Camp Pop Pop and Grandma Opens for the Summer...

We have a couple of trips planned but it looks like half the summer is going to be spent running camp Pop Pop and Grandma. We took the short version of this, only three grands, out for a spin on the lake to see what it might look like and though we had a few pointers we patiently explained to people in hopes they would incorporate such into a little calmer boat discipline there was the excitement of the last day of school and all that to figure in so over all I think the trip was pretty smooth and we did catch our supper.

Water temps are 79 degrees and clarity slightly stained from the recent rains. We launched from Cassels Boykin, the county boat ramp since Hanks Creek is closed due to high water. It's a bit longer drive but still close to where we have been fishing. 

From the looks of things Milo is going to be a water baby. 

Actually this was Milo's second catfishing trip and I guess there might be some grandchild fatigue as we are only just now getting a photo of him with a fish. With the higher water our spot for the past month is 10' deep instead of 4' deep but after a slow start which caused some to lose their fishing focus the bite was on about 5:30 and we managed 8 fat cats under slip corks. Probably could have had more but with the Flying Zambroski Bros. circus onboard I thought this was a pretty good catch.   

Milo eats catfish. He also ate fried eggplant. He's a big ol baby. When we pulled up to the dock we decided to divide and conquer so the big boys stayed on the boat and me and Milo went to fetch the truck and trailer. If you are familiar with the Cassel Boykin ramp it is on a high hill overlooking the Pophers Creek drainage toward the junction of the old channels of the Angelina and Attoyac Rivers. Probably quite the scenic overlook before the lake and it still is but carrying a big baby up that hill to the parking lot was a pretty good work out. I thought that of I did this every day this summer it would either get me in shape or break me completely down.

Later I related these theories to Miguel, Milo's dad and he warned me of the dangers of mitochondrial impairment due to excessive workouts. I thought the only thing to worry about this summer was the heat, besides I was in a band once that had this so maybe I have some immunity.