By Marty Dixon/Staff Correspondent
It’s been a couple of weeks since you last heard from me, so let’s get caught up.
I’m still not fishing any for a couple of reasons. First of all, the old boat is in for servicing. Everything is running okay, and the guys at Browns Outboard in Glencoe are doing some work on the Yamaha.
The second reason for not fishing is lack of motivation. This year it’s been difficult to get motivated to fish for a number of reasons, one being that I’ve had absolutely no desire to get cold like I did when I was younger. I’ve been watching a lot of You Tube fishing videos and working on tackle for the upcoming season.
This year, Brother Butch and I decided to fish in a club, generally known as The Poor Folks Bass Club. It’s an appropriate name for our fishing situation. We’d like to thank the club members for extending an invitation, and we look forward to getting to know the guys. Our first meeting was held at The Loft tackle shop inside Bucks Boats. I’d to send a shout out to Colin Fourt at The Loft for keeping it open and providing a nice discount for club members. Colin is a good guy, so go by and see him for your tackle needs. If he ain’t got it, you probably don’t need it.
With some motivation and a few fishing trips, I hope to have more fishing content soon. Perhaps I can get going so you guys can commiserate with my miseries.
I do, however, have a fishing report from one of my fishing buddies, Super Dave Wesson, who fished this past weekend in cold temperatures in a small local tournament. He clued me in on what went right and what went wrong for him. I appreciate Super Dave for giving me the straight on everything. I was supposed to fish with him in that tournament, but I wussed out because I hate the cold.
Dave weighed in 17.5 pounds, which was massive considering the conditions he fished in. After working the mouths of creeks for three hour and throwing out everything and the kitchen sink to no avail, Dave eventually found some warmer water in a couple of pockets, so he made the move to shallow water. He wound up catching all 17 pounds in less than three feet of water while throwing the chatterbait and won the tournament.
Dave did mention that he had five bites all day and boated all five fish anchored by to five-plus pounders. The river water has been dirty and moving a lot, so that contributed to the move to the shallows. The river temperatures have been in the low to mid-forties.
Before I check out for the week and check on the old boat, I’d like to pass on some information. The MLF Anglers Association is putting on a banquet on February 26, and they are looking for people to sponsor tables. The banquet will include a casino night and a silent auction on tackle and the like, as well as a couple of professional fishermen with the chance to fish with them. The table donation is tax deductible, and the money goes to the foundation and a restocking program for Neely Henry Lake. I’ve had several people interested in restocking, so here is a chance to contribute. Contact me via Facebook at Neely Henry Bass Fishing or personal message or e-mail if you are interested. I will put you in touch with the right people. I plan to be there shaking babies and kissing hands. For the right amount of money, I won’t take my photo with you.
Until next time, keep warm and tight lines.
Marty Dixon is a 1982 Sardis High School graduate and retired high school educator and coach. He was head coach of the Gadsden State women’s basketball team from 2015 to 2019. He and his wife Texann live in Gadsden. He can be contacted at fishn4funin02@yahoo.com and the Neely Henry Bass Fishing page on Facebook.