Lets return to Yesteryear, err I mean yesterday, in the continuing adventures of Skunked Again aka Grasshopper aka Goophyman. Friday, I put out the call far and wide to any and all to see if any might have a backseat free on a crappie outing, and who was the only to respond?, none other than The Sage, Ernest.

So we set out on our journey in fog shrouded Lake Lewisville around 7:45 AM yesterday headed for the I 35 bridge in search of the mighty, elusive crappie. Additionally, it was our charge to further learn the inner workings of the magical side scan radar. We creep along on our journey for fear of endangering ourselves by ramming another boat as well as minimizing the loss of facial appendages due to wind aided frostbite.

Arriving at our destination, we began our scanning at the third trestle on the south side because wouldn�t you know it, others had beat us to the place we anticipated would be holding fish. As we scan and move using the right side scan only, little to no fish were showing on the magical hummingbird instrument, so we reversed our search and moved to the North side of the bridge only to find again someone had beat us to the place we thought would be holding the mighty, elusive crappie.

Undaunted in our search, between the first and second trestles on the north side of the bridge, the eagle eyed Sage spotted something on the magical hummingbird and we began to fish. Ernest using his learned skills on the trolling motor masterfully moves us back and forth between east and west sides of this gap and we commence to fish. In very short order, again in his teaching ways, the sage lands 3 crappie all over 12� as grasshopper looked on with amazement.

We continued on our epic journey fishing for the mighty, elusive crappie in this gap between these two items of structure protected by the I 35 bridge cover, and with consistency born of years of experience, the sage continues to land crappie after crappie. The grasshopper was not to be left out tho, in the end the score was Earnest 14 keepers (only one was 11�, all the rest were 12� or greater), the grasshopper 2 keepers but both were 12� or greater. Additionally we both landed 2 each sand bass keepers, but we released these trash fish.

Two things to note on this trip, 1) the crappie seemed to be scattered and suspended rather than grouped or schooled and 2) for the first time in my experience the ratio of dinks to keepers swung to the keepers side. We both caught several dinks but totally probably no more than 10 total between us.

Lastly, using the words of the Sage, these �honker� keepers we took home we requested for a photo shoot to which the grasshopper finally remembered while filleting the 7th of the 16 so much to his regret he failed in his mission to take photos. Again, I will say how much I appreciate the invitation from Ernest. Since I went on a guided trip with him last November he has been nothing but an awesome teacher and mentor to me in the crappie fishing arena and I can�t thank him enough.

Stay tuned to the continuing adventures of skunked again aka goophyman.

Nice story. Maybe I need to put out an "SOS" sometime for a backseat. Do you do that here on the crappie forum itself, or on some other thread? ;-))

Never expect to beat the Pros, but to just catch em' at your expectations and all will be good. I learned that a long time ago.

Glad you had fun, grasshopper.

Its cool you got to fish with Mr. Paty, I'm sure you learned alot, now I think "Almost Skunked Again" is a better name of your adventure this week.

Tracey,
You've missed your calling, forget Crappie fishing and go to writing, you do a masterful job.... Maybe we can get a story written up when we go to Arkansas....
Nice job, see ya soon....
Jigum

Goophyman As i read your story i could almost feel the thump.
Thanks for the article. Hook-em

What a great trip you had with the master himself!! I hope you will pass along what you have learned with others!!!!

Add "The Great Story Teller" to your list of nicknames.

Great story man. I was hooked from the very beginning.

i agree great story

To add to Matthew's comments, my wife is an aspiring writer (won't say of what topics), but sure she could give you some "tips".