Fishing Report and First No Shirt Photo of the Year...

 In the weekend edition of the local paper they run a little two paragraph fishing report on each area lake. The one for Sam Rayburn Lake said "catfish excellent on windswept points. That's just where we have been finding them and on our trip yesterday we managed 15 fish in 3-4 hours of fishing. That's a little slow by our standards and the wind was not quite as favorable direction wise to put us on the same spot but slip corks, punch bait and some left over bait shrimp I had bought on the las beach trip and lept frozen got me, Cathy and her brother Matt a nice supper.     

Cathy took big fish and probably most fish. She has been in a bit of a slump so it was high time to catch her up on the fish count. She liked a new reel, a Kast King spin cast. We had a bit of trouble with the line originally on the reel with Ezra losing a fish due to a break off and then last trip I lost a fish same way. I think top rod eye was rough and after some sanding and a line replacement with my favorite Cajun line Cathy says she will be happy if I replace our aging equipment with these.  

Matt scores a fat one. When cleaning Matt checked stomach contents on one fish and it was the bait shrimp we used. 

Bent rods. Probably fish 3' deep or less. 

First photo of the year of fish and no shirt. This is some people's favorite part of the blog. 

If you note the folks on the four wheeler in this photo right behind them is a spot against the bushes, now dry where we have taken 10 pound fish. We could use some rain. Usually this is an island and I have not been around it since lake levels dropped so I am unsure how they got out here. This must not be an island anymore. 

Supper was a simple affair. Blackened fillets served over DJ's rice dressing. Today I made a toasted sandwich out of a left over fillet, raw spinach, tomato, onion and mayo. Delish.  

 

February Blue Cat Fishing Report...

 Recent rains have the lake up a bit. After she backed the boat off the trailer Cathy could pull up to the dock barely grounding the bow of the boat for me to step aboard after parking the trailer as opposed to the last time we launched and I had to jump to avoid wading aboard. I also expected the fresh inflow of water to muddy things a bit but the water was clear green and it was a beautiful feels like spring day on the lake in the middle of late winter. 

We set up on a windy point off the main lake long cut with the back of the boat tied off in 18' of water. Normally that spot would be at least 8' deeper and the stump we grabbed would be far underwater but this position allowed us to cast slip cork rigs to 4' of water so the distance of the rise from deep to the bank was probably about 50'. First couple of fish were nice fat channel cats and then blue cats the size of the one in the photo started hitting. I think I threw back one 12" channel as I did not want him to be scared occupying the livewell with the big girls. I had decided I would keep no more channel cats with the size the blues were but I never caught another channel. 

Since we were fishing right on the depth break all the fish we hooked in shallow water provided a challenging battle. When hooked the ran back toward the boat and under the boat to try and reach the sanctuary of deep water. One of the things my dad used to say when he was trying to judge the size of fish you had hooked was, "Is he trying to run under the boat with it?" We say that all the time also. 

Note the lay of the land here in the background. Normally at pool level the water is about 5' deep on the ridge behind Cathy with an old creel drain on the other side. That creek flows out to a big "S" curve in the submerged channel of the Angelina River. We've caught thousands of catfish in this area and I have probably fished it for at least 50 years. Once I found an arrowhead on the bank here and I often see people sifting for arrow heads when the lake is low. I would imagine a beautiful area with many indigenous people living here several hundred years ago.   

Final count was 10 cats in two hours fishing. We could always catch more but because Cathy's replaced shoulder makes skinning catfish harder for her and that makes me principle fish cleaner we quit when I decide I have all the work I need for the day. The Zamoras came over and we fried and blackened fillets using left over gumbo I cooked at the church Fat Tuesday party as a side dish. 

Once again we enjoyed being out in our refurbished boat and thanks go out to our children who put in the time to carpet, install seats and clean. When we talk to other fisherman on the lake and they get a look at us with all the rods and big net in the holders I can tell their impression is, "these people mean business."  

   

  

St. Patrick's Catholic Church Honors Black Catholic Witness to Our Faith...

 Saturday St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Lufkin celebrated the contribution of Black Catholics to the faith with a Mass at Pitser Garrison Civic Center led by the Bishop of Tyler, Greg Kelly and with music by the Liturgical Choir of St. Francis of Assisi from Houston, Tx. Many volunteers from our Lufkin Parish worked together to provide a beautiful alter to celebrate the Eucharist, a great meal with greens to die for and hospitality for all who attended. These are the photos I made. 

The gospel Readings selected for this Mass were from Luke 6:27-38. I found them very though inspiring.

27 “But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.

32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return.[e] Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

I especially like our Pastor Father Denzil's thoughts on the day as published on the local TV station web site:

Father Vithanage emphasized the unity that faith brings, particularly in today’s climate.

“Especially in the midst of racism and division, we are one. Especially when it comes to our faith,” he said.

The event was spearheaded by Father Denzil and Dr. Guessippina Bonner. Father Denzil said the event will be the first of many commemorations for Black history.

I am proud of my church and my friends for the efforts to preserve this history and the story of the people who have lived it. . 

Of course I bought their CD. 

History tells us the first Black Catholics were in Texas in the 1500s and that there have been several Black Popes. 

A great day for all people and it was right here in Lufkin. 

 

  

The Ever Popular Fishing Report...

 Last February, March, April and May there were almost more catfish caught than I could clean. This February is off to a bit of a slow start. Last trip was good fishing deep but it's high time for the blue cat to roam the shallows for world class slip corking. Only problem is the lake is 9' low and the shallows are dry dirt. There are still the old flooded creek channels and instead of hitching the boat to the willows and buck brush there are plenty of the normally underwater stumps allow premium tie ups. 

Using this creek channel strategy and slip corking we managed 5 nice cats even though it was a noisy boat with all three Zamora's on board. I suspect we might have been positioned right in the catfish path of travel from deep to shallow to find our baits and scared off some verses the multiple paths to the shallows that the high water affords but that's just technical stuff about fishing that goes on in my head which is not necessary to verbalize to others who just need to know, "cast over there."

How crowded can a 20' pontoon boat get? Pretty crowded as I didn't make many photos yesterday. 

I did take this photo on the way back across the lake. I think he might have been meditating on how bad he was or contemplating the nap they all took on the way home. 

Five catfish won't feed the Zamora clan so since they were asleep almost before we drove out of the park Cathy took them on to a rendezvous with their dad and I cleaned fish. Pop Pop and Grandma out lasted them again and the prize was red beans and rice with a side of fried catfish. Eat it everyday if I could.  

See you on the lake.

  

     

A Big Announcement at Galveston Mardi Gras...

 It was a big party this past weekend as we camped at Galveston Island State Park to attend the first Mardi Gras Weekend (before the big one) with the Scheurer's and Zamora's joining us. Capping off the parades was the announcement by Miguel and Mary that our #10 grandchild will be a boy. I guess you stick with what you know as it will be their fourth boy and I don't know how many Mardi Gras we have been to. We just keep doing the things that make us have fun. 

They all got blued by the wind blowing the gender reveal smoke back on them but it ended up looking like some kind of Mardi Gras Face paint. 

Parades were good but maybe just a bit shy on the beads. I guess that could be expected as we were standing in the free area along the Galveston Seawall with beautiful views of the Gulf of Mexico as opposed to the downtown area where a fee is charged for admission and and you find all the expected Mardi Gras things. I would imagine the word was out to save throws for the paying customers.

Each year when we attend a parade we store up the beads we catch to use for decorations at our St. Patrick's Catholic Church Fat Tuesday Party. This year the party is Feb 17th at 6pm with Fried Catfish by the Knights of Columbus and Gumbo by yours truly. Plates sell for $10 to benefit Saint Vincent de Paul helping our neighbors in need (97% of funds this past fiscal year assisted our neighbors with the remaining 3% for cell phones, checks, etc...) and gumbo is all you can eat. 

Cathy and Warren beg for throws. Note the long fingers on Cathy's hand. You see that throw coming your way and then those fingers extend and it's not yours anymore. 

You ought to go Mardi Gras. It's a good way to throw a monkey wrench in the cogs of the machine which expects you to be doing something constructive like watching a Kid Rock Concert or something. 

Actually Milo's second Mardi Gras as he did attend last year at age 9 months. He's an old pro now. 

We had a great spot on the Seawall. We got up at 6am and with help from Warren and Coraline who camped one night with us arrived to set up the grill and lawn chairs for a full day of fun. Many folks set up campers. I think some actually camp but others just drop a trailer and pay for the parking space to save a place to watch the parade, cook and have a bathroom. 

Someone decided he like his hamburgers rare. Both Ezra and Warren did a little grill training with Pop-Pop. The torch is being passed and not long till I'm out to pasture. 

Of course we saw good bands in HBCU style with blasting tubas. 

A good time for all. Next year will be old #10's first Mardi Gras.

    

    

No One Is...

I try to make good, catchy photos and from the feedback I get from friends I have been lucky enough to be interesting and amusing. When out on the lake and making photos of fishing fun my wife has often questioned that if what the world needs now is another photo of her holding a catfish she has just caught. I made this photo on a Chicago street in November 2018 and I haven't published it before but it might be what the world needs now. 

I had a good civics teacher in high school and I attend a Catholic church every weekend. I might not be the most eloquent if I had to speak on the subjects but I believe in the rights allowed by the Constitution as well as the human dignity and right to life from birth to death. When I say as the sticker on a lamp post in the photo, "No One is Illegal," it's not just something I'm making up and despite the fact that failable humans are involved there is the weight of these two two proven institutions behind my thinking. 

Not everyone thinks this way and last I looked this is still allowed but noting the online discourse in local news sources I can imagine what people would publicly comment about the public posting of this sticker from almost 9 years ago. 

"Whoever put that up got off the short bus" 

:"I bet they used profanity"

"Outside paid agitator"

"there were like only three people"

"Must have been bused over from the nursing home."

"Probably don't work" 

As I stated earlier people should have the rights outlined by the Constitution which we increasingly see denied immigrants and citizens alike and all human beings should have dignity which is denied when comments like these are made about the folks we meet on the road of life. 

Another photo I made on the same trip. Interesting that Pence is gone but it's kind of looking like he might have saved the country, at least temporarily. Wonder what he thinks now? 

What do you think and who do you get it from? Is it what the world needs? 

Statement from the Bishop of Tyler. 

   

      

 

Wake Up Deadman...

 My music room is worth a blog post at least once a year. Actually I have two music rooms, one full of electric instruments (the acoustic instruments are all over the house since they are not beholden to amps, zip strips and instrument cables) and this one full of records and cds. If you count trombone and three string trance guitar as instruments there is some spill over between the two rooms.  

I spent a good bit of time in this room during the recent deep freeze cold snap picking out a sound track for our cabin fever. I don't know how many titles there are available but I tried to pick things I had not listened to any time recently or those that I might have completely forgotten about. I recently read the book by John Lomax "Confessions of a Ballad Hunter" about his adventures capturing blues, folk songs and work songs by recording the singers in whatever environment he found them. This reminded me I had a cd of Texas prison work songs from the mid 1960s called Wake up Deadman. I could not locate that cd to save my life.    

Generally I file alphabetically except for the records on the floor that are piled into the categories of swing, polka, exotic and George Jones. Since Wake up Deadman is a compilation of various singers there is a various artists cd section which would be a sensible place for it except it's not there. I dug all through the piles in likely spots but no luck. This search goes on a few days and then I decide to listen to Dylan and picking up a handful of cds from the "D" stack and there is Wake Up Deadman. Makes perfect sense, file it under "D" 

The story does not end here. As usual it's on to the next big thing. Our last time in New Orleans at Satchmo Summer Fest I bought a New Orleans Brass Band Compilation at the Jazz Museum. I know I listened to it once and I'm pretty sure it's burned to a USB drive we listen to in the cars but I can't locate it there among the thousands of songs or in the room stacks either. It's around somewhere just creatively filed and I can't recall the exact title to give clues on the location. I do remember it's multiple cds divided into old school traditional bands and newer, modern sounds. 

Wake Up Deadman, find that cd!