One of my best memories with my dad was catching stripe bass and hybrids on cedar creek. He died at 56. Miss you dad.

Way to early to lose a Father. I just turned 60 and my Dad is 94 and going strong; however, he could care less about going fishing. Never was much of a fisherman but man can he work. Still mows grass at several places I think he doesn't want to sit down long enough to fish. Dads are the best when we got old enough to appreciate them.

Sabot42, I'm sorry about losing your dad at 56. I can relate, I lost mine at 60, and he is the best man I have ever known. I was so blessed to have had him as my dad - a loving, caring, responsible husband, father, and strong Christian. I did get to enjoy many wonderful days fishing farm ponds with him growing up and fishing on the lakes together as adults. Miss you too, Dad!!!

Well, my boat is having problems so I'm not fishing much and making reports. I LOVE fishing, but there is something more important than fishing - family. I love my family dearly, yet there is something more important for me, and for each of us, than family. It is being forgiven of our sins and reconciled with our Creator. When that happens, we have a more abundant life here on earth in the more important things, have peace with God, and have hope and assurance that when we leave this world we will go to heaven. If you have not done this and want to, I have explained what the Bible says that God requires in my website www.findpeacewithgod.com and in my sermon on John 3:16 - the most famous scripture of the Bible. I have included links to both in my signature block. If you have already trusted in God's provision and found peace with Him, I ask you to read the website and listen to the sermon and echo my encouragement to all who have not done so to use these resources to help them find forgiveness or sin and peace with God. I thank you in advance. Dennis

John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life."

Amen

Mr. Dennis,

Our world needs more people like you, and we need more of God - and living by his rules, in our lives. I have been on this forum for a long time now, more active some times than others, but have witnessed your willingness to help any and all, for years. Thank you!

I worry for our kids and their kids... the world today is just not working right. They continue to try and take God out of the schools and out of our everyday life. But what they are replacing it with is obviously not working. So many of our paid politicians have forgotten - or never understood - that this nation was build "under God".

Hope you are back on the water soon. I cant fish this weekend - family commitments, but I will check back with you. Would love to have you on my boat anytime!

Ken

I was going to start a rant but then I realized I would be preaching to the choir. Lots of good young people coming up out there, unfortunately there are more bad ones to skew the outcome for this country. Sad to say the blame can fall no further than the parents of these lost souls. Thank you Dennis for your witness and testimony. I pray we can get more people back on track in this country before it is too late.
Brad
P.S. I have never fished or even seen Cedar Creek but I follow this thread due to Dennis's willingness to help others.

Amen, Brother!

Side Note: I am only a sinner, saved by the blood of Jesus Christ!

Hi Dennis!! Been a minute!!! Last visual memory I have of you at CC was you dragging a huge catfish near a dock where Billy Seaman was cleaning our white bass haul! CC is one of the best crappie lakes on the map and dock shooting there is on another level. Hope your boat gets fixed soon

5/27/2023: Memorial weekend company has arrived, and we had our 1st fishing trip this morning from 8:30 AM til noon. It was my daughter-in-law Penney and her neighbor Micah who went out with me. It was a relatively slow day numbers-wise compared to recent trips with 56 fish caught. However, I caught the most and biggest hybrids in at least a year. We caught 9 hybrids, 5 were legal with the largest a 24.5-inch fish., and 4 short hybrids. Unfortunately, neither of my guests caught one of the legals, but Penney netted the 24.5-inch one for me. Four of the legals were caught at Dam Ridge in 32 fow three on a green Boblade and one on my modified Mepps. The 5th was caught at Long Ridge West on a regular #4 Mepps. Here are some pics:

Keep on keeping on. Awesome thread.

Always great to take the family out fishing Dennis ,the BO- BLADE has has made a difference in my catching fish, Mark Bovee makes a great bait . Enjoy your holiday weekend and family . God Bless our troops past and present !

Today I fished early morning for a change. Light east wind after a squall line passed before dawn. Found nothing happening down the west side from the spillway to Merimac and Deer Island, and then we found the SB surfacing on south side of Crappie Island. About 10 acres of surfacing fish (!!!) and not a boat to be found anywhere near us. The fish were a bit finicky, not hitting tailhummers or swim baits, and we finally got them blowing up every cast on an old sputtery clear topwater lure I call a Topfan. Similar to a Heddon Torpedo or Spittin Image with two propellors. Also got some legal hybrids casting and bouncing a silver Sidewinder spoon. This was the biggest concentration of topwater schooling SB/hybrids on CC I’ve seen in years.

Thanks for sharing. What time of the day were they surfacing?

Dennis, we got there about at sunrise and the surfacing lasted about an hour. I figure we missed the first 15 minutes or so before sunrise.