2008roadster
Member
Hello to all. My name is Stan from middle Tennessee. I have been very blessed with a father that took me fishing with him from a very young age. I'm told that I caught my first fish, a keeper crappie, at the age of 2 on a broken rod with no reel, a few feet of line and a bare hook. Dad still talks about that day now some 37 years later. He is still surprised at that catch. I fished bass tournaments with him as a father/son team throughout high school and for many years after that. I am now married with kids of my own and have owned 3 big HP bass boats and have fairly successfully fished bass tournaments. I totally quit fishing about 3 years ago when, during a tournament, another fisherman cut me off as I was 2 casts from a point I wanted to fish. I asked if he intended to do that and got the one finger salute as he stated that the mortgage was on the line and he "had" to cash a check at this tournament or else. After several years of being cut off by other rude fishermen and jetskiers that have no courtisy, I had had enough. I finished that tournament weekend, cashed a check, and parked the boat in the garage under its cover and left is there for a year. Not missing a thing, I sold the tournament rig and did not fish for another year except for a time or two with dear old dad. Christmas 2008 I was missing fishing, not tournaments, real bad so I went to Bass Pro and purchased a 1436 Topper 14 with a livewell, a 12 volt Bass Pro trolling motor, and a battery. I fished 7 or 8 times in 2009 on smaller waters and had a ball. Christmas 2009 rolled around and I found a 15 HP Yamaha in good shape. The seller wanted $675 for it so I wrote him a check and brought it home. I also found an old trailer that needs rehab for $100. I am in the middle of sanding all the old paint and rust off the trailer. I have already purchased new tires, rims, hub/bearing kits, and a light kit. I am currently about 1/3 of the way through sanding years of neglect off the old trailer. I intend to spray prime and them spray paint it O.D. Green to match the Tracker boat. Fishing is fun again. My 5 year old daughter loves to go fishing with me. She does fish a little but so far she just wants to play with the minnows. That's fine. She's with me and we are making memories that I will remember 30+ years down the road like my dad remembers fondly of me. Oh yea, Dad. My daughter and I went to a local boat ramp where dad was in a bass tournament today. He only had two fish but he and his granddaughter went across the weigh-in stage together to weigh his fish. That was a big hit for everyone. She and I even got in dad's boat while dad got the trailer. She "helped" load the boat. Ah yes, more memories.
