11-29-2003, 03:47 PM
[cool][size 3][blue][font "Times New Roman"]It has been too many years since I got to fish with my son Steve (TubeN2). And, I had never been fishing with my 15 year old grandson, Sean (TubeNtoo). The game plan was for their whole family to spend several days with us for Thanksgiving to include some fishing, of course. [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]First, my daughter and her family had to cancel their trip from Sandy. Then, at the last minute, Steve's wife and daughter had to cancel their trip, because of work conflicts. I suspect that they were bumped to accommodate the tubes and fishing gear. The guys arrived in a full car Tuesday.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]Troopers that we males of the family are, we decided to make the best of it. Of course, we invited TubeBabe along as an assistant photographer. Wednesday found myself, TubeBabe, TubeN2 and Toobie at Saguaro Lake a little before 7 AM. The air temp was a below normal 34 degrees, but no wind. Water temps ranged from 44 degrees in the shallows out to 66 degrees in the fishing zone.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]TubeBabe scored first, with a feisty leaping ll inch largie at about 745. A few minutes later, I felt the solid thump and heavy surge of a chunky channel cat munching my Roadrunner jig. On 4 pound line, I needed about fifteen minutes to bring in the fish, which later measured out at 27 inches and weighed 7.2 pounds. (Pic included)[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]I thought it was going to be a gangbuster day. But, like so many days that start out good , that was the last fish any of us caught. We covered a lot of water and fished every lure in our combined arsenals, to get only a few more light taps.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]We posed for some pics and were off the water before noon, and the air temp had risen to almost 70 ¦although the water hadn't changed,¦still 66. Notice the green leaves on the trees in the park area. Dined regally on milk and cookies before heading home.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]Filleted the guest of honor, cut it into finger strips and deep-fried it into kitty krispies. The 2 1/2 pounds of fillets from the fish stuffed the four of us the night before T-Day.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]I believe in heredity. As soon as we got home from fishing or shopping, my son and grandson headed out to fish one of the trout lakes stocked for the winter in Phoenix. They couldn't get enough fishing in. And, they showed the locals how to exercise those little hatchery pets pretty good.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]Had a good-sized gathering with other members of the family on Thanksgiving and tried out my new turkey fryer. The bird turned out great and we didn't have to have the fire department join us for dinner. Life is good. After dinner, the boys headed for some trout molesting again.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]Friday we decided to try an afternoon tubing assault on Saguaro...thinking that maybe the water would warm a little and the fishies might be more cooperative. No luck. A cool offshore breeze was blowing when we got there and only got worse through the afternoon. Instead of being warmer, the water temp had dropped two degrees¦to 64.6 at the warmest. [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]We all had several light inquirers, but I brought in the only fish of the day,¦a 14" bluegill. Actually it was more like 6", but when I laid it on my marked apron, the head was on the 14" mark. (See the pic)[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]Headed home into a classic Arizona sunset. I stopped a couple of times to burn a pic. The bright colors kept constantly changing and it lasted the full 35 minutes of the final trip home.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][/font][/blue][/size]
[blue][size 3][blue][font "Times New Roman"]My tubin progeny headed home Saturday morning, even more loaded up than they arrived. My tackletorium is now lighter by several rods and reels, a bunch of fishing books and magazines, some BFT shirts, hats and stickers…and of course a goodly quantity of TubeDudes jigs.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]We have all decided that our next fishing get together will not be so delayed as this one was. Really makes you realize what is truly important in life…and thankful all year for your family and all that it means. Even though all of us deal daily with our own demons and distractions, in the final analysis if you have family and friends that care about you, you have it all.[/font][/blue][/size] [/blue]
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[font "Times New Roman"]First, my daughter and her family had to cancel their trip from Sandy. Then, at the last minute, Steve's wife and daughter had to cancel their trip, because of work conflicts. I suspect that they were bumped to accommodate the tubes and fishing gear. The guys arrived in a full car Tuesday.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]Troopers that we males of the family are, we decided to make the best of it. Of course, we invited TubeBabe along as an assistant photographer. Wednesday found myself, TubeBabe, TubeN2 and Toobie at Saguaro Lake a little before 7 AM. The air temp was a below normal 34 degrees, but no wind. Water temps ranged from 44 degrees in the shallows out to 66 degrees in the fishing zone.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]TubeBabe scored first, with a feisty leaping ll inch largie at about 745. A few minutes later, I felt the solid thump and heavy surge of a chunky channel cat munching my Roadrunner jig. On 4 pound line, I needed about fifteen minutes to bring in the fish, which later measured out at 27 inches and weighed 7.2 pounds. (Pic included)[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]I thought it was going to be a gangbuster day. But, like so many days that start out good , that was the last fish any of us caught. We covered a lot of water and fished every lure in our combined arsenals, to get only a few more light taps.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]We posed for some pics and were off the water before noon, and the air temp had risen to almost 70 ¦although the water hadn't changed,¦still 66. Notice the green leaves on the trees in the park area. Dined regally on milk and cookies before heading home.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]Filleted the guest of honor, cut it into finger strips and deep-fried it into kitty krispies. The 2 1/2 pounds of fillets from the fish stuffed the four of us the night before T-Day.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]I believe in heredity. As soon as we got home from fishing or shopping, my son and grandson headed out to fish one of the trout lakes stocked for the winter in Phoenix. They couldn't get enough fishing in. And, they showed the locals how to exercise those little hatchery pets pretty good.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]Had a good-sized gathering with other members of the family on Thanksgiving and tried out my new turkey fryer. The bird turned out great and we didn't have to have the fire department join us for dinner. Life is good. After dinner, the boys headed for some trout molesting again.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]Friday we decided to try an afternoon tubing assault on Saguaro...thinking that maybe the water would warm a little and the fishies might be more cooperative. No luck. A cool offshore breeze was blowing when we got there and only got worse through the afternoon. Instead of being warmer, the water temp had dropped two degrees¦to 64.6 at the warmest. [/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]We all had several light inquirers, but I brought in the only fish of the day,¦a 14" bluegill. Actually it was more like 6", but when I laid it on my marked apron, the head was on the 14" mark. (See the pic)[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]Headed home into a classic Arizona sunset. I stopped a couple of times to burn a pic. The bright colors kept constantly changing and it lasted the full 35 minutes of the final trip home.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][/font][/blue][/size]
[blue][size 3][blue][font "Times New Roman"]My tubin progeny headed home Saturday morning, even more loaded up than they arrived. My tackletorium is now lighter by several rods and reels, a bunch of fishing books and magazines, some BFT shirts, hats and stickers…and of course a goodly quantity of TubeDudes jigs.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]We have all decided that our next fishing get together will not be so delayed as this one was. Really makes you realize what is truly important in life…and thankful all year for your family and all that it means. Even though all of us deal daily with our own demons and distractions, in the final analysis if you have family and friends that care about you, you have it all.[/font][/blue][/size] [/blue]
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