For the first day in over a month I feel a bit like a human being again and thought I would type a bit. Pretty much I am trying to get better and if weight loss is any inclination of the problems I am having get this, August 21 I went into surgery weighing 362, August 29 released from the hospital weighing 388, this morning I weighed 335. Lost 53 pounds in 25 days, heck of a weight loss plan that I don't reccommend to anyone but maybe, just maybe I will get better and not see a hospital for a while.

What got you hooked on your favorite fish or kind of fishing?

My favorite is Smallmouth and favorite way to catch them is FNF. I bought my first boat brand new out of the showroom in late spring 2003 and did not get it until the end of May. My brother in law Rob took me out in it a couple of times at Guist Creek for me to learn and then we take a night trip to Cumberland in Mid June. We launch at Holcombs around 10pm in search of Smallies and some topwater Stripers as well, both my first trip for either. Rob had talked to me the entire way down as to how to work the jigs off the banks and what we would be doing for I was a ROOKIE in every since of the way. We get down around Pig Pen wall, which is a whole different story in itself, and Rob is up front and I am in the back because I still can't work the trolling motor very well. He makes a cast standing next to me and shows me what to do for a few seconds then reels it in. I make a cast with my new everything, new rod, reel, line, 1/8 oz Black and Blue bitsy bug jig with zoom trailer and before he can get up into his seat I set the hook. My blue Stren line is running everywhere, the fish jumps a couple of times and Rob is down in the middle with my new net just waiting to bring the big girl aboard. Drag is not stripping because I had not set my drag and she got close one more time and made a jump that I will go to my grave still remembering. I was sitting on my back seat and watched the fish jump high enough that Rob was bent over at the waist ready to net it and he looked up at the fish. She hit the water made a bull run to the bottom and broke me off. Rob said it was a 20 incher for sure, to me at that time meant nothing, but he said it was a sure trophy. My first Smallie ever and the one that hooked me on this species for LIFE.

December 4th 2004, John Davis picks me up at Wisdom Boat Ramp for my first FNF / Silver Buddy guide trip on Dale Hollow. I had just arrived the night before and fished for a couple of hours and caught a small Bronze back and a KY on jigs just before dark but this was my first experience on Dale Hollow. John picked me up on a perfect overcast, cloudy, rainy morning and off to Float the Fly we go. I had tried to cast the fly several times at Cumberland on some Striper trips before but pretty much 2 out of 10 would I ever get it to the other side of the boat. John stops at a spot outside Illwill and he shows me how to cast which I pick up pretty fast and John boats a couple on the fly and off we went. My first on the fly came outside Willow Grove fishing a grass line and then a few more as John ran that Triton all over the lake. Knowing what I know now about Dale Hollow he must have ran 30 miles or more that day showing me the lake, grass beds, rock, black shale and other parts of the lake. Around noon he hands me one of his spinning reels with a 1/2 oz Silver Buddy and we pull up onto this flat in about 30 feet of water and he tells he how to fish the Buddy. We are both making cast and then it happens. I set the hook on a MONSTER Smallie. After one of the best fights ever I land one that is easily 5+. We never measured it but for those of you that have stayed in Johns Cabins and have seen that book with all his pictures in it, I am in it. Look for the Biggest Guy in the book with the ugliest Blue Rainsuit on holding a MONSTER. It really is one of my biggest ever that was most likely pushing 6 but we never measured it and I was way too excited to know better. John Davis taught me a tremendous amount about Dale Hollow that day and in the years since. I know we had our differences that are all in the past but I will never be able to thank him enough for teaching me what he did that day. I think I landed 6 on the fly that day and that one on the buddy and have been hooked to winter time FNF fishing ever since. That night Rob comes down to join me to finish out the week and the next morning on the FIRST cast I land a 4-9 all on video tape as Rob is all about the video. He got everything from the cast to the net job and that continued my fascination of FNF smallmouth fishing in the winter at Dale Hollow. If I am ever so lucky enough to get better and see Dale Hollow again you can rest assured that I will cherish every minute on that water for the rest of my life. Smallmouth and winter time FNF fishing is my favorite as you now know. What got you hooked?