Fishing with my Dad!

[WatterBoy]

After a nearly 3-week stint in the hospital, my Dad (soon to be 75) was finally released just over a week ago. He is slowly regaining strength and energy and wanted to try to do some fishing when I was there visiting this past weekend. I was just excited and thankful to be out fishing with him again, even though we didn't get a single bite on Friday evening when we went out for a couple hours. His back, shoulders, wrists, etc. give him trouble after he casts for too long, so he is usually forced to just toss out a bobber and fish that way. He did catch one bass on Saturday morning with a black crawdad lure he was using when he was able to cast and retrieve. Considering his recent health issues, this was the coolest thing I had seen in a long time! To see him catch a bass was even better than catching a big one myself later that night.

Here is my Dad with his 1lb 9oz, 13.5" Largemouth:


And here is a 4lb 8oz hawg that I caught on Saturday night. Length was 19.25", girth was 13.5" and she was caught using a 5" Yamasenko (green pumpkin w/ red flakes) wacky-rigged on a dropshot. This is the 3rd largest LM I have ever caught (5-2 and 4-12 being the top two).



Too bad I forgot to take a picture of her hanging on the scale and being measured so I could use it in the forum contest (was 41.86% of the IA state record). Oh well, guess I'll just have to catch a bigger one and remember to get picture documentation of the stats!

Only 13 more days until 2010 bass season opens here in MN!!!!!!!!!!!

[BassinNC]

That's awesome watterboy.
That will be a memory u will have the rest of your life I'm sure.

[Backwater Charlie]

I bet your old man's a fine fellow! I went fishing today with my dad and my uncle. Didn't catch a cold (except a 3inch bass ) but was a great trip anyway!

[bamabassman]

Once agian watterboy, i look forward to seeing you're fishing this year. you show some amazing fish. and taking oyur pop is just icing on the cake my friend. keep it up pal.

[WatterBoy]

And now the story gets even better. I caught 4 LM on Saturday night, including the one above, with a 5" senko wacky-rigged on a dropshot. My dad had never seen or heard of dropshotting before. As I was getting ready to head back home to MN on Sunday, he asked if I would rig him up with a dropshot set-up and show him how to use it, so of course I did that. He went out to the lake on Monday night, used it for the first time, and caught a 4.0 pound LM! How cool is that?!? I'm not sure which of us was more excited -- him when he caught it or me when he e-mailed and called to tell me about it.

[carolina-rig-01]

That is awesome! I sure hope your dad continues to recover and I hope you guys get to fish together many many more times. Great pics and it looks like dad is having a ball.

By the way, where is your dad from? I noticed the Kansas City Chiefs hat and was curious about where he is from because there aren't too many Chiefs fans left after the last decade or so lol.

[WatterBoy]

Thanks, C-Rig. My parents live in the north central part of Iowa, but my brother-in-law who lives in southern Iowa is a big Chiefs fan (for 40-ish years), so that's where the KC cap comes in.

[Bassboss]

Sweet fish watter boy! Congrats to your dad for catching them fish too, that second one's prolly a toad for way up there! Hope he recovers well!

[MallenManson]

Very cool, WB! Congrats on the fish, and spending time with your pops!