Spring Discovery, Crappie as Big as Tilapia!
I have heard it said that no winter lasts forever, and no spring skips it’s turn. This weekend was for me a celebration of spring!
On Good Friday I shared a special painting with some of my art students and told them a story about how the hymn The Old Rugged Cross was in my mind and stayed with me until I completed my watercolor of the Old Rugged Cross.
Friday evening, at home, Michelle and I enjoyed pizza and a movie. The Life of Phi touched another chord with me. Then on Saturday morning, I drove to Warsaw, Missouri with “Old Paul” so that he could see his niece Wanda and maybe catch some fish. We drove west from Jefferson City and ran into a thunder storm near Sedalia. I felt as if spring was about to take its turn, as the windshield wipers worked hard in the driving rain! And I felt the rain on Saturday morning was indeed a prelude to April showers and May flowers. After the dry winter and terrible summer drought of 2012, I did not mind the rain, even on a morning when I hoped to fish. The bluegrass and gospel music “Old Paul” played in the car, reinforced my feeling that all of nature rejoiced! As we passed by an old farm, I glimpsed yellow flowers from the ground, and the grass in places grew thick and green. I imagined birds flying joyfully from the South-land. The warmth of southern winds and sunshine released the streams, and they too would soon sing the songs of summer.
|
“Old Paul” and I met his niece Wanda and her husband Mike at their beautiful place, with a view of Truman Lake. The only prior face to face meeting for me with Wanda had been on a sad winter day, at the funeral gathering for Linda, “Old Paul’s” daughter. It was my first meeting with her husband Mike. March 30 was a happier day and we enjoyed time in their home, and I was happy to get to know Mike a fellow fisherman! As we talked, I drew a fish for him, and then we drove with them to town and enjoyed lunch in a little restaurant on Main Street of the quaint and historic town of Warsaw. |
After lunch Mike bought some minnows at a local bait shop and we headed for a place on Truman Lake where we believed we had a reasonable chance of catching some crappie. I love crappie and every week I enjoy preparing fish for two special people: Jim Dunn and “Old Paul”, if there is enough I also share what I catch and cook with my neighbors. I hoped the catch from Truman Lake would yield a new supply for my almost empty freezer! Once we began to fish the wind picked up in a classic March way and the sun seemed to fade as if winter was trying to return. We fished for a time without success, but made new friends and Mike promised the next time at the lake would not be from the shore but in his boat.
I was happy and eager to get back on the road again and return for dinner with my wife Michelle and her parents and to celebrate Easter. “Old Paul” seemed a bit tired and we drove home, I was glad it was not raining again and we passed the time on the drive home by reliving past fishing adventures and planning some new ones.
I was happy and eager to get back on the road again and return for dinner with my wife Michelle and her parents and to celebrate Easter. “Old Paul” seemed a bit tired and we drove home, I was glad it was not raining again and we passed the time on the drive home by reliving past fishing adventures and planning some new ones.
I celebrated Easter morning with my brother Gregg, we walked and were glad to see the first signs of spring after hard winter. It was Easter Sunday and we gave thanks for family, life and our place on earth. After lunch with Gregg and his wife Kathy, I said goodbye and started home. I was driving the car that had belonged to Linda Maloney and I was grateful to be blessed with a car that had low mileage. My fishing adventures put many miles on a car commuting from Jefferson City to Fulton five days a week and of course my fishing trips to Alabama, South Carolina and in search of new fish'n holes continues!
I was leaving brother Gregg's farm when suddenly a story “Old Paul” had told me about a “blue hole” created by the great Missouri River flood of 1993 came to me. In his story was reference to legendary giant crappie in this place created by the great flood. Was it a tall tale or was it true? Like a treasure hunter I made my mind up I would find what I treasure. I changed my course and drove west of Columbia to Rocheport and on until I came to old Highway 40. I saw the river bottoms and began to figure where the land was carved out by the water and my adventure became more promising when I discovered a Missouri Department of Conservation sign that designated a river access. The place was in the river bottoms and was in the approximate location mentioned by "Old Paul" and then, by chance, a fellowfisherman in a truck with fishing rods extending from his truck bed signaled and turned onto the gravel road I was considering. I followed him and when he parked his truck, I greeted him. He exchanged my greeting in a friendly way and I asked him if I could go with him to the place he was walking toward. Sure he said, but it is a ways off. I assured him I did not mind, so we carried our tackle and walked on a raised levy straight west across the flood plain. It was about one half mile before I saw the water. I asked him if the large pond sized body of water was created by the flood of 1993. He said it was and I felt thrilled I had found one of the legendary holes carved out by the great flood. If fish survived the summer drought, it had to be deep I reasoned. Before too longs my new friend is named Kevin landed one of the biggest crappie I have ever seen! Then I caught a big one on my all fish catching imitation shad crank bait! It was unusual to catch a crappie on a diving lure, because crappie attach suspended bait and lures like jigs, they come up from beneath with their big mouths, in a way that reminds me of a vacuum cleaner and inhale their prey. On March 31, Easter Sunday, I caught the biggest crappie I have ever seen! Hey Jim Dunn and "Old Paul" there will be fish to eat this week.