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HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL Time to restock your tackle box If you’re like me, I’m sure more than a few people have already asked what you want for Christmas. Some people have said that it’s hard to buy me presents - but it’s really not. As far as Christmases, birthdays - any day - goes for me, you can never go wrong with fishing gear. So whether you’re mak ing your wish list or trying to decide how to spend a gift card to your favorite sporting goods store, the holidays present an excit ing opportunity for you to load up your tackle box for the upcoming year - arming you with the tools you need to make 2008 the year you catch the big ones. So before you cash in your gift cards on tacky shirts and talking fish, here’s some of the things you’re sure to need in your boat this year. A long, cold winter in the closet or the garage can be extremely damaging to fish ing line. The normal wear and tear of scraping the line on rocks and stumps, the constant straining of the line as you wrench those big bucket mouths into the boat and sunlight all work together to weaken the structural integrity of the toughest, "A trip to the sporting goods store is a great way to spend one ot the cold winter days that stand in the way of yon hitting the water.” - Champion fisherman Boyd Duckett «pfo^?^'-:^ <<: ''' ' gtojap '^%m, i - Holiday classic ’ ABOVE: Northside’s Wykieria Brown sets up a play for the Lady Eagles in their game Thursday at the Savannah Holiday Classic in Savannah. They finished the tour nament 1-3 and fourth. RIGHT: Leah Daniely pre pares to shoot a free throw. Journal/Gilbert Miller UNDERWATER TACTICS By champion fisherman Boyd Duckett best-made fishing lines. Most pros respool their reels after every day of competition. Sure, it can be time consuming - especially when you’re tired - but you don’t want to miss the cut or a paycheck because a fish broke your line. This year, Trilene 100 percent Fluorocarbon debuted and it is the hot test line on tour. All the pros - including myself - use it for nearly every applica tion that requires getting a bait down the in the water. It’s stronger, more sensitive and resistant to abrasions and has almost no stretch. It’s* a must for going after big, finicky fish. If you were really good this year, maybe you’ve got enough money on the gift card to get a new rod or reel. Abu Garcia released the REVO Premier this year, the smoothest, fastest and toughest REVO ever built. The REVO Premier is a heavy duty, low-profile reel - > ' 3aWlsv- < . .. ■•„ /<*/'. -i/ J| VfIHHI ■ »11P' HHHp W* ~ |1 * 0 rj 7'/ j. .s A<s ' ■ 'K f 't*U' r : * ggi that’s perfect for flipping jigs or retrieving crank baits and has all the features you need to land even the big gest fish. Also, Berkley’s new TEC Tools came out this year, too. From the new Pistol Trigger Grips for fish that bite to digital scales arid superfine shears, you’ll be using TEC Tools for years because they’ll last that long. And finally, if you’ve got any money left over, this is a great time of year to pick up some really good deals on baits. Who knows where you’ll be able to fish this year or what the fish will be biting when you get there. I like to keep some various sizes and colors on board. Lately, I’ve been stocking up on pails of Gulp! Alive!. These new baits, packaged in Gulp! juice have more flavor and a better shape and action and are deadly on bass. A trip to the sporting goods store is a great way to spend one of the cold winter days that stand in the way of you hitting the water. Take your kids or grand kids with you and pick them up something, too, that way you’re sure to have some one to share the experience with this year. So don’t let those gift cards go to waste, turn them into something that will help you catch the fish of a lifetime in 2008. Boyd Duckett, from Demopolis, Ala., is the 2007 Bassmaster Classic cham pion and currently fishes the BASS Elite Series. SPORTS Public meetings set regarding dove season structure Special to the Journal The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division will hold eight public meetings across the state in January to pro vide the public an opportu nity to comment specifically on the current dove season structure as it relates to late-season opportunity and opening day shooting hours. Any changes in hunting reg ulations will be considered by the DNR Board of Natural Resources for approval in May 2008. Those interested are encouraged to bring these meetings to the attention of others that also may be interested in participating. BROWN From page iB any kind from one card to another from the stands right behind the Eagle side line to those in the stadium seats behind one of the end zones. There was only one thing I could do in looking at my scoring sheet, and that’s put 96th Q instead of the cus tomary 4th Q. There was no way they could lose after that. It was also great to see some of the former Northside players from the 2006 groundbreaking champion ship team ori the sidelines, including Mitchell Bell and Mario Armstrong. Though I must admit, upon seeing Bell wearing a black sweat shirt with a big W on it, I’m thinking it was Armstrong with his Western Michigan attire. “Hello Mr. Armstrong. Heard you got some playing time up in Michigan.” “I’m Bell, but Mario’s right here.” “Oh, well, hi Mr. Armstrong. Heard you got some playing time up in Michigan. Was it cold up there?” Yes, the shirt Bell was wearing was from Western Carolina. Guess the word “Catamounts” under that W should have been the give away. And yes, he is a part of this Southern Conference program. Being so close to the site of my first professional job of sports writing (Wayne County, Georgia), it stands to reason that I might run into some old friends from the good old days. Kendall Keith is a former University of Georgia start ing offensive lineman and currently the school super intendent in Wayne County. THIRD From page iB He blocked two shots in the first quarter, made a steal and converted it into points by taking a long out let. The Eagles had two 3- pointers in the period, which ended at 18-8. Northside’s scoring pace slowed down in the sec ond with only four points in transition. They had two player-control fouls against them, and when they tried to run time off the clock, Westside tied the score on a breakaway dunk. That got the Eagle scoring touch back as Morton answered with a three-point play and Ward followed in a miss at the buzzer to make it 27-22 at the break. It took another loss of the lead - Westside going in front by one three minutes into the second half - to get the Eagles offense on track. Hagain scored on a Ward assist, and then Ward put two the board next on a Morton pass. Northside did waste two inside opportuni ties late in the third until Nick Bass and Rashad Young worked together inside to keep the Eagles in front, 35- 34, going into the fourth. The Northside boys will take on Central High of Macon on Friday to start the J.B. Hawkins Invitational hosted by Crawford County High in Roberta. Host Crawford County and Spalding are also in the boys field. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2007 ♦ All of the meetings will begin at 7 p.m. and will take place on the following dates and at the following loca tions: ■ Jan. 7, 2008: University of West Georgia food Services Building, Carrollton ■ Jan. 7, 2008: Jefferson Civic Center, 65 Kissam Street, Jefferson ■ Jan. 7, 2008: Altamaha Technical College, 1777 W Cherry Street, Jesup ■ Jan. 8, 2008: State Farmer’s Market, 16 Forest Parkway, Forest Park ■ Jan. 8, 2008: Earl M. Varner 4-H Center, 220 South Circle Drive, Swainsboro ■ Jan. 9, 2008: Wilkes County Superior Courtroom, 23 East Court Street, His son, Kasey, was a top lineman on the high school team when I started there in 1992, and after his senior year in 1993 he signed to play at Southern Mississippi. Kasey went on to have a fine career for the Golden Eagles, which included All- Conference USA first-team honors and a trip to the Liberty Bowl his senior year. I followed that career with stories in my newspaper, and Mr. Keith, as I was mov ing from Jesup to Americus, helped me load the truck as a kind show of appreciation. Well, both father and son were there in Waycross Friday, Kasey as big as ever and the family still as appreciative as ever. It turns out Mr. Keith and Danny Carpenter here in Houston County have known each other for years going back to their days with Georgia football. Wayne County High is one of a handful of schools look ing for a new football coach this off-season after endur ing back-to-back 1-9 sea sons. It’s kind of sad news for me because the coach who was there, Craig Davis, was on the staff there when I worked there. Lamar County High has also posted its football job as being open. Calvin Scandrett, the previous coach there, is another gen tleman I got to know and respect well when he was an assistant in Macon County and I covered that school for the Americus paper. But the Trojans haven’t gone to the playoffs in quite a few years and had 1-9, 2-8 and 3-7 seasons, and in some places that won’t work. There is one job I fore casted that would be avail able, and it goes back to that Wmtm® €hfetomm \ Wmyfem \ wmM&y/ mvn&ws \ ~~ ". " i j Sf {SPav/c I _____ i / jj U 11 521 F. Satterfield Road, RO. Box 74 Perry, Georgia 31069 (478) 224-4443 Did we mpture \ x-v~> ,# Kowr photo? Click on the big blue \Vk our website at www.hhjnews to see. If we did, you can more right from your fWWw.Hhjnews.com Washington ■ Jan. 9, 2008: Roquemore Conference Center, Georgia National Fairgrounds, 401 Larry Walker Parkway, Perry ■ Jan. 10, 2008: Leesburg Public Library, 245 Walnut Avenue, Leesburg Any participant at a meet ing may present data, make a statement or comment, or offer a viewpoint or argu ment, either orally or in writ ing. Statements should be concise to permit everyone an opportunity to speak. For more information on the meetings, visit the WRD website at www.gohuntgeor gia.com or contact the WRD Hunter Services Office at 770-761-3044. 1-AAAAA talk at the begin ning. Colquitt County High missed out on the playoffs in each of the last two seasons, so it stood to reason there would be changes coming in Moultrie. The Packers went 2-8 in 2007. The year before they had four region losses, two coming in triple overtime. Tim Cokely actually resigned from that job and went back to North Florida Christian in Tallahassee to replace, of all people, Casey Weldon, the former Florida State quarterback who played for Cokely at NFC. Well, let the shuffling begin. COMEDY CORNER: I realize how serious things are in our state, what with the governor going on tele vision and telling us not to wash our cars and all. When we followed Northside to the Georgia Dome for that thrilling semifinal game, we found out how bad things really are. Let’s just say that, you know you are in Atlanta these days when a soda machine has instructions on how to use the ice dis penser. One more: I got my 8-year old niece a box of crayons for Christmas (not really, it was a Barbie doll). Yes, a box of crayons, or, as col lege and pro football coaches call them, contract signing tools. Remember, folks, this is my day and my night job. Music Lessons f Mtuxxc 150 S. hoistoß Lake ltd. (lieu deal Zeldt'e) I Wuacrltobl.. 4ra-9mi391 3B lass. 57839 ■ HI ■ \000W754_