This was the first event of the year for Operation North State a 501C3 charity that takes vets fishing in a "Tournament" format for free. 36 boat field this morning and the weather was beautiful. Day started off pretty wild though. I came down to the ramp after getting my partner and I looked. WHERE'S MY BOAT? I'm sure I left it right here! About that time an Iredell County Sheriffs deputy (they help with the logistics of the derby) walks up and says" Is that your boat out there? He points off in the distance. I look out and see my poor little Stratos strapped to the side of a 700HP twin engine beast with IREDELL COUNTY SHERIFF on the side of it. I stammered "UMM, yes? What happened? Did it float away?" He laughed "No we had a medical emergency coming in and your boat was the easiest to move out of the way. We called for you but it was so crowded you didn't hear it I guess. We'll pull it back up and you can have it back. LOL He waved the waiting boat over and the boat holding mine captive pulled up next to the one already tied to the dock and I had to walk through two the the Sheriff boats to get to mine like we used to in the Navy. OK On to fishing. We took off to a bridge that has dredge barges parked next to the rip rap around the corner that usually produces. I put on a bladed jig. 3RD cast BAM! A spotted bass smacked and I set the hook. Pulled him to the boat and he flopped off right before I could swing him in. Cast again BAM! This time I get him all the way to the boat and he throws the hook as I am waiting for my partner to net him at the side of the boat. Well crap. Switch baits. Went to a Spybait. 2nd cast BAM get him in the boat on my new BFS rig I am using for the first time out. YAY! He's over 14 Into the livewell he goes. We work our way down the barges picking up lots of small fish but managing 3 keepers before trolling to the little marina at the back of the cove. I switch to a weightless fluke and horse our biggest fish of the day out from under a dock. 2.25 pounds. That's 4. My partner drags one off the next dock barely a pound but he's over. That's 5 We continue our way around the cove and I see a bass on the bed gaurding fry. I throw a ned rig with a z dude Fuzzy Nugget I have been wanting to try and just let it sit in his bed. He picks it up and he is in the boat. He's big enough but he won't help. Back in the water little guy! 11:30 We pull the trolling motor and head to a place called the big island. It's fairly windy and churned up from traffic so I tie on what I have discovered may be the best buzzbait I have ever used, the Berkley Riveter. I toss it over submerged brush and trees that are just under the surface and absolutely smash them. 6 fish down the bank of the island with the buzzer. I cull up once and that was all. My partner is catching fish switching between a white roostertail and a swimbait on a swimbait head. We finish at the island and by this time it is 1245 and we have to be back at 1:30 pm. So we made a quick run up to stumpy creek which was very crowded and turned around and just opted to fish the cove next to the ramp for the next 30 minutes or so. Caught a couple small ones but nothing exciting and so we finally came in at 1:15 weighed our fish which went 5 for 8.96 pounds and took 5th place overall. Big fish went 4'7 and winning bag was just over 13. My partner who is not a bass fisherman at all said he had a great time learning something new and he thanked me for donating my time and gas for the day to make sure he had fun! Now I'm home reaching for the icepack and the aleve and somewhere upstairs I hear a bed calling my name. Nite nite see you folks later!

Hooray for what you do!

2 hours ago, Swamp Girl said:

Hooray for what you do!

Thank you although it is definitely not about affirmation or recognition. I am just trying to give back a little of what I got from programs like this before I had my own boat. Got 2 more events this week and then I'm done for a month. Stay tuned!

Its really awesome that you get out there and volunteer like that!

Seeing your boat corralled by the sheriff was certainly a jarring start to the day! Glad it was not any trouble.

50 minutes ago, pdxfisher said:

Its really awesome that you get out there and volunteer like that!

Seeing your boat corralled by the sheriff was certainly a jarring start to the day! Glad it was not any trouble.

Yeah they had me going for a minute! I was going through my head trying to remember if I'd left any contraband in the boat. LOL just kidding.