How lucky can one person be?

Tuesday noon, Faceville Baptist Church fried fish with trimmings, last Wednesday at the Dothan Country Mural dedication, I was fed cheese grits with whole shrimp peeled, shrimp gumbo, baby back ribs, sliced pork loins and very good sweet tea.

Thursday morning, Bainbridge pharmacy had the same thing on its menue, Thursday evening, St. Mark’s Seafood, owned by the Tookee Brothers, at the Stone Crab Opening Day with all the stone crab legs I could eat.

Then, Saturday night, the Recovery Volunteer Fire Department had a catfish and mullet supper with covered dish. My poor belly will never be the same, but it was sure good.

Pam Martin-Wells fishen at Shreveport, Louisiana’s Red River, which was way above flood stage.  At the last minute, the officials shifted it to nearby Cypress Black Bayou Lake. She won second place and retained her lead as the Angler of the Year and will fish the Bassmaster Classic on Lay Lake with the men in February 2010, in Birmingham, Ala. I hope to be there.

We may have another fisherman from Bainbridge there, Chris Neely, if he’s lucky in his next tournament.

Sunday, the Hydrilla Gnats held a club tournament out of Wingate’s Lodge. Chris Neely took first with five fish at 26.37 pounds and Big Fish at 7.40 pounds. Nic Jeter took second with 10.52 pounds and third Big Fish at 5.65 pounds. Nick Brown took third with 7.83 pounds and second Big Fish at 6.41 pounds.

And we note with great interest that the most powerful tournament fisherman in the Gnat’s history came to the scales with one fish that tipped the scales at 0.96 pounds, but that one fish made him the Angler of the Year in the Hydrilla Gnat’s Club. Congratulations Paul Tyre.

The T.D.S. Tournament out of Ingrams Marina on Talquin sponsored by the Phone Co. and the Chamber of Commerce, 38 boats fished, it was a benefit tournament for a scholarship fund for Gadson County kids for learning and to attend T.C.C.  Ed Gardner took first with 17.3 pounds, Sean Neel took second with 15.4 pounds and Dallas Johnson took third with 14.6 pounds. A good time was had.

Winford Mobley and friend took 24 shellcrackers and several catfish on wigglers. Some of the Bass Pro’s pre-fishing, sed they saw bream fishermen pullin bream all day long for two days (calm and warm). We also think the crappie will be plentyfull and in shallow water, we also hope they will hit good.

Now we know that the hybrids will do very well during the winter months. Next year will be a bang-up year on hybrids and you can look for more and bigger talapia coming to the hill.

Wingate’s Fishing Report

Oct. 18, 2009

Lake surface temp: 56Lake level: FullClarity: MuddyFlint: MuddyChattahoochee: Muddy and fastSpring Creek: Crystal clearReport provided by: Jack Wingate