Disappointed!

At least the weather was good. Casting practice is what I need to do in my spare time. Rick said I casted like I had never fished before. Oh well, I caught a little pinfish and just about threw a bluefish in the boat.

Rick did catch a trout and a flounder.

Maybe next time....

An Afternoon of Fishing

OK so it is Sunday afternoon and Rick, Hatt, Deann and I are going fishing. We don't normally fish in the afternoon. This is different!

Friday my hopes were on going offshore today but why is is that an East wind, even though it is only 5-10 mph, causes us not to go offshore. Maybe we could just go a little out - the dump site - and catch black sea bass. They are one of the best eating fishes to catch. If not, one of my other favorite places to fish is in the Ashley River by our house. The waterways back up to Middleton and Magnolia plantations and it is so beautiful and relaxing there. Anticipation!

Knowing that we were going fishing today, I was on high speed yesterday getting all the household chores and other things that I wanted to do done. Also, a friend of ours, Mike was talking about coming down and going fishing also. That meant I needed to prepare enough food, clean the extra bedroom and have enough food in the house for all of us. So a little extra stress on my part while Rick was on a charter. Excitement!

It is so beautiful today, 73 degrees now and should be even nicer on the water. I hope this is a day of catching and not just fishing. But, even if it is, at least I am getting to go out. Hope!

BOW 2007 Weekend

09/07-09/09: Attended BOW weekend at Clemson Outdoors Laboratory, Clemson, SC (on Lake Hartwell) with Ericka Giacomo, Amy McGaha, Nicole Ewing, Kylie Jeffords and Allyson West.
It was great, as always-here are a few notable events from the weekend.

• Criminal Toll Booth Operator: Kylie drove Ericka and I up there and the other girls followed us. On the way, we went through a toll. Ericka, out of the kindness of her heart, decided to pay for the girls behind us. Kylie handed the nice old lady in the toll booth Ericka's dollar bill and told her that we are also paying for the car behind us. Nice old lady responded "OK". Thinking how nice that was of Ericka, I looked back to see the girls expressions once they found out that they didn't have to pay only to see them paying the "nice old lady" again. What-she took the money I said. After our mouths shut from dismay, we figured out this racket that she and the "nice old lady" in the next toll booth had going on. Oh well, maybe after this post others will read this and start commenting back that they experienced the same thing, then we will expose a racket going on...
• Classes I attended - Land Navigation I & II, ATV Riding and Shotguns. I was signed up for mountain biking but, because the instructor did not show up, I went to ATV instead. ATV riding wasn't as enjoyable as the last time. Usually BOW is held in October and the weather is not as hot but it was 91 degrees that day so some of the girls in the class had to stop riding due to the heat. I still had fun because I never get to ride ATVs normally but Gosh do my muskles hurt! Allyson and I attended Land Nav. together and I can now use a compass to find my way. At the beginning of the shotgun class, my instructor had us scared. After all, why do we want to shoot these guns that will give us bruises and could injure our faces? Knowing that, I was shaking but I really enjoyed it after all. I feel lucky that I only have a small bruise on my arm and none on my face.
• Friday night activities: flipflop decorating contest. Kylie and I decorated our flip flops-mine I borrowed thanks to Nicole buying me a pair and Kylie brought a cute orange pair with her. Kylie's won 2nd place. Mine-not ta! How could the judges appreciate the fact that my flip flops straps, that I made, criss crossed over your ankles without seeing them on. There is no way they could appreciate my hard work at fashion.
• The wine bag: Well, it didn't start out as just a bag that we were drinking wine out of but after the box disintegrated, we just couldn't throw it away. I commented that last year's roomies might want to use the disintegrated box as a hat before the weekend was over. But, we didn't go there...
• Saturday night games: We played Apples n Apples that I had never played before. It was great and I realized that the funnier the card you lay down, the better chance your card will get picked. 2 other ladies joined us and played as well as Steve Bates, the BOW Weekend organizer. He was hilarous!
• Charleston Magazine: Ida, a writer of a column for Charleston Magazine called "Living on the Edge" attended the BOW weekend and is writing an articlle about BOW to be published in Feb. 2008. She was in my Land Nav. class taking video and pics. She wanted to take this class, she said, so that she wouldn't have to rely on men for directions. She also took a group pic of us during which Nicole was commenting that she didn't remember signing a release. We'll let Nicole represent us when the picture comes out.
• My surprises: My terrific husband had told me on the phone, during the weekend, that he had 2 surprises for me. Good ones I said-"Of course" he said. Erica drove back home on Sunday. We pulled up at my house, I went the front door to bring some of my luggage and the door was locked. But, the doorknob was changed and Rick was inside using the bathroom and wouldn't come to the door. Luckily, our good friend Matt, who has a key to our house, was inside our garage. Yes, Matt had a key and let me in. Ericka promptly wanted to know why this guy that was in my garage had a key to my house but I didn't even have a key to my own house. After all, I had been telling Rick that it would be nice if he could fix the lock because it was not working properly. I do appreciate the fact that he did fix it but, what a surprise-locked out of my own house! I'll have to say though the other surprise was a better surprise. Rick had been in the mall shopping over the weekend and decided to buy me a name plaque for my desk with my name on it. I have never had anything engraved with my name on it before. He is very thoughtful...
• Facebook: I have joined our group on facebook and using it for my first time. I figured out that I can link this blog to it and it seems neat.

I can't wait until the next BOW in May 2008-I will do my best to attend and the weather should be better. Is anyone else going also?

08/26/07 - a day fishing for big reds with Rick

08/26/07 - Rick and I had a chance to go fishing since he didn't have a charter. I always feel lucky when I can go.

Just the two of us and we are pretty sure that the big reds are at the Grillage. It's a good opportunity also for Rick to get some more pictures for his website and to post on some of

This one is about 36"

the forums to let the public know what is biting now.

I reeled in 2 of them today, they fought really good. One of them, I fought all around the boat. Bend your knees, reel and pump, reel and pump and reel and pump. All the while remembering to point the rod at the fish even if it means going under some other rods on the boat and maybe even the anchor line-whatever it takes. I must do it right!

Two other boats at close by and watching. One with a fellow charter captain and a charter on board and another boat with a bunch of young guys. While fighting the fish I hear, "Rick she's a pretty good first mate" and "you go girl".

The success of landing 2 good size reds, pictures, bruises, sore muscles and all. Take me fishing....

The Hook

The hook, where it all begins, those feelings of fishing.

I get to go fishing! From the minute I find out that I have been invited to fish, feelings begin. It starts out as excitement and a little bit of fear. Excitement because the days I get to fish are far and few between. Fear because there is so much to do to prepare and will I be prepared?

I will continue this later because I have lots to say but not enough time.