Spanky SC

As my Dad said, if your lucky enough to afford to fish for fun and not food, let em go for others to enjoy catching and if need be, eat with their family. I am blessed enough that I can let them go and purchase fish for dinner if need be . I can understand if it means food on the table for some and this is becoming more common. We all pay for a license, it's up to you what you keep and how you fish as long as it is legal.

I think like some of you, I look back and see that I wish I had more days on the water with my Dad. My last day fishing with him was a throw back to days I really don't remember. At age 5, my Mom said Dad went fishing and the truth be known, he never returned to our home. Through the years of their bitter divorce my dad always stayed positive and never really said anything bad about people o even My Mother. As our lives continued, he stayed positive and his children came back to him over the years even though Mom bad-mouthed him every chance she got. Every other weekend, it was fishing with Dad and Boy did we enjoy it. My Dad always joked that he would buy a house for his kids, on a lake where we could fish for as long as we lived. It seemed like a joke because we all had very little money. Last month my Dad lost his battle with Cancer but and I was able to visit with him quite a bit prior to his passing. I met all his fishing Buddies who would take him down the lake in his wheelchair, get him set up for the day, and assist him in any way they could. I live hundreds of miles away and just could not visit as much as I would have liked. When I met his fishing buddies (after his passing) they said most of the time my Dad would talk about the day his dream came true last year and how proud he was of his Youngest Son. My Dad could not make his dream of the house on the lake for his kids come true, as he struggled to make ends meet all his life. He always told us respect your Mother and Elders, work hard, stay positive, and live within your means. Well luckily I listened to him and I was able to puchase not only a piece of land on the water for my Sister, but a second home for the family to enjoy. Last Fall my sister and I called Dad and told him we were taking him to "His" lake. Even though he had to be on oxygen 24 hours a day, we packed him up, drove from Massachusetts to South Carolina, and brought him to "His" lake. When we got to the Lake I informed Dad that through his guidance and support his dream had come true. This was the boat he wanted for his kids, the house on the lake for his kids and to know his kids would be okay. For three days My Sister, My Dad, and I fished from the Bass Boat that I had purchased from sun up till Dad was too tired. This was a big deal because we could only afford to fish from shore when we were young. There was no money for a boat or a canoe, but there was plenty of patience with us as kids. In those three days I watched my Dad do what he loved- Fish and spend time with his Kids. We did catch over Fifty fish and most of the time was spent taking care of Dad- untaggling the oxygen tube from his fishing line, taking the fish off His hook, trying to get him to eat or drink something. I realized that things come in full circle and as he did when I was 5 years old, I was taking care of him at age 72. Every cast it seemed he would tell me what I was doing wrong and then I would pull in another fish, he put on a big smile and say "See what I taught you Son". When I caught and released a 5 # Bass it was time for pictures of Dad holding the fish I caught. I told him we would tell everyone he caught it so he could brag a bit. Dad was creamated and his last wish was to- as he said "Be Caught and Released" as he always taught us to catch our fish, take a pictue and release them. His wish was to have his ashes sprinkled in the lake so that ever day his kids fished, he would be there to watch. We just recently granted him his wish and when I hook that 5#er again it will be a 10#er and I know it will remind me of Dad. For all you parents out there, it's not the amount of time you spend with your children, it's the patience and care that you teach them that makes a difference. Don't let a marriage or relationship ruin your opportunity to spend time with your kids. It takes very little money, and the memories will last forever. Two hours on a weekend of positive, patient , quiet time fishing, with your children will always be remembered even if no fish are caught. How many hours did I fish with no worm on my hook every other weekend with Dad but I still was having fun. I am glad to say that I now have a piece of my Dad with me everyday. I have a cremation necklace around my neck with his ashes in it. I can thank him ever day for every worm he put on my hook, every bobber he took out of the tree, every Zebco 202 he pulled tangled line out of, as well as all the great attibutes he passed on to me. :'( :'(

Thanks for all your comments, it all makes sense now. I am going to keep all your comments in mind, and fish one whole day of the upcoming Memorial day weekend with just a jig. This should allow me to learn these two techniques. Will the fish still be spawning in Wagener/Aiken South Carolina come Memorial day? I will be sure to update all of you on how good I put your knowledge to work on the lake after Memorial Day. Thanks everyone

The only way I have fished a jig is to cast it out and hop it back slowly. I have caught fish but I want to understand the difference between how I fish a jig and what the difference is between Flipping and Pitching. What is the shallowest and deepest water you Flip or Pitch? Do you flip to a dock when your in 10' of water and the end of the dock is in 5' water or Pitch? When do you do one or the other and why? How would you fish a jig when your fishing four feet of clear water and there is a patch of lily pads? Thnx :-/

would appreciate any feedback you all may have on how would you apply your knowledge to fish this type of lake this weekend? The lake is as the follows: - 200 Acres with very little visible structure - We have begun to sink Trees and other man-made structures to better the lake - Lake is fed by large springs - Very clear water- No Wake lake - Very little pressure- only 3-5 fisherman fish this lake as it is in a gated community and most are practicing catch and release - Deepest part is 35-40 feet deep (near the dam) feet deep - Some lily pads and one cove is totally covered with pads - Lake contains Largemouth, Catfish, Sunfish, Shellcrackers, Pickeral ( fish like a pike with large teeth but much smaller). How would you plan your day, where would you start, what would you use, where would you start- Lures, Color, size, technique Thanks Spanky S.C.

I am coming down next week to Aiken South Carolina and was wondering where I could do some LM fishing and what to use. Is there water within an hour and does anyone live near Aiken? Are the fish spawning yet and what should I use to try and catch (and release) them? I will have access to a boat while I am there. Thanks

I will be fishing in a 200 acre private lake in South Carolina about 20 days a year. Because it limits the people who can fish this water, I was thinking of tagging each fish I catch with a simple tag gun. The tags are only 1" long and I have ten different colors. I would catch the fish, weigh it, log it and put a specific color tag that would represent the different weights. If I am lucky enough to catch a fish I already tagged, I would change the color tag to represent what the fish weighed the second time I caught it. Have any of you tried this? Does it makes sense to see how fast each fish grows and how many I would catch a second or third time. Thanks