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PACE 2B
THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS
WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2008
Outdoors With Skipper
Not many fish, but still a good time
I t all began with a phone call
from Rick asking if I would
like to go fishing at the dam
at Lake Burton.
I told him I certainly would like
to give it a try. I had read about
fishing for big browns at the dam
and now I jumped at the opportu
nity.
Our crew consisted of Bennie,
Ron, Len, Rick, and yours truly.
We decided to meet at Rick's
pontoon boat at the lake around
8 a.m. last Friday. Len came over
and picked me up, and on the way,
we stopped and added Ron to our
threesome.
The next stop was in the woods,
where we were able to get a cou
ple dozen blue back herring for
bait from a local guide who had
bait tanks at his house.
As we arrived at the dock,
Bennie and Rick greeted us. Rick
had a golf cart waiting, which
was a big help in getting the bait,
food and gear down to the boat.
Soon we were all aboard and
comfortable on Rick’s boat. For
us older guys, a pontoon boat is
nice, big and roomy, with comfort
able seats, and the ability to walk
around a bit.
The lake
was calm
and the scen
ery beauti
ful. After a
20-minute
ride, we were
at the dam.
There were
a couple of
others boats
trolling near
by.
Rick had brought night crawlers
and minnows to go with our blue
backs. It wasn't long before we
looked like a boat rigged for crap-
pie fishing.
Nine rods stuck out over the side
like spider legs. Ron was our fish
finder reader, and kept us posted
on the water depth and where the
fish were showing. “Thirty feet”
was his continual call for the fish.
We trolled and trolled, talked
and teased each other. We noticed
a guide boat nearby boat a couple
of fish, but that was all. Then Ron
hollered to Bennie, “grab your
rod, it’s bending double” Bennie
did just that and the battle was on.
Now Bennie is the senior member
of our group, being some 73 years
young, and a hunter and fisherman
for many years. He played it like
the expert he is, and soon Rick
had the five-pound Brown in the
net. That sure got our adrenalin
going.
We all eagerly anticipated the
next fish, but nothing happened
the rest of the trip. At least, we
knew they were around. Bennie
made us take several pictures
of “his” fish, first with Rick's
camera, then mine, and when we
thought the picture taking was
over, he made us use his camera.
Lunch time came, and the
favorite pound cake that my wife
makes, topped off the sandwiches.
Rick ribbed Bennie about only
providing a water bottle and some
crackers when he went fishing
with him, not a full blown lunch
like we were enjoying.
Rick, Bennie and Ron, remem
bered that cake when we were
together some months ago, and
finished our meal with a piece of
that pound cake. Rick said I would
get thrown overboard if the cake
wasn’t part of our meal.
Now, we all agreed that the
reason Bennie caught the first
and only fish was because of his
new fishing hat, which you see in
the picture. Bennie claims he has
another one and will sell it at a
price to the highest bidder. With
all his years of fishing, Bennie has
a lot of secrets.
Now and then he will part with
one of them, and others he doesn’t
share at all. Well, we had a great
time, enjoyed the trip, and each
other’s company. Perhaps they will
bite better next time. But if they
always did we would call it catch
ing and not fishing.
Let me know about your out
doors story.
Skipper Smith is an outdoors
columnist for The Banks County
News. His column appears
weekly. Let him know about your
hunting or fishing adventure at
706-677-1520.
NICE HAT
Bennie Smith shows off his five-pound brown trout, the lone
catch from a recent outing of some area "expert” fishermen.
V
skipper
smith
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WRESTLING CAMP
Members of the Banks County High School wrestling team took part in a summer camp hosted
by Alex Tucker, the former coach at Kennesaw State University.
Local Wrestling
Camp gives local athletes chance to learn
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
Local wrestlers had the chance
to learn from a top level instructor
earlier this summer as coach Alex
Tucker conducted a camp for area
competitors.
A former wrestling coach at
Kennesaw State University, Tucker
is known for teaching “chain moves”
to grapplers.
“This summer's wrestling camp
was a great chance for our wrestlers
to get a fresh look at some of our
own moves and to pick up some
new ones,” said Banks County High
School varsity coach Kasey Hanley.
In fact, Hanley is looking into hav
ing Tucker return to help start the
2008-09 season with another camp.
The wrestlers who attended the
summer session all benefited,
Hanley said.
“When attending a wrestling camp
or hosting one, a coach hopes to find
one or two moves that their wrestlers
will use,” Hanley said. “Coach Tim
Boling and I were extremely pleased
that there were several moves our
wrestlers liked and want to use next
season. We also practiced on our
own this summer and were able to
attend some summer matches at
Clarke Central against 10 or so dif
ferent teams.”
The BCHS Mat Leopard coach
said he is looking forward to work
ing with the varsity wrestlers he
has returning along with those who
are moving up from Sam Baxter’s
middle school program.
Hanley credited Baxter, Chris
Sayne and Jason Payne for playing a
“major role” in getting the wrestlers
ready for competition in the middle
school and USA levels.
“Many of these wrestlers have also
attended camps this summer and
were very successful in their respec
tive tournaments,” Hanley said.
In addition, Hanley said the boost
er club helped with the cost of the
summer camp. He also thanked the
wrestling parents who helped during
the event.
All-Sports Booster Club wrapping up program sales
The Banks County High School
All-Sports Booster Club is finish
ing up sales for its 2008 fall athletic
program.
All ads and money must be turned
in Friday, Aug. 1. Ads and payments
will be collected this Friday between
6-7 p.m. in front of Banks County
High School.
For information on ads, contact
Julia McEntire at 770-654-5076 or
bchsab@banks.kl2.ga.us.
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