Back to Fishing

Not all of my posts will be at the deeper end, some will be fishing related.
My first tournament of 2008 was interesting but disappointing.
My friend Lee and I left at dark:30 Thursday morning for Guntersville to begin our "pre-fishing" for the Bassmaster Weekend Angler Series held today. Haven't fished a tournament since December 8th, and haven't really fished at all since then.
Your going to heckle me about this, but I am way out of fishing "shape". Getting up at 3:30, on the water at daylight, off near dark, freezing cold, aching muscles. I hear you snickering! It's true, I have a real passion for fishing, especially tournament fishing, but it does take a physical toll (when your old and fat like me).
Do you remember the weather Thursday? Launched the boat at 19 degrees and Lee chose to run 12 miles up the river at 68 MPH. I don't know the formula for wind chill, but I can tell you that's pretty dang cold!
Slow day of fishing but what fish we caught were great quality. We had a 6 pounder and 3 in the 3 to 4 pound range.
Friday was much more pleasant! 37 degrees and raining! Caught more fish, but only two keepers. The good news was one bass was 5 pounds.
I am fishing this trail as a "Co-angler". That means that even though a have a perfectly good (yet odd) boat, I chose to fish this trail from the back of someone else's boat. Lee is the best fisherman I know, and I get to "practice" with him a few days before each tournament, in the attempt to learn some new stuff. The bad side to this is you get "paired" out with someone else for the tournament that you don't know, and you have to hope that he knows what he is doing.
For the second year in a row, this trail started at Guntersville and for the second year in a row I got "paired" with a guy that was on no fish! He had pre-fished alot and had found some great fish, but they all miraculously vanished today. Neither of us caught a keeper fish all day! The most beautiful day all week, and the fishing blew!
Oh well, just another chance at humility! God seems to have a pretty clear plan for me and my ego. Every time He lets me win a tournament or succeed in business, He backs it up with a gut check! Funny, He knows me pretty well! He knows my ego cannot stand too much success, and that is a good thing! Keeps me remembering who is in charge and what I am here for.
P.S.- someone needs to show me how to keep the lady readers from entering sarcastic comments on my posts. I have a feeling they are soon to come! Of course I fully expect the sarcism from Burt, Quinn and Malimar (however that is spelled).