Foghorn

So sorry for your families loss-will keep you and the kids in our prayers.

Think back to July of 2003 and a couple big browns caught at Bennett. And have fished the Muskegon below Croton Dam for the fall salmon run several timesGood looking water and has good steelhead fishing .Wife has family in North Salem ,IN and he claims they have decent smallmouth fishing in some of the local streams.

Safe travels and good luck to you! We met on the stream at Bennett I think many years ago.You were just a youngster and I was in my early fifties.Time really does go faster the older you get so find some new spots to fish and hunt and use some of that vacation time to come back home. After you've been to the P.M. you may not want to come back.

Hatchery boys said Mon-Thursday schedule for dredging.Was there Saturday and some of the effects must have broke loose as a wall of muddy water messed up fishing for a little bit.

"think we're going to need a bigger boat" heck of a job on a heck of a fish.

Wish I would have followed you over Russ as Roaring wasn't that good. Was nice to see you after all those years.

Must be a really good year for Big River as older brother has caught 4 largemouth over 20".Didn't see all of the photo's and both Al and Brain know him so he may be exaggerating and may be not. Nice fish anyway.

Atta boy Russ!

A couple years ago my wife Susie and I decided to take my ex in laws fishing. They love to trout fish but at the time they were both 82 and Gpa Lowell wasn't doing too good. Some of the OAF members from the Farmington area would know him as Smitty the barber. Both are really nice people as is my wife Susie who allows me to take them fishing. They had never been to Rockbridge and we decided that might be a good choice. They caught 7-8 fish and ex mother in law June had a couple fish pushing 3# of which we took pictures of and she showed them to almost everybody in the county. Fast forward 3 years to this last Friday and here we go again. I had spooled new line on both of their fishing poles and had tied some marabou jigs and the weather forecast was perfect. Rockbridge was the choice again and I know some on the forum scoff at such places but now were looking at 85 year old folks so it was the best we could do. The day started off in a whirlwind as Gpa put their rods in the car and stuck Gma's rod into the framework of the moonroof on our Explorer and it looked like a broken rod would be the end result.Susie tried to remove and then I finally pulled hard enough that it was coming out or going to break and we got lucky. Now to the fishing and it got interesting. Gpa missed a couple of good fish right from the start and then hooked and landed two 16-17" bows. June and Susie went upstream only to come back shortly as June's old reel was messed up.They both reel like crazy when they catch a fish even if the fish is peeling drag off so we end up with line problems. We all ended upstream where Susie and I could C&R and also help them with line and hangup problems which were frequent. June, who can't swim a lick and is only 5' tall had some old boot foot waders on and walked out into 3' of water and started catching some fish.She had 3 nice fish on her stringer when a nice 18" fish hit and the fight was on. She got it close a couple times only for it to take line back out into the stream. The last time she got it close ,I politely said don't let it go between your legs which it did. She looked down and the fish on key swam right back out in front of her and her next step resulted in a swim. I picked her out of the water before her head went under and the first words out of her mouth were" I still got my fish on" . She changed in the car and 10" later was back to fishing. She also has decided that if she got to go again she would have Susie show her how to fly fish. They had enough fillets to make several dinners for them and we all really enjoyed the trip. Guess we will try another trip sometime in the near future.

A couple years ago my wife Susie and I decided to take my ex in laws fishing. They love to trout fish but at the time they were both 82 and Gpa Lowell wasn't doing too good. Some of the OAF members from the Farmington area would know him as Smitty the barber. Both are really nice people as is my wife Susie who allows me to take them fishing. They had never been to Rockbridge and we decided that might be a good choice. They caught 7-8 fish and ex mother in law June had a couple fish pushing 3# of which we took pictures of and she showed them to almost everybody in the county. Fast forward 3 years to this last Friday and here we go again. I had spooled new line on both of their fishing poles and had tied some marabou jigs and the weather forecast was perfect. Rockbridge was the choice again and I know some on the forum scoff at such places but now were looking at 85 year old folks so it was the best we could do. The day started off in a whirlwind as Gpa put their rods in the car and stuck Gma's rod into the framework of the moonroof on our Explorer and it looked like a broken rod would be the end result.Susie tried to remove and then I finally pulled hard enough that it was coming out or going to break and we got lucky. Now to the fishing and it got interesting. Gpa missed a couple of good fish right from the start and then hooked and landed two 16-17" bows. June and Susie went upstream only to come back shortly as June's old reel was messed up.They both reel like crazy when they catch a fish even if the fish is peeling drag off so we end up with line problems. We all ended upstream where Susie and I could C&R and also help them with line and hangup problems which were frequent. June, who can't swim a lick and is only 5' tall had some old boot foot waders on and walked out into 3' of water and started catching some fish.She had 3 nice fish on her stringer when a nice 18" fish hit and the fight was on. She got it close a couple times only for it to take line back out into the stream. The last time she got it close ,I politely said don't let it go between your legs which it did. She looked down and the fish on key swam right back out in front of her and her next step resulted in a swim. I picked her out of the water before her head went under and the first words out of her mouth were" I still got my fish on" . She changed in the car and 10" later was back to fishing. She also has decided that if she got to go again she would have Susie show her how to fly fish. They had enough fillets to make several dinners for them and we all really enjoyed the trip. Guess we will try another trip sometime in the near future.

Nice pic's and report Brian.

Thanks for sharing the memories in picture and in print. Enjoyed the show!

Haven't fished it in years but used to catch some nice bass out of it years ago. Both Grandpa's were lead miners and my Mom's Dad had a minnow tank in the basement of his home in Elvins. You could fish what was then known as the Monsanto lake thru the winter as the water they pumped out of the mines kept the one end open. They have had problems on several occasions with higher temps and low water with pollution from human waste,etc. We fished those minnows and caught crappie from time to time but C&R might be the ticket during the summer months anyway.

Great memories thru the years of Dad teaching the brothers and I so many things. Had him on a friends farm pond catching big bluegill for a couple hours 2 days in a row just a couple months before he died. Mom went and fished even though I never saw her attempt fishing. Was 16 years ago this last week that he went to that big pitcher's mound in the sky.

Atta boy Russ! Still praying for you and the family.

The way Laker and Mrs. T put the hammer on me yesterday at Bennett, I would have been as well off taking a swim. Course the way it was going i probably would have drown and I was always a strong swimmer! Might be a Desloge thing as Al posted he has been in a slump lately too.

Great news for the Agnew family!

Nice fish and release!

Our thanks to Phil for posting the picture of our daughter and the 10# 4oz keeper. Mrs. T and I aren't the most savvy at anything involving the social media outlets and in trying sent the picture to the forum website. Thanks again

Oldest granddaughter plays fast pitch softball so old Grandpa does a little coaching. Second granddaughter is a dancer but has taken this summer off so that frees up a little time.They are 11 and 8 and are my oldest daughters kids. Have babysitting the next 2 days for the 3 and 18 mos. so sleep may be at a premium. Will probably try to the fishing trips like we did when our 3 kids were younger. Dad goes 3-4' in the morning and comes back for lunch,Mom goes fishing the afternoon while kids go swimming and play. Dad starts the evening meal while Mom finishes up her fishing.And thanks to all of you for the kind words and wishes.

And he was 21" long-not a fish but the newest addition to our family. Youngest daughter,Brittani, gave birth to a new baby boy Wednesday and he turned out to be a whopper. Both Mommy and baby are doing great and should get to come home Sunday. August Jack Abts has a brother and sister who are 3+ and 18 months so it will be busy for a while around their home.

Still praying every day for you Russ.

That bow has some shoulders too!

Prayers for you and your family old friend.

BH, that's a feel good story all around-for those you helped,you as a helper and Forum members who have friends and family who are hurting.