy” Howard realized that some spots are easier to get to than others but after climbing down a steep, rocky incline the Howard Team was Rockin’ as usual.
I have heard that large Carp and Gar cruise up this creek later in the spring from the Hooch. It is a little difficult to get to but once there it is both pretty and peaceful…..
Now that I have set the stage for yesterday’s tale you may be wondering things like…Who were the guys in the picture? Did anyone catch a Hog? Were there any Pull Downs? I thought you’d never ask………….
The Howard boys were joined today by Charles Turner and Chris Settles. Both are staunch members of the DRCFA as well as fine Americans. You can often tell a man by his tackle. While Sir Charles continues to put his vintage Mitchell 300’s on display at DRCFA events, Chris is very content to fish with his small son’s Scooby Doo rod and reel.
By now you may want to know did we catch any fish? Well, all I can say is not everyone got skunked
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Until next time,
The OL'Captain
"Be Ye fishers of men....You catch 'em and He will clean 'em."
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Great Catch! I love Cats and Carp! Congratulations!
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Cornbread:
I am jealous but I'm sure that you and Big Al will represent the great State of Georgia well!!
Catch 'em up!
Horace
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Thanks Guys !
Horace
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Like father, like son.....or
Rockin' on the Hooch!
Heredity is a powerful thing. We have all heard that “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree”. As parents, we strive to set positive examples for our children. We hope and pray that the values and beliefs that we hold dear will one day be held as close by our offspring. My guests today were Jerry Howard and his son, Jason. Jerry has represented the DRCFA well in these past days. He has held the banner high. Of course he wanted his son to do the same. Did Jason follow in his dad’s footsteps today? Did the Howard family bloodlines flow with Golden pride? Was the DRCFA scoreboard shattered today by the Howard’s Rockin’ on the Hooch? I thought you’d never ask…………………
The conditions today were less than desirable. Temperatures in the low 50’s. Winds gusting from the NW up to 20 MPH. It just didn’t seem like a great day to go Carpin’. But (change of direction) the Howard’s would not be denied! We settled in behind our bamboo barrier around 3:45 PM and at 4:45 Jerry “I’m the Daddy” Howard started the day with a second place, bar raising, 8lb, 2 oz Golden Ghost! This not only raised the second place standard by well over two pounds but also closed the gap a bit between second place and King Bean!
We had barely recovered from the excitement of Jerry’s "Blues Brothers" moment when at 5:10 PM, Jason “This is how it’s done” Howard’s rod pulled down!
It just so happens that Jason's fish beat his Dad’s by exactly one ounce! Was it Nature or Nuture? Is proper Carpin’ hereditary? Who knows? All I know is that a father and son had some fun together today on the banks of the Hooch!
What about the Captain?
As I photographed this unusual sunset……………
I just couldn’t help but wonder how I would have looked today if I had caught a fish …………..
Until next time,
The Ol' Captain
"Be Ye fishers of men....You catch 'em and He will clean 'em."
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Current 2005 DRCFA Carp Standings as of 2/17/05
1. Lon “Butterbean” Wynn 11 lbs, 08 ozs 1/10/05
2. Jason Howard 8lbs, 03 ozs 2/17/05
3. Jerry Howard 8lbs, 02 ozs 2/17/05
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Check out this site:
http://www.catfishgrabblers.com
Be sure to look at the pics and also download the video
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Cornbread:
They may have the biggest Carp but we've got some good sized Carp-Chasers!
Cornbread & Ol' Captain
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Great Stories as well as pictures!
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Preparation
Proper preparation usually produces superior performance. Personnel, supplies and timing can all have a bearing on the outcome of a DRCFA Carpin’ outing. Today’s personnel was second to none. The supplies were above and beyond all expectations. The timing was perfect! Did proper preparation pay off? Did we finally hit pay dirt? I thought you’d never ask………
Personnel
An all star cast gathered together today on bank of the mighty Chattahoochee. If we had a picture it would look like a chapter out of a Who’s Who Carpin’ Periodical:
What a line up! Let’s review the talent……
Jerry “I’m in second place” Howard- Retired Banker and money magnate turned faithful DRCFA Carper. Jerry is focused and knows what the group is all about!
Ol Captain- Founder and Chairman of the DRCFA- a legend in his own mind.
Earl “I can fix anything” Lofton- Best maintenance man you’ll find. Always prepared for emergencies.
Pete “Cornbread” Ellis- Pete has been a Carp Paylaker for over 40 years. He has followed our stories and joined us today for the first time all the way from College Park, Ga! We had the privilege of talking to and fishing with Pete for over four hours today. What a great guy! We hope to see him again soon!
Mark “The Brain” Robertson – Mark is currently a student at Southern Polytech University. He shared with us about his Calculus and Chemistry classes this week. The Ol’ Captain just used “spell check” to spell Calculus.
Supplies
In order to be prepared, proper bait and snacks are essential. We had corn, worms, chicken liver and Wheaties Cereal for bait. Jerry and the Ol’ Captain came loaded with snacks for a day on the bank. Pimento cheese sandwiches, Granola Bars, Pork Skins, and honey coated roasted peanuts were just part of today's fare. A Wal Mart Sub sandwich and Vienna Sausages were also on the menu. Since the DRCFA is very health conscious, we were drinking bottled water and/or Diet Cokes.
Timing
I’d mentioned in the intro that timing is so important! As an example, just this morning Ramona mentioned that she was going to clean out the Fridge today! I thought it very timely to remove the cup of Night Crawlers left there from last week before she found them!
Results?
We were prepared. Our timing was impeccable and our personnel could not be matched. How did we do today? We were skunked!
Maybe next time,
The Ol' Captain
"Be Ye fishers of men....You catch 'em and He will clean 'em."
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Current 2005 DRCFA Carp Standings as of 2/12/05
1. Lon “Butterbean” Wynn 11 lbs, 8 ozs 1/10/05
2. Jerry Howard 5lbs, 12 ozs 2/07/05
3. Roger Bentley 5lbs, 11 ozs 1/21/05
Current "Top Cat" Category
1. lbs ozs 2/00/05
Please support my friend and our top DRCFA sponsor for 2005 by booking a trip with him real soon!
Captain Vic Tison
International Game Fish Assoc. Certified Captain
Board of Directors Inshore Saltwater Anglers Club
Member of Florida Guides Association
Member of National Association Of Charterboat Operators
Member of the Coastal Conservation Association
VIC2FISH & ADVENTURES, INC.
P.O. Box 28208
Jax., Fl. 32226-8208
Web site http://vic2fish.com
(904) 765-4936 office
(904) 699-2285 cell
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Thanks for the kind words. I will begin working on an article soon. When is the deadline?
Horace
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All about Jerry
Several years back we experienced our first symptoms of “Carp-Pull Tunnel Syndrome”. It was then that the phrase…”This Carpin’ Thang is Contagious!” was coined. Still today, the fever continues to spread through the Ol’ Captain’s guests like wild fire! It is indeed a passion!Once you’ve experienced a full fledged Pull-Down you can never be the same! Several of us have fished three afternoons out of the last four. To some of you that may seem a little excessive. According to the DRCFA Member Handbook it is perfectly normal and even expected.
Two friends joined me on the Hooch today after work. We planned on fishing from about 3:45-6:30. We had been blanked both Friday and Saturday so we were in hopes that today the Carp bite would be on! Did Roger “Bull” Bentley continue to blast fish out of the water? Did the Ol’ Captain catch a Personal Best? Or was it “Whistler’s Brother” who stole the show this fine Monday afternoon?
I thought you’d never ask………………………………
I can say it plain, short and simple. Today’s Story is All about Jerry!
After being skunked on Friday and even losing a fish on Saturday this man didn’t quit! Jerry’s attitude is a Hallmark of what the DRCFA is all about! If you get skunked you just keep on Carpin’!
Not that I was looking at my watch, but at approximately 5:05 PM Jerry had a bite:
The bite soon blossomed into a major Pull Down and at this point Jerry was showing a bit of concern:
It was long until the Bull had netted the beast and the Ol’ Captain had this fine Golden Ghost weighed in and photographed:
Even though the fished bumped Roger to third he was proud of Jerry’s catch. Jerry was so excited that he was almost speechless!
We had a great afternoon. It’s amazing that grown men can have so much fun doing nothing but hangin’ out on the Hooch. I hope you will join us real soon. By the way, thanks so much for reading our tales.
The Ol' Captain
"Be Ye fishers of men....You catch 'em and He will clean 'em."
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Current 2005 DRCFA Carp Standings as of 2/07/05
1. Lon “Butterbean” Wynn 11 lbs, 8 ozs 1/10/05
2. Jerry Howard 5lbs, 12 ozs 2/07/05
3. Roger Bentley 5lbs, 11 ozs 1/21/05
Current "Top Cat" Category
1. lbs ozs 2/00/05
Please support my friend and our top DRCFA sponsor for 2005 by booking a trip with him real soon!
Captain Vic Tison
International Game Fish Assoc. Certified Captain
Board of Directors Inshore Saltwater Anglers Club
Member of Florida Guides Association
Member of National Association Of Charterboat Operators
Member of the Coastal Conservation Association
VIC2FISH & ADVENTURES, INC.
P.O. Box 28208
Jax., Fl. 32226-8208
Web site http://vic2fish.com
(904) 765-4936 office
(904) 699-2285 cell
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Great story Guys! But if you want to try fishing ON the river in Atlanta, you'd best be IN a boat! Great Pics! Thanks for sharing!
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Dream Team
It was game day on the city by the River. Some said the town wasn’t big enough for two teams, the crowd, and the excitement. Some remained skeptical while others simply placed their bets and waited for the kick-off. Am I referring to some football game on the St Johns? Is this story about Pigskins or Pork skins? Is today’s tale about Alltel or dare I tell all? I thought you’d never ask…………………..
Those of you who know me well know how much I care about football. You know that it may have been just two days ago that I found out the Falcons didn’t make it to the Super Bowl. I’m not spinning a story of football today. No Sir! I am talking about a real sport. The river isn’t the sissy St Johns. The city isn’t Jacksonville Florida. It is Douglasville, Georgia! The Ol’ Captain is telling about today’s big match-up on the Hooch! Patriots? Eagles? Falcons? No way baby! It was …………..
The DRCFA Dream Team vs The Chattahoochee Golden Ghosts!!
Five of the DRCFA’s finest showed up for today’s game. Here is an individual run down on the Home Team:
Point Guard- Mark “The Shark” Robertson. Mark is a DRCFA rookie but handles his rod well for a young player. Has a bright future with the DRCFA.
Shooting Guard- Gene “I can shoot it with anybody” Sparks. Gene is never at a loss for commentary on Game Day.
Wing Man- Jerry Howard. If he’s not sure of the situation he is fully prepared to wing it at any time.
Power Forward – Roger “The Bull” Bentley. Roger came into today's game averaging six CPG (Carp per Game).
Center- Horace “Lay-Up” LaFavor. Dubbed the "Ol’ Captain" by some, He is said to be able to “lay up” against most any tree when the Carpin' action gets slow.
So what were the results? Was it close? Were there any Slam Dunks? Folks it was a perfect game. It was a shut out! The Golden Ghosts blanked the Dream Team on this warm 60+ degree day in Atlanta, Ga. Player Coach LaFavor was quoted after the game as saying "We may be down but we won’t stay down! We still have our dreams"……………………….
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Welcome to the board! It is a great place!
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New Faces
It was another warm Thursday afternoon. A bit windy but probably close to 60 degrees sitting in the afternoon sun. I punched out at 3:25pm and quickly slipped over to the Hooch boat ramp to get set up. By 3:45 I’d already seen my rod tip move a time or two so I knew it would be another good day of Carpin’ on the Hooch. Within minutes I had hooked into my first of two Golden Ghosts. My guest of the day and 2004 DRCFA Carp King, Mr. Tom Kilgore, arrive just in time to net my catch. It wasn’t long until Tom rose to the occasion with his first pull-down of the day….
Tom’s catch placed him firmly in third place on the DRCFA Scoreboard.
This put a new face on the scoreboard and bumped another off. Oh well, as they say, all is fair in love and Carpin’. This is a fitting example of how the three places will shift from week to week. Many think that “King Bean” already has the 2005 trophy in the bag. That my friends, is totally up to you!
Tom and I were having a grand time but soon (change of direction) we heard the motorcycles pull up behind us on the hill. Was it a Gang? Was there a fight? I was armed with only a vintage Mitchell 300 Rod & Reel. Though fairly lethal at times, Tom only had his well worn, well chewed and well smoked pipe. How would Tom and I defend ourselves? What did we do? I thought you’d never ask………….
What we did was what any pair of good ol’ Southern Baptist Boys would do. We introduced ourselves, had a picture made with our new friends, and invited them to County Line Baptist Church for our NFL (No Friend Left Out) High Attendance Sunday on Feb 6th! ( We want 280).
Ironically our “gang” turned out to be Deputy Ricky Rennicks of the Cobb County Sheriff’s Department and his long time friend and brother in law, Danny Newborn. We talked and shared for over an hour and really had a great time. Along the way the Ol’ Captain got their e-mail addresses and as they say the rest is history. Not only do we have a new face on our scoreboard but you may be seeing a couple of new faces Carpin’ on the Hooch bank real soon.Danny and Ricky hung around and chatted for two reasons. We were having a great time plus they were hoping to see a Pull- Down and a fish. Oh well, a picture is worth a thousand words……..
By the Way.........
How was your attitude today? Are you a positive person or do you choose to whine and complain all the time? Are others drawn to you or do they avoid you as much as possible? In John 10:10, Jesus says that "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." I say keep that chin up and smile! Things could always be much worse.....................
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Current 2005 DRCFA Carp Standings as of 1/27/05
1. Lon “Butterbean” Wynn 11 lbs, 8 ozs 1/10/05
2. Roger Bentley 5lbs, 11 ozs 1/21/05
3. Tom Kilgore 4 lb, 6 ozs 1/27/05
Current "Top Cat" Category
1. lbs ozs 1/00/05
Please support my friend and our top DRCFA sponsor for 2005 by booking a trip with him real soon!
Captain Vic Tison
International Game Fish Assoc. Certified Captain
Board of Directors Inshore Saltwater Anglers Club
Member of Florida Guides Association
Member of National Association Of Charterboat Operators
Member of the Coastal Conservation Association
VIC2FISH & ADVENTURES, INC.
P.O. Box 28208
Jax., Fl. 32226-8208
Web site http://vic2fish.com
(904) 765-4936 office
(904) 699-2285 cell
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Six by Six-Thirty
Sometimes they bite and sometimes they don’t. You go one afternoon and get blanked and the next day the bank is full of Gold. I suppose Carpin’ is just like that. The conditions were ideal for the 21st of January. There was very little wind with temperatures into the low 60’s. Just imagine, sitting there with the sun in your face, a chair to your back and a can of Wal-Mart corn at your side. Folks, it just doesn’t get much better than that.
We had planned a window of Carpin’time from about 4:00 til 6:00 PM. It was extended today due to an unprecedented run by my guest of catching six Carp by six thirty! Who was this masked man? Did he win, place or show on the DRCFA Scoreboard? I thought you’d never ask…….
My special guest on the Hooch bank today was none other than Roger “Bull” Bentley. Roger and I have been friends for over a quarter of a century. We have fished the surf for Blues and Whiting. We have bumped the bottom of the mighty St. John’s River in Jacksonville, Florida. We have shared coffee, campfires, and boat talk on many occasions. Today we added to the memories.
Things were relatively calm today from about 4:00-5:00 PM. Around 5:00 PM my boy “Bull” began his Chatthoochee Carpio Rodeo. Beginning with his first Pull-Down …….
that resulted in this 4 lb, 4 oz brick of gold (on the right).
By nightfall this cowboy had corralled six Carp weighing from 1 lb to 5 lbs, 11 ozs!
Roger's 4 lb, 13 oz fish had an unusual scale pattern and his biggest fish was caught after the sun went down....
By now you are probably asking yourself…”What about you Ol’ Captain? What did you catch?” To tell you the truth I was so busy facilitating the fencing in of these fish that I didn’t catch a thing! Translated, that means that I got skunked again!
We now have our top three places filled with names. It is hard to believe that no one has caught a Cat yet so we have no Top Cat at this point. It is rumored that Chuck “I was King for a day” Wolf is fishing on a road trip tomorrow. Maybe the tide will turn.
Side Note
I think and I ponder a lot. I am ever amazed at how God has blessed me. I love my wife. I love my children.I love my grandchildren. I love the Lord. I love my friends and people in general. I loved teaching for almost 30 years. I love my job at the Car Auction. All these blessings have been mine and on top of all that, the Good Lord saw fit to put a river right next door to where I work. Some may think that’s all a coincidence. I know a song that calls it Amazing Grace.
Until next time,
The Ol' Captain
"Be Ye fishers of men....You catch 'em and He will clean 'em."
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Current 2005 DRCFA Carp Standings as of 1/21/05
1. Lon “Butterbean” Wynn 11 lbs, 8 ozs 1/10/05
2. Roger Bentley 5lbs, 11 ozs 1/21/05
3. Chuck Wolf 1 lb, 8 ozs 1/08/05
Current Top Cat Category
1. lbs ozs 1/00/05
Please support my friend and our top DRCFA sponsor for 2005 by booking a trip with him real soon!
Captain Vic Tison
International Game Fish Assoc. Certified Captain
Board of Directors Inshore Saltwater Anglers Club
Member of Florida Guides Association
Member of National Association Of Charterboat Operators
Member of the Coastal Conservation Association
VIC2FISH & ADVENTURES, INC.
P.O. Box 28208
Jax., Fl. 32226-8208
Web site http://vic2fish.com
(904) 765-4936 office
(904) 699-2285 cell
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Great story Dave!
I'm gonna quit complaining about Atlanta winters!
Horace
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A clear case of Kiss and Release!
AD
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Thanks to everyone who e-mailed our new DRCFA Carp King. By the way, did you know that you can be both a Lieutenant and a King at the same time? That’s right folks. Lon “Butterbean” Wynn is not only the DRCFA’s current Carp King but he is also a Lieutenant with the Douglas County Fire Department. It has also been brought to my attention that Bean recently was recertified in CPR. Now folks, I’m not talking about Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. I am talking about Catch, Photograph and Release! Here is our King holding the coveted 2005 Carp King Trophy....
How long will King "Bean" reign ? I thought you'd never ask.............
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10-4 good buddy. Got it from Fla.
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Lon's address is:
lwynn@co.douglas.ga.us
Horace
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Atlanta’s weather has been unseasonably warm lately. When it reaches near 70 on a sunny January afternoon in "Big A" it is almost a sin not to go Carpin’. I had sent out an invitation the other day for a short Monday afternoon session on the Hooch. There are those who only have a window of time now and then to get out and go. Often, silly things like work interfere with their schedules so they can only get out and go Carpin’once in a while.
My guest today is very dear to me. He is a fellow deacon at CLBC as well as a long time friend. Our main goal was to just sit and relax and talk about our faith, our families, and perhaps some current events. We have both been very blessed so these topics come quite naturally to each of us. We had planned on meeting around 3:45 but due to a last minute meeting at work I was running about 30 minutes late. We baited up and by 4:30 we had lines in the water.
Some folks believe in luck. They eat collard greens and black eyed peas to insure their finances for the New Year. I don’t know if those items help finances but for Carp fishing if I were looking for a lucky vegetable today it would absolutely have to be a “Butterbean”! That’s right folks! My special guest today was Lon “Butterbean” Wynn! Lon was Carp King of 2002 and no one noticed. We had no trophy and we had little or no pictures of the Bean and his catch. Bean has been patient. He has waited and been still. Was what occurred today luck or Divine intervention? I thought you’d never ask………….
Within 45 minutes of our baiting brother Lon had a Pull Down!
At first he didn’t think it was very big then after almost 10 minutes anda few runs up the Hooch, Bean brought this DRCFA record shattering 11 lb, 8 oz gleaming, glistening, hog of a Golden Ghost to the bank! Talk about raising the standard! Long live King Bean! We are not worthy! We are not worthy!
Two other fish were caught by dark. Bean caught another at 4 lbs, 7 ozs and the ol’ Captain finally came through with a 4 lb, 11 oz after sundown.
Please e-mail Lon and congratulate him! It would mean a lot. He is a fine American and has been a local fireman for over 25 years! His address is lwynn@co.douglas.ga.us
Thanks!
AD
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We presented Chuck the revolving Trophy after church this morning. He will keep it until someone catches a bigger one. He will then give it up to the next DRCFA Carp King. Who ever has it at sunrise next Thanksgiving morning will be crowned our Carp King of the year!
Thanks for following our stories. It encourages me and the guys will really get a kick out of it if you will e-mail congratulations each time the trophy rotates!
Thanks so much!
Horace
Riverside Bridge
in Other Species Stories
Posted
Sweetwater Creek runs into the Chattahoochee a mile or so down the creek from this bridge. I've heard that some big "rough fish" leave the Hooch and come up the creek in April. We will definitely try it again.
Horace