First of all, this site has been wonderful as others that I am involved in but as usual the case the jealousy and immaturity of others makes things difficult. If you can find a person more free with information as I have been then I want to shake his hand. Short of giving GPS cordinates to honey holes and I even did that on one occasion to the spot in Sulphur Creek, pretty much been as up front with what I know and found out as anyone. Even to the point of taking Bassman30 and his partner and told him the pattern on Friday night of the Billy Westmoreland Tourney full well knowing he was fishing against us but also knowing he was a good enough friend that he knew where I was fishing and would not be sitting there when I got there. But he knew what depth, jig color and main lake grass beds was the pattern. I want to publicly say that the following people are not only some of my closest personal friends but also fishing buddy's and I will continue to share a boat with anyday of the week.
Cliff Henson, chunknwind, my best buddy on earth and next to my wife my best friend on earth, love him to death just like a brother
Mike Willey, 3sons, one of my best friends on this planet and one heck of an all around nice guy that would do anything you ask of him
Roy Nave, Bonefish, great friend that I just got the pleasure of spending time in the boat together, see you at UK Hospital or earlier Bone
Mark Bell, George White , Mike Bowles and Billy Elkins have all become very good friends thru this site
And then you have several others that have all become acquaintences and could be friends if you spent more time with them Pasorbass, Eric, Vaun, Ryan, Tim, Doug, Chris, Danny, John, Justin and Dave plus others that I have left out.
This time of year is both my best and favorite time and my most hectic as well. I get PM's and emails daily asking for FNF tips, advice, jig colors and how to fish it. But also I get called out on boards that flat out don't agree with what I catch on the fly at Dale Hollow Lake as well. I am tired of defending myself as to what I catch or those that are in my boat that I catch and have challenged anyone to look up my post, add them all up and just see if I have ever lied about how many or how big. What people need to understand is life is too short and there are way too many things more important to lie about whether you can catch fish or not or whether you need for others to believe that you can fish or not. If you have to lie to impress others about your fish catching prowess then you need to GET A LIFE because yours is pretty sad. Never claimed to do much of anything worth a dime in this world but I do know of a few things I am pretty good at if not GREAT, being a GREAT DAD, being a GREAT HUSBAND, bing a GREAT FRIEND, pretty good at coaching 5-7 yr olds in flag football and pretty darn good at fishing the FNF. Other than being a Professional Patient the past 4 years, which I am GREAT at but had rather not list that one, this is all I am good or better at. Sick and tired of punk 25 yr old spoiled brats driving Daddy's boat with Daddy's truck flat out calling me a liar for what I say I have caught. Never been much with pictures and even then I have 100's of them because if anyone knows anything about the FNF bite at Dale Hollow the first 2 hours of the morning are CRITICAL. 95% of my biggest fish are caught in this time period and why would I want to take the time to get out the camera, turn it on, take a picture or two when that is 5 minutes the fish is out of water and 5 more minutes that I am not making cast. There was one 10 minute stretch on Tuesday that 3sons watched from a birdseye view 15 feet away in my boat where a fish hit is so hard she came under the boat and got off, within a couple of cast I land a 6-2 and was not even going take a picture but Mike pretty much made me, spun the boat around and caught a 5-0 on the very next cast. That is what I fish for at Dale Hollow. It has happened too many times, 5-1 and 4-15 New Years Day with Catchemall in the boat, 5-8 and 5-4 that was caught 3 weeks later with chunknwind in the baot I had the big one and he had the 5-4, 5-4 and 5-5 on back to back cast by me a couple of years ago with 3sons in the boat......should I go on. Just tired of having to defend myself on boards to jealous fishermen who want to see your pictures or your proof that you can fish or not. My personality is not one to not give back. You can ask anyone that was there at the Winter Get Together this weekend and especially the 6 different people that I marked maps up for. Bring any of those maps and compare it to mine and there is not a spot marked that is not on my map and my map contains only spots that I have caught a 4+ pounder on sometime in the FNF season.
I have learned a lot from others on this site and really appreciate all the fishing tips, thoughts and prayers that have been sent my way. But it is time for me to go and the board is better off without me because all I am going to do is get more and more rude at people asking for "spots" or "proof". Don't ask me, don't ask for pictures, ask the guys that fish with me, ask them not only do I catch fish and the size that I say but ask them which boat their biggest fish has come out of and their most fish has come out of. For those in "my Clique" you can still get anything at anytime from me as you have always have. It is not always whether you live on the lake, guide on the lake but whether you can figure out the forage and have spent time on the lake in learning the lake.
To Dave Stewart, you have been not only a fishing mentor that I have learned a lifetime of stuff from but a very good friend as well. You are a credit to your profession and the fishing industry as a whole and I wish Becky and youself all the best but will stay in touch.
To John Davis, you took me out on my first day at Dale Hollow and I catch my first few on the fly and that MONSTER on the Silver Buddy which is probably bigger than my 6-6 but we will never know because the scales did not work but it is in your book in the cabin and is as big as any other fish in it. Thanks for teaching me the first couple of years about Dale Hollow.
To Steve Headrick, you are not only a good friend but an excellent mentor at Dale Hollow Lake. I have learned more about Smallmouth and Dale Hollow from you than any other person and can't thank you enough. Heres to Lynnette and yourself at continueing to build your business and thanks a lot.
In Dave and Steve, I have been very lucky in having the 2 best guys on my 2 favorite lakes become very good friends that not only help me fishing but also check on me when I am in the hospital or recovering. Outstanding people these 2 guys are and anyone would be lucky to call them friends, to which I am.
See you later, hope everyone got back more from me than I did from them.
Elnutsmalljaws
Re: elnutsmalljaws signing off......last post
