Last July 4th I stuck my left hand into an angry table saw. Got all 4 fingers from the end knuckle down. Had few surgeries over the next few months and finally got back to thinking about work and paddling again in Feb.. A misdiagnosed case of spinal Meningitis took me out for a while. While I was getting that sorted out I saved a pit bull that was run over on the road. Got him back to health and he became a 50 mph 55lb. projectile. A blindside collision took out my right knee which was already having problems. Knee surgery 6 weeks ago and it did not go as planned at all. Still have the torn meniscus they went in to fix.

I was just about to get started on a list of "honeydoos" Sat morning when I realized it had been a year. I declared that if I was well enough to put a new rooftop A/C on the RV I was well enough to crappie fish. I walked past the pro angler loaded for combat (and heavy), threw the bright orange Hobie Outback on a low lawn trailer, grabbed 2 rods and a minnow bucket and headed east a few miles. I figured this was more of a test for my knee and fingers plus much needed mental therapy so I ignored all of the electronics and fishing aids I have amassed and went naked like when I was a kid in a pirogue.

Scary thought of no electronics but I put on my big boy pants and went anyway!

I had to remember go-to basics I used to teach my guests that had no idea of what life was like for a crappie:
Sunny side of a bridge column, move around into the shade, slow vertical saw-tooth movement up and down the full length of the rod while circling it and watch for that tiny tick on your line while falling. No joy for first 5 columns but on the 6th, my line went slack on the fall. A long minute of childlike excitement later I dropped a 13" broad shouldered crappie in my lap.

Then I was rudely reminded that I was wearing running shorts and fish have fins.

Really didn't bother me that much after the scenario started repeating itself almost immediately. I could see in my mind and feeling with my tackle exactly what was under me. A bunch of brush with crappie stacked deep. Although I released all but 2 nice ones that were deep hooked, I caught at least a limit of clearly legal sized ones and more than that of shorts. Only about 10 dinks. Most of the day was right at 10-11". I went through almost all of the 1/2lb. of minnows in less than 2 hours.


I lost my appetite almost permanently after the spinal meningitis but found it again on Sunday afternoon.
Cherry tomatoes, Jalapeno cornbread patties, pork and beans, Battered fried squash and Zatarains breaded crappie sliced thin. My redhead swore I was napping with a big smile on my face. I tend to believe her.

It won't be a year or even a week before I get wet again. A year without fishing ! What in the world was I thinking ?

See Y'all on the water, Phill

Wow! What a bad string of luck!

Hoping you get a few good stringers of fish!

Man Phill when I ran in to you a few months ago I was thinking you should be seeing some good luck on the horizon. Holler if you want anyone to join you.

Thanks Bert, Tommar.

All things considered, I should get struck by lightening if I really complained. Everything that has happened could have gone a vastly different direction. The time off gave me some time to work on other projects I really wanted to tend to. I am even considering getting back into a little video work.

I'll be at Texoma off and on for the next couple of weeks working on the lake house and RV and curing my fishing drought.

When I get back, I'll be chasing whatever is biting on Hubbard, Lavon and maybe fork or Caddo. I'll give you a shout when I settle in and firm up some plans. I'd love to share some water time and find a big ole cat like the one in your sig. really NICE!

Tight lines, Phill

Dang that sounds painful. Glad to see you getting back in the saddle!

Get better soon

Wear a life jacket...

And i might buy a lottery ticket also. things seem to be going in extremes.

Man what a run of bad luck. Glad to hear you making a come back though. My heart attach's slowed me for a couple years too. There isn't anything that feels as good as pushing the kayak out in the water again!

Missed all of 2016 so I know what it's like. I'm slowly getting back and cherish the time when I do.
You don't really understand until it happens to you, so don't ever take being able to do what you love for granted.
Glad you are back!