Toledo Bend Guide

July 2010

June 2010

May was a busy month and it looks like June will be the same.

The American Bass Anglers hit the lake May 1-2 and despite terrible weather and high winds Travis Merritt of Iowa, Louisiana put together stringers of 12.24 pounds (Sat) and 13.54 (Sunday) using Stanley Wedge spinnerbaits, Stanley Ribbits and crankbaits to take the win.

The Fishers of Men National Tournament Trail ended its last tournament of the year May 1st on TB with anglers Keith Worthy and Chuck Sheffield winning the event with 24.60 pounds. Huxley Bay Marina held their 32nd Annual Take A Kid Fishing Tournament in early May and over 600 kids (age 3-15) participated.

American Bass Anglers Bassmaster Weekend Series hit the lake May 8th with Pineville, Louisiana angler Jason Robertson taking first place honors (and $3000) in the boaters division by flipping trees and bushes with an Oldham jig.

Bass-N-Bucks saw father and son Derrick and Dave Mong take home more than $17,000 with a 25 pound bag of bass that were taken on football jigs and deep diving crankbaits.

The month ended up with the McDonalds Big Bass Splash held out of Cypress Bend Marina setting a new TB record with 2,230 entries. Layne LaCaze of Robeline, Louisiana took top honors with a 11.48-pound lunker that was also worth a new 2010 Dodge truck and Triton bass boat. The big bass was taken on a Carolina-rig and worm near a grass bed that had a 30-foot drop nearby. Second place with an 8.83 pound bass was Scott Joes of Gilmer, Texas who won a Triton bass boat. The fish was caught on a wacky worm in 6-to 8 feet of water that was thick with hydrilla. Third place with an 8.61 pound catch was George Clay of Deer Park, Texas who won a Dodge truck. Clay’s bass was taken on a Carolina-rigged Trick Worm fished in 17-feet of water. Fourth place with 8.27 pounds went to Jim Campbell, Many, Louisiana and Fifth place and a Stealth ATV was taken by William Stueart of Texarkana, Texas. Miss Myrtle Smith who is 102 years young and still fishing the Big Bass Splash events was presented free entries for the rest of her life to any of the Sealy tournaments. Miss Smith’s great grandson also competed this year in the Little Anglers Division.

Fairmount Bass Club had a rescheduled tournament on May 1st with Richard Bolyard taking first place with 14.90-pounds. Jim Binns placed second, Kurt Godso third, Chuck Earwood fourth and Dave Nelson fifth. Fairmount Bass Club was on the water again on May 15th and the fishing was tough. Once again Richard Bolyard took first place honors followed by Patty Lenderman, Clint Walker, Jim Binns and Chuck Earwood.

Wow! What a month and the July 4th holiday is right around the corner.

That will get us caught up on what took place in the fishing world last month on Toledo Bend so let’s look some stats and a forecast for June.

Lake Conditions: 06/5/2010 6:30 AM
Lake Level 169.52
Generator 1 Currently running 6hrs. 6pm. - 9pm
Generator 2 Currently running 6hrs. 6pm. - 9pm
Spillway Gates Closed
Current Waterflow 204 CFS

If you look at the weather report it would seem that everyone is getting some rain. As most of you know, that is unfortunately not true. Some of the showers we experienced have been “gully washers”, but only lasted a short period of time. It sure would be nice to start having those nice slow showers each day that can soak into this rock-hard ground.

Water surface temperatures range in the 80’s and I would rate the clarity in the southern part of the lake as clear to very clear.

Bass – If you snooze you lose. There is a good topwater bite early but once the sun gets up it’s all over. Local angler Jack Martin has been just hammering the fish early and most have come on a topwater lure. Topwater baits that have been effective are Stanley’s Ribbit, the Yellow Magic, Chug-Bugs, Pop-R, Snag Proof frog, buzzbaits and the Heddon Torpedo. If you are looking for a fun bait to fish try the new Yum Money Hound. It’s buoyant, you can cast it a mile and its 3 ½-inch “walking the dog” design is pure dynamite.

More and more bass are showing up on the main-lake ridges and humps. I recommend using a football head jig (1/2-to 1-oz) in a watermelon or black/blue color and a Strike King “Rage Tail” or one of the new Stanley Y-Not’s as a trailer. The grass is reaching the surface in many areas and is starting to mat, so it won’t be long before flipping the grass with a 1-oz jig will be “THE” technique to catch the big ones.

Better keep a Texas and Carolina rig handy during the upcoming months because both can be very effective. Many bass clubs will start their night tournaments soon and either rig can put some hefty bass in the boat. For Texas-rig fishing I like to use a larger slip sinker (makes more noise) and a big worm when probing the edges of the creek channels and humps. Best colors are watermelon-red, watermelon-candy and black.

Another great technique to try is a weightless Crème Wacky Stick fished around and through the grass. This bait casts well using a 3/0 hook and the technique is to patiently allow the bait to sink to the bottom and then just work it back to the boat in short twitches of the rod trip with lots of pauses in between each twitch.

Crappie: If you remember last month I said these guys were here today and gone tomorrow? Well nothing has changed… unless you have a good brush-pile to fish. Those anglers catching crappie consistently are the ones using live shiners (some jigs) and fishing them near or in brush-piles that are located in 18-30-feet of water. Save those tree limbs, etc. as you do that pruning and make your own brush-pile. Just wire the branches together, add enough weight to make it sink to the bottom, place a jug “float” at the top to keep the brush-pile upright and then make sure you have GPS coordinates or can triangulate in on the spot to be sure you can accurately fish it each time you are on the water. Putting out a brush-pile can be lots of work, but can pay-off with some great catches.

Bream/Perch – Fish the boat docks. Lots of bigger perch are starting to show up and all of them want a big, juicy nightcrawler.

Catfish – Trotlines are beginning to produce some better size fish and most of the folks I have talked to are using soap for bait. On a good night about 15-to 20 fish can be taken but the real big guys are not coming in …… yet.

See you out on the water -- JB

Giant Salvinia

Giant Salvinia – The Most Dangerous Plant In Texas/Louisiana

I recently had the pleasure of attending the Bi-State Alliance quarterly meeting and the speaker for the occasion was my friend Howard Elder. Elder is an expert Aquatic Habitat Biologist for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in Jasper, Texas and this meeting was a follow-up to a previous meeting between Bi-State Alliance, Senator Robert Nichols, TPWD, SRA (Texas and Louisiana) and Louisiana representatives to discuss Giant Salvinia (GS) issues. There were many items discussed at the recent meeting, but for purposes of this article I would like to zero-in on a few that seemed most critical.

Brief History - GS (Salvinia molesta) has been in Texas waters for a number of years and has been documented in least 11 states since 1995. Its first report in Texas involved a single pond near downtown Houston. In the United States, GS began as a popular plant for water gardens that was sold in aquatic nurseries, and in time was introduced to the wild.

Most anglers in our area relate aquatic vegetation to good fishing but that is not the case with GS. This free-floating fern that originated in Brazil has earned a reputation as one of the world's worst aquatic weeds—and with good reason. The United States Geological Survey calls this weed one of the world’s most noxious aquatic plants. GS is almost impossible to eradicate on larger impoundments and the use of herbicides to control it can be very expensive.

GS grows fast, doubling itself every eight days, and under ideal conditions in the late summer it may in fact double itself in size every five days. Rapidly expanding populations of GS can easily alter aquatic ecosystems by overgrowing and replacing native plants. The dense “mats” formed on the surface of the water prevent light and oxygen from entering and as the ph level is drastically lowered it affects water quality. At the same time, decomposing material drops to the bottom consuming dissolved oxygen that is needed by fish and other aquatic life.

Bottom line – If left uncontrolled .. this plant can basically kill a lake.

GS is not only a threat to our natural resources but a huge threat to the economics of our area. Let’s use fishing as an example. Millions of dollars are pumped into this area each year with direct expenditures such as gasoline, bait, hotel rooms, tackle, dining, etc. GS can severely affect launching, fishing locations and can make much of the lake inaccessible.

GS is also a major problem to recreation since it ruins conditions for swimming, boating, jet skiing and waterskiing. The weed is also capable of clogging irrigation and electrical generating systems.

Floods during the fall of last year caused huge mats of GS to be washed out of backwater areas and out onto the main waters of Toledo Bend. At first report the mats were 300-plus yards wide and about 2 to 3 miles long. The good news is that by having the GS in one area Elder and his TPWD representatives were able to treat the mats successfully with herbicides.

Herbicides - The state of Texas does not sell herbicides. Many feed stores stock aquatic herbicides however; they sometimes do not carry specific surfactants or name brands but can order aquatic herbicides. With the exception of restricted herbicides like 2,4-D, anyone can apply herbicides with a properly submitted treatment proposal and required notifications. Application of non-restricted herbicides does not require a TDA Pesticide Applicator’s License unless State money is involved in the purchase.

The Aquatic Habitat Enhancement office of TPWD will provide free training for homeowners who wish to apply herbicides in their immediate area. A seminar is planned June 12th, 2010 that will include identification, herbicide selection, equipment options and steps needed to submit formal treatment proposals and notifications.

Applications in Texas require a formal treatment proposal be submitted to the controlling authority (SRA) and the TPWD District Fisheries Biologist. The SRA has the final decision on the approval. Blank treatment proposal forms can be found at: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_pl_t3200_1066_2.pdf Proposals are good for 6 months. Additional proposals may be submitted as necessary. An example of a form letter for notifications can be found at: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_pl_t3200_1066_1.pdf Treatments may begin 14 days after submission unless notification is received not to proceed.

Weevils (Cyrtobagous salviniae) - This dark-colored, one-tenth-inch-long weevil has already been used—with great success—in more than 13 countries over 3 continents. The adult female weevil lays her eggs in a cavity that she creates by chewing into the leaf bud of GS. The larvae that hatch then feed on the base of the leaf bud. They eventually tunnel into the rhizomes or sometimes the petioles—the structures that attach the leaves to the stems. The weevil larvae become adults in 17 to 28 days, depending on the weather. That means this species is capable of producing a new generation of hungry young in about a month during the warmer parts of the summer. The life span of a salvinia weevil it is about 240-260 days. The adults stop laying eggs in the cooler temperatures—the low 70s—in the spring and fall.

State officials released more than 300K adult weevils on the Texas side of Toledo Bend in 2004. Over-wintering of salvinia weevils has been successful and the weevils have been harvested and moved to different parts of Toledo Bend as well as several shipments to Caddo Lake (approximately 31,314 in 2009). The Bi-State Alliance introductions on Toledo Bend last year, using weevils provided by Louisiana, totaled approximately 58,423 adult weevils. A real positive is that herbicide spraying does not seem to affect the weevils. At this time no weevils have been introduced on Sam Rayburn due to the lack of sufficient giant salvinia to support introductions.

Since weevils must be transported in infested GS, any introductions by non-state agency personnel in the State of Texas must be accompanied by an Invasive Species Permit from TPWD. An Interagency GS Control Team is in place with members consisting of TPWD, USFWS, Caddo Lake Institute, LDWF, LSU Texas A&M, UT, USACE, and USDA.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between TPWD and LSUAC has also been signed to facilitate the exchange of weevils for propagation and introduction of the weevil to infested sites. The TPWD and LDWF are working together on the propagation and release of salvinia weevils.

Regardless of what you hear, there are no differences between Texas weevils and Louisiana weevils. The weevils all originate from the same source - USDA APHIS facilities in Mission, TX, and USACE in Lewisville, TX (LAERF).

Harvesting - Mechanical harvesting equipment currently exists that can be effective in removing GS, however, the efficiency is low and the cost is prohibitive. TPWD does not currently have the manpower or funding required for harvesting efforts. Best/acceptable methods for destroying harvested plants are composting, deposition in a landfill and drying. The placement of barriers to protect a desired area followed by removal of all plants present can be very effective and may not require a formal permit. Small scale removal would not require state involvement unless transport of the plants harvested over land is required.

Water level manipulation (lowering the lake) has proven the most cost-effective tool to reduce severe GS infestations. Strategically used with other methods, water level manipulation may offer the most reliable and effective means of reducing GS infestations. Periodic draw-downs could potentially save thousands of dollars in treatment costs, reduce the need for fall herbicide applications, and help reduce regeneration of salvinia and water hyacinth the following spring. Keep in mind that this process may be recommended to reduce nuisance aquatic vegetation, but only SRA can control the water levels on Toledo Bend. Public comment would certainly be an important part of any decision by SRA regarding any proposed water level manipulation.

So Where Do We Go From Here? Statistics have shown that when GS is found in a lake it is almost always near a boat ramp. This is something that all of us should be aware of as we launch our boats and take them out of the water. A tiny piece of Salvinia hanging on a boat trailer rail or stuck on the outboard motor lower unit is all it takes to get the growing cycle started at a new location. Many of our anglers go from lake to lake and it is very easy to spread this destructive plant. The state of Texas passed a law in 2005 that requires boaters to remove all harmful plants from their boat trailers and boats or face a criminal citation carrying a fine of as much as $500 … per plant.

I would encourage the idea of having deposit bins located at all of our high profile boat ramps where anglers could place any GS taken from boats and trailers.

Public awareness is certainly one of the most effective and least expensive ways to control GS. We all need to learn to identify these invasive species, remove them if possible and report the sightings to state agencies. If we all play a part in being the eyes and ears of the TWPD and LDWF it can make a big difference in controlling these plants.

The magnitude of the invasive aquatic vegetation problem is huge and if not controlled it is certain to have a dramatic economic and recreational impact on Texas and Louisiana. It’s a fight that will obviously need the coordinated support of our state legislators in providing the proper funding for adequate manpower and treatment methods. We are very fortunate to have Elder and his crew helping us work this issue.

My thanks also to Jerry Clark and the Texas SRA, Jim Pratt and the Louisiana SRA, TPWD, LDWF and any of the other groups that have joined the effort to control this deadly invasive species. A collaborative effort by everyone is required to prevent an ecological and economic disaster that could easily surpass what we experienced during the past horrific low water lake conditions.

FYI - TPWD can accept monetary donations for vegetation control. To assure the donations are used for the purposes intended, a letter can accompany the donation - specify its purpose, a deadline for its use, and return of the donation if the funds are not used.

Any questions regarding GS related issues should be routed to ….
Howard Elder
TPWD Aquatic Habitat Biologist
Rt.2 Box 535
Jasper, TX 75951
Office: 409-384-9965
Fax: 409-384-4984

***Update --

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, The Sabine River Authority of Louisiana, The Sabine River Authority of Texas and the Toledo Bend Bi-State Alliance sponsored a "Giant Salvinia Seminar" Saturday, June 12th (9am-2pm) at Hemphill VFW Post 10351. Approximately 80 concerned community people showed up for the seminar which also included a free BBQ lunch that was just great!

Howard Elder, Aquatic Habitat Biologist for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department conducted the seminar with assistance from his staff. Presentations were made regarding herbicides, the process for using the herbicides, proper paperwork involved, Salvinia weevils and many other topics related to GS.

As usual Mr. Elder and his staff did a great job and my compliments to the Toledo Bend Bi-State Alliance for putting the seminar together. Many questions were asked by the attendees and I think everyone left with a better appreciation of the issue and what we need to do to successfully fight this dangerous aquatic plant.

Also brought up at the meeting was the concern that many areas of the lake have a combination of plants (not GS) that seem to be increasing in size and are making swimming and fishing in those areas difficult. The plants are a combination of Alligator Weed (on the surface) and Eurasian Milfoil and Filamentous Algae under the surface. The Eurasian Milfoil has been on Toledo Bend for years and may well be the dominant submerged vegetation present on Toledo Bend. These plants are vulnerable to herbicides but in most cases the homeowners are just raking out the plants so they can swim, etc. around dock areas.

Memorial Day FVFD

FVFD Memorial Day Event

Memorial Day is certainly special as we remember those who have died in our nation's service to keep our country free.

Along with the many special observances during this weekend was the Fairmount Volunteer Fire Departments (FVFD) Annual Memorial Day Chicken and Sausage BBQ.

A delicious selection of chicken, sausage, potato salad, beans and some of the best deserts ever were served to almost 400 attendees. I assure you that no one left hungry after this event.

There was also a special youth drawing for brand new rod and reel combos that were won by -

Josh Powell

Abbegail Thomas

Sofia Reeves and Matthew Goodman




Grand prize winner of the beautiful quilt was Zim Morris

Thanks to everyone that attended and to those that supported this event in so many ways.

A special thanks to those that made deserts, the cooking crew and the wonderful ladies that did such a great job in serving all of the food.

The Fairmount Volunteer Fire Department holds its monthly meeting on the second Monday of the month at the Fairmount fire station (6pm). Come visit because we appreciate all of you!

Paradise Point

Paradise Point Marina and RV Park –
A Great Place To Visit

Rey Rocha III and his wife Lea Gonzales are the new managers of the beautiful Paradise Point Marina and RV Park. If you haven’t been there you are missing out on one of the friendliness places in the state. The business is easily located off FM 3315 in Fairmount and overlooks Mill Creek Bay.

Paradise Point is a full service marina/lodge and Rey always has a free cup of coffee and the latest fishing report for his guests.

This area offers some of the best fishing on Toledo Bend Lake and the pine trees and beautiful surroundings offer a tranquil environment that will please the entire family.

Fishing in the southern part of the lake can be excellent for black bass, crappie, bream, perch, catfish yellow bass and even stripers.

Paradise Point is a Texas Parks & Wildlife certified weigh station so if you catch a lunker it can be properly weighed and documented.

Boat launching is always easy at Paradise Point since the launch is pretty much protected from the wind. The recent upgrade and widening of the ramp also makes it a snap to get a boat in and out of the water quickly and easily.

There are 40 covered boat stalls at Paradise Point and each of the stalls have electrical hookups. Anglers will find this very convenient for recharging those electric trolling motor batteries after a hard day of fishing. And if you run low on gasoline Paradise Point is one of the few marinas on the lake that has gas pumps both at the store and down near the water. Just drive your boat up next to the floating dock, fill your gas tank and you are back in action. How convenient is that!

The fully stocked convenience store has everything you need to feel right at home.

Groceries, live bait, snacks, ice, cold drinks, fishing tackle and lots more line the shelves. An alcohol license is expected to be approved at any time.

If you are looking for a nice place to stay during an upcoming family trip, bass tournament or even a corporate event, look no further than Paradise Point. There are seven recently renovated and fully furnished cabins that range from one to three bedrooms that can easily sleep up to seven people. Forget about loading up a bunch of “stuff” because the cabins are fully furnished with appliances, dishes and linens. In addition to the cabins there are also five motel rooms available. Each of the cabins and rooms come with free satellite TV and wireless internet service.

For you RV folks there are 17 convenient drive-through spaces that offer electrical hookups, water, septic and optional satellite connections.

Kids will love the sandy beaches and what a great place for a family BBQ and swim In the near future Rey and Lea hope to open the restaurant located next to the store and you can be sure that the menu will satisfy both the early and late visitors to this area.

Whether your needs are fishing, lodging or maybe you and the family just want to spend a nice day at the lake – Paradise Point Marina is the place to go.

See you there – JB

For more information, go to www.paradisepointpark.com or phone 409/579-3075.

Fishing Report May 2010

Windy, Windy, Windy! I am ready for all of this wind to stop. However, if you can time it right when the wind isn’t howling the lake can be absolutely beautiful.

Let’s hope for a decrease in wind and an increase in rain during the month of May.

Lake Conditions: 05/10/2010 6:30 AM Lake Level 170.36 Generator 1 Currently running 5hrs. 4pm. - 9pm. Generator 2 Currently running 5hrs. 4pm. - 9pm. Spillway Gates Closed Current Waterflow 204 CFS

The recent cool front sure did feel good and cooled down the lake somewhat. Last week I saw surface temperatures from 68 to 74 degrees and I would rate the clarity of our water in the southern part of the lake as clear.

Bass - You can get in on some pre-spawn and post spawn action on this part of the lake. There are still quite a few bass on beds but I am starting to see more and more bass out on the main lake ridges and humps .. and some of these fish are big and hungry. Last Monday I took a 7-pound 7-ounce bass on a 5/8-ounce Texan jig that had a watermelon skirt with a Strike King Rage Craw trailer. The fish was chunky and just a beautiful bass. Good color selections are also black/blue and green pumpkin.

You will hear a bunch about the new Texan jigs in the near future because many changes have been made and the bait is one of the best on the market. Great skirt colors, and a selection of very strong hooks (even red) make this one of the jigs to have on the other end of your line if you are lunker hunting .. especially during the upcoming McDonalds Big Bass event which will be on Toledo Bend May 21-23.

Anglers who are on the lake early can get into some good spinnerbait and buzzbait action and the best colors have been chartreuse/white, white and Toledo Gold. I have had best luck on the gold and silver willow leaf blade combo, however a few guys fishing the Louisiana Top 6 caught their fish using white blades.

There is still a good bite using a Creme Wacky Stick-type bait but you have to really fish the bait slow. At times we have had to downsize from the normal 5" size to a 3 1/2-inch size bait. Best colors have been watermelon, watermelon-chartreuse and watermelon red.

Topwater action is starting to pick up with the Pop-R and other small chugger type baits producing best. The key is to fish the bait s-l-o-w. The bite on a Creme "FishFrog" and Stanley's "Ribbit" will just get better and better, and with the abundance of grass in the southern part of the lake this type of fishing will really be fun.

Suzanne Hennigan loves the Pop-R as indicated by this 10-pounder she recently caught. Go Girl!!!!

Sage anglers will keep a Texas and Carolina rig handy during the upcoming months. The Texas rig will be very effective near the grassy edges and when you have a slight chop on the water. I use a larger slip sinker and big worm when probing the edges of the creek channels and humps. The Carolina-rig is a bread and butter bait for many anglers and it can be fished from the shoreline out to 30-feet or more.

If you haven't tried a Carolina-rig you need to because it can really get the bites required when the fishing is tough. Best colors are the watermelon-red, watermelon-candy and camo. I have had a couple of folks say they are starting to catch some good bass on deep-diving crankbaits,

Crappie: These guys are here one day and gone the next. I caught up with Michael and Jason Nevels last week and they were catching some really nice fish on small Road Runners and tubes .. but most of the bigger fish were coming on minnows. It was a slow bite but they were getting 12-15 per trip and many were real "slabs". The fish were taken from 14- to 24 feet and many of the fish were suspended over the deeper water. Some reports are also coming in on crappie being taken along the outside edge of the grassline.

Catfish -- Not many reports but the ones I have received say that lots of smaller cats are coming in on trotlines using soap for bait.

***Late Breaking News - I just received a note from a friend in Louisiana and here is the scoop -- A lady fishing in a kyak on 40-acre Valentine Lake last night caught a bass that weighs 15.8 pounds. The fish was 27-inches long and had a 25-inch girth. The bass had some slack in the belly so had probably already spawned. Valentine Lake was stocked with 4,087 bass in April 2000 and threadfin shad in 2003. Louisiana College students have helped sink artifical reefs into the lake and it has been limed and fertilized on a regular basis. A 13-pounder was caught two years ago and was weighed and released back into the lake. More information and pictures as they become available. WOW!
**************************************
Update - Huge Bass Caught from Kayak

Email from Lisa Alexander about a fishing trip that she and friend Regina Womack took with their new kayaks to fish in Lake Valentine up near Alexandria. On the trip, Regina caught a near-state record Largemouth Bass. Here are two accounts of the event.

Here is Regina's account:
Thursday, May 6, 2010, at 8 PM, I caught a fish of a lifetime. I have fished Valentine Lake in Gardner, La for many of years. I would have never guessed that a fish of this size would be caught out of this lake. Someone pinch me! That Thursday, my friend, Lisa Alexander and I took one of our many kayak fishing trips to Valentine Lake. We started fishing around 5:30 PM that evening. There were at least three people including a man fishing from the pier not too far from us. Lisa and I fish the southwest end of the lake because of the grassy shallow areas which I call a bass haven. Around 7:45 PM, I was watching the top of the water for any movement and notice a very big swirl on the opposite side of the Lake. I continued to watch and noticed that the swirl happened again in the same location. I decided to give it a few cast before going in for the afternoon.

I was fishing with a weightless worm, Zoom, Mag II plum. I cast out several times and on the fourth cast, she took it immediately. When she took it, it was like I caught something other than a fish. I was thinking an alligator at that moment. I started yelling at Lisa to come and help me. I didn’t have time to think, I could

barely hold the rod and reel in my hands with all the jerking of my kayak. When I got it closer to the kayak I noticed the eye ball of fish underneath the thick grass that she had went through. I reached down into the water to grab her mouth and I felt a little frightened. Suddenly, I realized what I had caught. I pulled this

monster fish into the kayak without flipping it, unbelievable! I held on to her with a death grip until my friend Lisa pulled up beside me. She couldn’t believe her eyes and I was so much in shock that I could say anything. After figuring out a plan to get her in, Lisa tied our kayaks together and made it to the pier where a gentleman helped us put her into my large storage bin of my kayak. It took us at least half and hour to get our kayaks loaded up and head back to Lisa’s house.

I called my Dad, and both of my brother-in-laws, they didn’t believe anything that I was telling them so I gave up on the phone calls. We got back to the house where I placed her immediately into an ice chest of water. She was barely alive. Lisa took her old meat scales and calibrated a bucket and found her to weigh 16.25lbs at that

time. We called Lisa’s dad, which was a retired wildlife and fishery employee and gave us some names and numbers. We then called our good friend, T.W. Thompson, the commissioner in Alexandria, La. I immediately took the fish to the Mayor’s house. Approximately ten people were present and making phone calls to try and find certification. It was close to 10:30 PM by that time she was weighed at Kroger’s in Alexandria, La, weighing her at 15.88 LBS.

Here's Lisa's account:

Regina Womack and myself took our kayaks to Valentine lake yesterday after work.. we go regularly and always catch a few.. but this is what we left with last night.. .she caught it right as the sun was setting in her

kayak... I was about a hundred yards away when she starts yelling.. "OMG.. OMG.. OMG!! Lisa come over here quick.. come help me .. OMG OMG OMG so I paddle over just as she hauls this BIG SOW into her lap... Regina was holding on with both hands to the bass's mouth and shaking like and earthquake... it was over 16 pounds last night.. but official weight after losing some.. 15.88 lbs.. will be number 2 in La State record books.. omg.. what a night!!!! Both of us purchased kayaks from your establishment and have had many many good times and experiences with them!! Her's is a Native.. Mine is a Wilderness Tarpon.

See you out on the water -- JB

Two Doors BBQ

Two Doors Bar-B-Que Holds Grand Opening

Two Doors Bar-B-Que recently held their Grand Opening and ribbon cutting festivities and it’s great to have such nice people in our community.

Owners Charles and Jerri Miller have done a wonderful job and serve some of the best BBQ available. Their menu includes brisket, chicken, ribs, pulled pork, sausage and boudain. I have tried most of it and it is GREAT!! You also need to try their unusual Fire-in-the-Hole which is a jalapeno, stuffed with boudain, wrapped in sausage and smoked to perfection. It will wake up your taste buds – that is for sure!

I had visited with Miller last month and he said that the Two Doors Bar-B-Que idea was actually created one evening at the deer lease as he was serving food to some of his hunting friends. They asked him why he didn’t open a BBQ restaurant and the rest is history.

Miller likes to go by the Indian name of ‘Two Doors’, and he laughs when he talks about the many hours he has spent trying to perfect all of his many recipes. Opening the Two Doors Bar-B-Que is a dream come true for Miller.

If you are looking for a great meal drop by the Two Doors Bar-B-Que located on the corner of Highway 87 South and FM 2928 in the Six Mile community. It’s a family owned business and the food is great. You can even place orders ahead of time at 409/579-4305.

Photo Credits: Phil Yoakum @ Toledo Chronicle

Texans Visit Africa

*The following are events leading up to and during a recent ministry trip made by Pastor David Miller, Pastor Bo Owens and Jim Binns as they visited missionaries in the Ghana and Zimbabwe area of Africa. Hopefully some of the comments/suggestions included will help you as you make a future trip to this country.

Anticipation is always great before you begin any journey. Our trip to Africa was no exception, especially since none of us had ever been to this part of the world. We all had our share of shots before the trip which included Hepatitis A and B, Typhoid, Tetanus, Yellow Fever and a good supply of doxycycline Malaria pills.

Ghana was the first place in sub-Saharan Africa where Europeans arrived to trade - first in gold, later in slaves. It was also the first black African nation in the region to achieve independence from a colonial power, in this particular instance Britain. A West African country bordering on the Gulf of Guinea, Ghana is bounded by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It compares in size to Oregon, and its largest river is the Volta.

The population of Ghana is approximately 23.8 million and Accra (A-craw) is its capital and commercial/cultural center. The monetary unit is the Cedi and it is worth a bit less than the American dollar. Major religions include Christianity, indigenous beliefs and Islam. Main exports include gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore and diamonds

Our adventure began with a flight from Houston, Texas to Atlanta, Georgia, and then on to Accra. There is a six hour difference in time between Houston and Ghana. I might mention that Bro. Bo’s luggage was the last to come out onto the carrousel – and for a time we thought that it was lost. Little did we know that this was just a warning about luggage issues to come in the future.

At the Kotoka Airport we met our Holistic Christian Ministry (HCM) missionary friends Joey and Patti Romero who live in Kotokata (Ko-To-Ka-Ta) and Vincent Konu who is vice-chairman of the HCM organization. Kotokata is about three plus hours from Accra. Before leaving for the remote village we stocked up on needed medicine and supplies. There are many “flea markets” in Accra and street vendors are selling everything you can think of including bags of water for 5-cents and lot’s of bread. The city of Accra is VERY dirty.

To drive in this area you need to have NASCAR training so you can avoid foot deep pot holes while driving 60- mph. Many times we were on the wrong side of the road avoiding these holes and the on-coming traffic was doing the same. Why there are not more accidents is beyond me.

Our arrival at Kotokata was a festive occasion as we were welcomed by all of the people that live in the village. Netting is advised in the sleeping areas because of the mosquitoes, however, with no air conditioning I found it difficult to sleep under the netting. During the late evening some of the villagers along with Vincent did a honey harvest from near-by bee hives. The men were stung numerous times but we had delicious honey to eat with our bread for the remainder of the trip.

Day One In The Village - You won’t need an alarm clock in Africa because the roosters start their crowing just about daybreak. The morning sun crept over the horizon and we experienced our first sunrise in Africa. Magnificent trees and an assortment of foliage made up surroundings that were truly unique and pleasing. Many folks were moving around early in the morning preparing food and getting ready for the day ahead.

Our breakfast consisted of coffee, bread and jelly – and it was great! Bathing consisted of a “bucket shower” and it certainly got you going. First you pour a bucket of water over your head and then apply soap to your body. After scrubbing, you then use two more buckets of water to rinse off. It was certainly not the shower I was use to at home … and it was not hot water.

Today we learned about the eating habits of the village people which would soon be some of the food we would be eating. Plantain (Plan-tain) are a member of the banana family and many visitors confuse plantain with bananas. Although they look a lot like green bananas and are a close relative, plantain are very different. They are a starchy, low in sugar variety that is cooked before serving as it is unsuitable raw. They are used in many savory dishes somewhat like a potato would be used and are very popular in Western Africa and the Caribbean countries. It is usually fried or baked. Plantain is sometimes referred to as the “pasta and potatoes of the Caribbean”. Our Plantains were fried, sprinkled with salt and were absolutely delicious.

Cassava (Ka-saw-va) is a woody shrub of the spurge family native to South America that is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates. The flour made of the roots is called tapioca. It has a potato-like taste. Fou-Fou is often made by adding cassava and plantain together. Banku is fermented corn/cassava dough mixed proportionally and cooked in hot water into a smooth whitish consistent paste. This is served with soup, stew or a pepper sauce with fish. There is also Wa-Chi that is a bowl of rice, peas and fish sauce.

Two terms that you may run into are hard chicken and soft chicken. Hard chicken is the rooster meat and soft chicken is regular chicken. Most of the villagers prefer hard chicken fried.

After a morning devotional, we took a tour of the Palm Oil factory that was developed as one of the HCM Micro Enterprise projects. Other projects we toured dealt with livestock, rabbits, soap and jewelry. We also had the privilege of sitting in on the morning school/worship session. The fifty or so students all have a school uniform and were a delight to watch. Food is given to each of the children and on this day it consisted of beans/rice and fish soup that was made with smoked tuna. These children are good students and due to the fine training most are far smarter than their parents. Peace Daziolor is the Education-Director and she carried a small stick that helps keep the children in line.

While in a small village called Acrosso (A-cro-so) Joey delivered a nutritional supplement to a child by the name of Gracious that was being cared for by his grandmother. The baby’s mother and twin had died shortly after his birth. Gracious was very weak, suffering from severe malnutrition, and it looked like it would be touch and go as to whether he would survive. As of today there is much reason to rejoice. The baby has taken all of the nutritional supplement and has begun to eat small quantities of plantain, banana and eggs. He had gained a lot of strength. He was formerly too weak to be carried on the back in a traditional cloth wrap but is now strong enough to push up with his legs and take his place on his grandmother’s back. We will continue to pray for Gracious and his family. It was pointed out that the baby was wearing a fetish charm (voodoo) around his neck.

At approximately 5:30 pm we drove the land rover to a small village called Edwinase. Here in the midst of the jungle under a blanket of stars using a small generator we showed the Jesus film to approximately 100 people. I don’t know where all of them came from, but when Vincent said: Free Show” on the microphone they started showing up. At a break in the film Bro. Miller gave a short sermon and then the film was completed. The film lasted about two hours, the weather was beautiful and the stars were like shining diamonds. The only problem was that the light attracted swarms of termites. We were still getting termites out of the land rover (and our clothing) two days later.

It doesn’t take long to realize that many folks in Africa do not use deodorant. One thing that has struck us as very strange is the number of people that have cell phones. They have better coverage than I do in the Hemphill area. When they need the batteries charged there are a few people with small generators that charge them for a fee.

Clean water is a big concern in Africa. A program is in place, partnering with Living Water in Houston, to install water wells. There are so many pumps needed that you would probably not get enough installed in 20 years to meet all of the needs.

Day Two In The Village – I am getting better at the “bucket shower” but do not think that it will be a part of my routine when I return home. Our day starts about 5am and after my shower I am already sweating. Looks like today will be really hot! Chickens and dogs were running around the village and I have already decided that the rooster that crows every morning before dawn is a nuisance and needs to be used for chicken soup. We toured the location for Joey and Patti’s future home which is very close to the outside kitchen area. Only people with much faith can live here – Joey and Patti love it.

White people are rare in this area and the villagers will go out of their way just to see us much less touch us. We are the circus that has come to town. I have decided that I am not too keen on some of the meals, but the plantain and rice/beans are really good.

Today we head to see Pastor Christopher at Abesiduasi. This has to be one of the worse roads in Africa. A messenger was sent a week or so earlier to tell Pastor Christopher we were coming but we won’t be sure he received the message until we get there. When we arrived not only was Pastor Christopher present but also about ten other people and the ladies were wearing their Sunday best. Pastor Christopher is one of the most dedicated individuals I have ever met. While working on a church project he had a beam fall and it broke his leg. He had no one available to set the bone and it just healed on its own. A doctor later saw the leg and said that he would probably never walk on it again. Pastor Christopher’s reply was that he had a mighty God that could fix anything. Today his leg is scarred but he walks an hour or so from his home to the river, canoes over and then walks and hour or so to the church. He also plans to plant at least three more churches this year. At a normal church service he has 50-75 people attend. What courage! At the end of our visit (that included singing and dancing) we headed for the Volta region (3 ½ hours away) and arrived at the Emanuel Hotel for a nights stay before we continue to the village of Avegome.

We arrived at the hotel about 9pm. I wish I could say our night was uneventful but it was not. During the night someone came into our room (the door was locked) and stole my carrying bag that had my billfold, passport, camera and airline tickets. They also went to the other side of the room and took Bro. Bo’s billfold. When I got up the next morning I brushed my teeth and then noticed that the carrying bag was missing. I went to each room just to be sure that no one had gotten it by accident. When I returned Bro Bo stated that his billfold was also gone. We later found the carrying bag outside on the left side of the room with everything scattered on the ground except the money. It left a bad taste in our mouth for the area but not nearly as bad as it could have been if the passport and airline tickets were not recovered. Thank the Lord that only the money was taken! We filled out paperwork at the local police station and supposedly the security manager and his co-manager were going to be arrested that afternoon in another town. We were told that this was the third time this had happened at the hotel. I have traveled many places and always felt comfortable when the door was locked, etc. – But not anymore.

Day Three – Beautiful day but it will be hot. Went to Avegome where we met HCM Church Planter James Asilevi. We visited a building where he is temporarily holding church services and the nearby property he wants to purchase to build a church. The Lord works in strange and wonderful ways. The money needed had been received and he was given this funding before we left. Many of the villages we visited had witch doctors and idol worship areas.

From here we left for the village of Gordokope. Gordokope is a village that had basically burned down a few months ago and HCM had financed the rebuilding of the buildings and roofs. Later that evening we showed the film Passion Of Christ to about 75-100 people. Vincent did an excellent job of interpreting the words for the people. Bro. Bo gave a sermon at a break point in the film like we had done at the previous show and everyone was very attentive. Five adults stated that they would attend Sunday School the following week and three young men expressed the desire to be new pastors. After the two shows 44 people had given their lives to Christ.

We attended James’ church near the river and had a good session. This area is very poor both spiritually, agriculturally and economically. Lunch today consisted of fried tilapia head, rice and a tomato-type paste. Arrived back at our hotel about 9:15pm and had a delicious supper of watermelon, pineapple, avocado and mango.

Day Four – Beautiful day and we will be heading to Tefle (Tef-le) and then back to Accra. We had the opportunity to visit the Accra Shopping Mall before we left and it is totally air conditioned and just about like one of the finer malls in the USA. This is amazing with so much poverty around the area. Flight from Accra is at 11pm and we will arrive in Johannesburg at 7am and then take a flight to Harare (Ha-rar-e) where we will meet Sherrie Bumstead and Ricky Davis who represent the Bethany Ministry.

At this point of the trip we have each come to realize just how much we take for granted and how privileged we are to have been born in the USA. Most of the people that we have visited with in the Ghana area get up in the morning with no hope of change. They are just “existing”. There are few opportunities for the people to improve their future or that of their families. Sad

As we visit the various villages it is clear that if you bring a soccer ball to the youth or a set of drums for the church you make many friends!

In a couple of the villages we have seen people drinking water from the same areas where cattle are grazing in the water. Water quality in many areas is very poor and in some villages they do not have a water well. Can you imagine walking a couple of blocks to fill up a jug, placing it on your head and then carrying it back two blocks to dump it into a large container that will take twenty or more trips to fill? Add to that the fact that much of the water may be contaminated to some degree.

Harare is in the Republic of Zimbabwe which was formerly Southern Rhodesia. Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the continent of Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three official languages: English, Shona (a Bantu language), and Ndebele. Robert Mugabe has been in power since the country's long war for independence.

Although initially during the 1980s his administration was credited with improving the standard of living and the economy, his rule has been characterized by gross economic mismanagement, hyperinflation, and widespread reports of human rights abuses. Even though the economy is slowly improving, millions are still dependent on food aid and disease outbreaks only compound the situation.

But behind the grim data lies one of southern Africa’s most beautiful countries. Zimbabwe is about ½ the size of Texas. Rand and USA dollars are the currency and approximately 7.5 Rand equal one USA dollar. Harare is the capital city of Zimbabwe, and it is a beautiful, light-filled, open city; high on the country's central plateau. It is a city of modern buildings, wide thoroughfares, numerous parks and gardens. A city whose streets are lined with flowering trees and a wonderful and invigorating climate.

Harare has an estimated population of 2,800,000+ in its metropolitan area (2006). Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and serves as an administrative, commercial, and communications center. The city is also a trade center for tobacco, maize, cotton, and citrus fruits. Manufactures include textiles, steel, and chemicals, and gold is mined in the area. The weather in this area is much cooler than in Ghana and you see few people in shorts. Starting to really miss my bed, but it will be some time until we get back to the USA.

When we arrived at the Harare airport my luggage and Bro. Bo’s was missing. Filled out the proper paperwork and hope that it comes in tomorrow.

Sherrie Bumstead is an endless supply of energy and has a great passion for addressing the medical needs in this area. We will head to her home in Bulawayo (Bull-a-way-o), the second largest city in Zimbabwe that has a population of about 1,500,000.

Be careful when traveling the roads in this part of the world because radar areas are set up and if you are stopped for speeding the fine is paid before you go any further. Speed limits can vary greatly from place to place but usually you can plan on driving in the 50-70 mph range. And remember – you drive on the left side of the road in this part of the world. Public transportation is used a great deal in this area.

We spent the night at the White House Guest Villa and it is one of the highlights of the trip. The people were gracious, the facilities were beautiful and the food was great. If you are traveling in the area it is a great place to rest.

We visited the hospital in Kwa Kwa (Qay-Qay) where a great deal of the past shipments of hospital equipment has been delivered. We actually visited the hospital twice and there were very high points in each visit and also some very low points. There are 300 beds, 150-175 patients and only three doctors. There is a great need for more mattresses and beds.

Like other hospital visits, you will see people with blankets placed on the floor because there are no beds available. Patients coming into the hospital have to bring their own blankets because the hospital has no way of washing all of the blankets that are used. We saw a pile of blankets at least five feet high that were waiting to be washed in the one available wash machine. And forget about drying the items during the rainy season because no dryers are available. We did bring wiring, etc. to hook up a dryer in one hospital but the fuse in the plug was not large enough to do the job required.

A visit to other areas of the hospital used for recovery and care for babies will bring a tear to your eyes. If only they had some of the equipment that we take for granted back in the USA.

A visit to the Kushinga Elementary School showed another area of great need. There are 570 students in the public school that ranges from 1st grade to 7th grade. The children consider it a great privilege to go to school. Their smiling faces will be remembered forever. The students have one textbook for every ten students. Approximately 65% are orphans or live with extended families. If there was ever a ministry we should all be involved in it would have to be the feeding of those youngsters.

One plan which we will pursue further is the acquiring of dehydrated food that has a little meat, rice, soy, vegetables and vitamins in each package. Add water to the package and it will feed six people. What a blessing it would be to have this food available in many of the Zimbabwe and Ghana schools. World In Need is a contact point for this food (Feed My Starving Children) and we will discuss this issue with them when we return. It is estimated that 350 boxes can feed 500 people for six months. One box has 36 packages and each pack will feed six people. Shelf life for the product is 2 years.
Later we visited the Pentecostal Assembly Church with Pastor Bishop C, Mafuruse and had a good session with him and his colleges.

I did mention earlier that we had two items of luggage that did not arrive with our flight at Harare. Later this day we made the three hour trip back to Harare to get the luggage and then made the 5-6-hour trip to our host site of Bulawayo.

In the Bulawayo area we visited a large complex that could make Sherrie’s dreams of a maternity clinic come true. The complex was built by Harvard University and then for some unknown reason is now just sitting there not being used. The complex probably has 300 rooms, huge areas for beds and examination rooms and the front area could probably park at least 400-500 cars. What a waste.

I can’t go much further without mentioning that one of our hosts was a lady from Fairmount, Texas (Fairdale Baptist Church) by the name of Katy Richardson. She is a very young 70-year old lady that is also called Go-Go (Grandmother). She made her first ministry trip earlier this year and it has changed her life. She is loved by all of the people in the Zimbabwe area and she loves them. What a blessing she is to all! Another lady that was a blessing to us is Aleta Flowers who lives in Texas and has devoted most of her life to nursing. She was a delight to talk to.

A visit to the Lancet House allowed us to meet the two nurses that work home care needs. There are about five patients now but referrals from doctors are not coming easily. Sherrie has a plan for a mobile clinic in the future that can bring relief to many of the people. Let all of us pray that the finances will become available to make this happen.

While all of this was taking place I must mention an area of deep frustration. A full container of medical equipment was supposed to be delivered from the USA to Kwa Kwa and other facilities the week we were there. Many red-tape issues were encountered and unfortunately the container and its valuable contents have still not been delivered. This red tape process is fairly common and I can only hope that by the time you read this the delivery has been completed.

Another highlight of our trip was a bible study with John Derks, his wife Sheila and approximately ten of their friends. Each of us introduced ourselves and then we gave a brief testimony and this was followed by open discussion with each person present. It was wonderful to hear these testimonies especially by a fellow by the name of Ernest Noble who was a basketball player and loved to work with the area youth. His need was for more basketballs and before the trip was completed he had 4 new basketballs.

At the end of the evening we had a chance to visit with John Derks. His story was truly an inspiration to us all. He had a good job with the railroad and then was prosecuted for embezzlement. He basically lost everything he had during this time and included his marriage to Sheila. He was sent to prison for 15 years but was released after seven years for good behavior. During this period of time he turned from a very angry person to one that accepted God and placed his life in Gods hands. He was made Chaplin of the prison and led many of the convicts to Christ. He then was reunited with Sheila, has a wonderful Christian family and is a principal player in the ministry of Farming Gods Way. John is an inspiration to many and we hope that he can combine his ministry efforts with Dave Reeves in the USA who along with his wife Rachel have a prison ministry operating out of the Fairmount, Texas area.

The homes in this area have a somewhat Spanish look. Most have fences around them with razor wire along the top. There are railroads here but not in the Ghana area. There is a vast array of flowers and the street lights are referred to as “robots”. If you see a sign that states “Give Way” that means to “Yield”. If you take your car in for service you take it to what they call a “Body Shop Panel Beater”. Unlike Ghana, few street vendors are present here.

During our stay we visited what is referred to as a “high density” area. These are usually areas with lots of smaller houses (two rooms) and are packed very close together. Even though they are lower class areas they all seem to have a garden to produce food that is dearly needed. And all of the people give you a big smile when you greet them.

Our tour of the United Bulawayo Hospital touched each of our hearts. The tour was conducted by the Chief Operations Officer (COO) and he was most gracious. There are 650 beds in the hospital and while we were there approximately 400 were being used. They desperately need technical people to fix things that are broken. The hospital does not refuse anyone under five years of age or over 65.

More local culture was taught to us in Bulawayo. Sadza is the Shona language name for a cooked corn meal that is the staple food in Zimbabwe and other parts of southern and eastern Africa. Sadza in appearance is a thickened porridge. The most common form of sadza is made with white maize (Mealie-Meal). Preparation is a more complicated process than it may first seem from the appearance of the food. The Sadza is usually served in a communal bowl or separate plates and is taken with the right hand, rolled into balls, and dipped into meat, sauce, gravy, or stewed vegetables.

I also learned that God Is Good – All The Time in Shona was..
Mwa Qack-a-na – Ngua Dos A

There is also great nutritional value in a breakfast made of porridge with honey and peanut butter stirred in.

On the final day of our trip we visited the Hope Fountain School. Enrollment is 342 and they have no electricity .. but have a power line no more that 100 feet away. Politics have prevented the hookup of electricity to the school.

The Mthombothemba Primary School has about 305 students and we were greeted with smiles, singing and dancing. They have a 10 year old water well that was put in by a German group and are one of the schools that could benefit greatly in doing the Farming Gods Way program. Most of the schools have a plot of land in the back of the school that is worked by everyone in the community and then the harvest is shared. At this school the farming plot was somewhere around 500X300 feet. There were 8 teachers at the school and it was well organized. A bible presentation was made to each class and we were amazed by the varied selection of topics that the children were being taught.

We went a short distance away to a church and people were working on a front stage. Leveling and cement work was done with a board and it was looking quite good. Two of the unusual metal buildings in the front were bathrooms and another two were kitchens. The church is used every Sunday.

During 2008-2009 the unemployment rate in this area was 90%. Where is there hope when you have numbers like this?

We ended the day by visiting an area called Youth With A Mission. It was a rough and barely definable road that led to a beautiful selection of buildings on the top of a hill. The site was originally owned by a farmer and the buildings used by his work force. Today the buildings are used to house 11 adopted children and there are five people on staff. This was another area that tugged on your heart.

After returning to our temporary home away from home we had supper and watched a movie titled “Faith Like Potatoes”. It was an inspirational movie filmed in Africa that I would recommend to all.

On the final day we were up at 6am and headed for a place called Antelope Park. It is a high-fenced private area that has about 3000 acres of beautiful open savannah grassland and lots of animals. We saw wilderbeast, zebras, lions, impala, giraffes and a variety of geese. Elephants are present but were not seen during our tour. The area was what most Americans refer to as safari country and we enjoyed our hour long tour very much - but we had an airplane to catch in Harare so we hit the road.

The drive to Harare was fast and the traffic was heavy. We arrived at the airport and said goodbyes to our dear friends and even though there was a bit of confusion as to the proper gate to be used … we boarded the flight from Harare to Johannesburg. We were in the home stretch and what could possibly go wrong now/

When we arrived in Johannesburg we had to hurry because we only had about 45 minutes to make our Delta flight from Johannesburg to Atlanta. No one was at the Delta ticket booth where we needed to get our boarding passes so we went directly to the gate where our flight was boarding. At his point we were told that we needed to be at the gate at least one hour before boarding time and our seats had been given to stand-by customers. The plane was there, we had confirmed tickets in hand but we could not get on the plane because it was now full. Our confirmed seats were given to others. We were not happy!

The next hour or so was a test of patience and character for each of us. We were also told that our luggage was in the basement and would not be available until 8am the next morning. After another period of tribulation we found an angel at the KLM booth that worked with us and got us and our luggage on a 7:30am flight the next morning to Amsterdam. Delta had given us a voucher for a room at the airport hotel so at least we wouldn’t have to sleep in the airport. So what if the flight was going north to the Greenland area .. We were out of Johannesburg and heading to Texas.

The flight to Amsterdam was uneventful and we even confirmed that our luggage was aboard.

One more trauma area at Atlanta because we had tickets in hand but they were not confirmed or cleared until 15 -minutes before the flight left. More anxiety for all but we did make the flight and much to our pleasure we finally arrived in Houston.

I don’t know how many passport checks we went through during the trip but they were many. Likewise I am not sure how many miles we traveled by air and car but it was considerable. Finally we were back in the good old USA … but our luggage was lost. More paperwork and anxiety and we finally left the airport and headed home. We arrived Saturday evening and our luggage was delivered to our home on Sunday evening.

Many lessons were learned from this trip, but the one thing that stood out more than anything else was the vast need of the people that we had left in Africa. This would include not only the many people in the villages but also our missionary friends. We are so blessed and we take so much for granted. We also have so many opportunities that others around the world do not have.

Missionaries do Gods work in many isolated places that have no water, electricity or food. They live in places that many of us would not even be comfortable visiting, and they do it with a smile on their face and passion for their work. They need our prayers.

Each of us should think about the challenges that our missionaries have on a daily basis and we should open up our hearts to assist them any way possible. My heart was broken by the things I saw and I was truly humbled.

I have a deeper appreciation for these people in far off places and I know that the good Lord will watch over them and their work.

If you want to know the true meaning of missionary work I suggest that you take a ministry trip. It is truly a humbling experience -- JB

Feb 2010

As I write this report on the morning of February 12th, snow is falling, it is c-o-l-d and just basically a miserable day for fishing. However, like everyone says about Texas weather .. "Just wait a bit and it will change". Hopefully we will see the sun in a few days and all of these cold fronts will go away. There are fish to be caught and I am getting cabin fever!

I saw that my friend Joe Joslin was heading to the Bass Master Classic at Lay Lake just out of Birmingham, Alabama .. and I hope he give us some good update of all the activities. If you have never attended a Classic you should. It is Mardi Gras disguised as a bass tournament. Lot's of fun!

LAKE CONDITIONS: Current lake level on 2/11/2010 is 169.72. Generator 1 Currently shut down Generator 2 Currently running 24 hours. Spillway Gates Closed Current Waterflow 6564 CFS Water clarity in the south end of the lake is basically clear but should stain somewhat as we continue to get drizzle/rain .... and snow. Water temperature continues to be bad for fishermen since it has dropped seven plus degrees in some areas and is between 50 to 52 degrees maximum in most areas. That is cold since three weeks ago we were fishing some areas that had 53-plus degree temperature. I hope that this colder temperature is doing a number to the Giant Salvinia since it doesn't like the colder temperatures.

Fishing Reports:
BASS - You have to be pretty lucky these days to find a window of time when the wind is not blowing or a cold front is not roaring thru our area. Three weeks ago bass were starting to stage in the creeks anticipating that warmer weather would occur and the spawning cycle would begin. Many of these fish have dropped back into the deeper areas but could move up fast when the sun gets back on the water.
A. D. White and I had a great day on January 23rd. We finished 1st and 2nd in the Fairmount Bass Club tournament and A. D. had a beautiful 11-pound 6-ounce lunker as a kicker. We both had limits-plus and about 80% of the bass were caught on a black/blue swim-jig with a craw trailer and the rest were taken on a black Texan Shaker.

It was a great day and the 11-pounder was released back into Toledo Bend to fight again another day. The key was to fish the baits in close proximity to the creek channel but also close to the flats.

Late reports on both Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn have been sketchy but the patterns that are working seem to be gold Rogues fished v-e-r-y slow, Shaker type baits, and drop-shots in 25-plus feet of water.

I visited with pro angler Tommy Martin and he said that the drop-shot pattern worked best for both he and fellow angler Larry Nixon during the recent FLW American Fishing Series tournament at Sam Rayburn. Pro angler Cody Woods won the event with a 3-day total of 32-pounds 10-ounces. Randy Cisler finished 2nd followed by Charles Bibber, Tommy Martin and Larry Nixon. Congrads to all!
With the cold fronts pulling in more cold air the deepwater pattern may be with us for awhile. If so I would recommend the Texan jigging spoon, a drop-shot and possibly the Carolina-rig. Take your time fishing an area and be patient. There are some big bass out there just waiting to come to the shallows so the ridges, long points and funnel area that lead from deep water to shallow would be good places to start. The afternoon bite seems to be much better than the early morning bite.

This is also a good time to wacky worm a Crème Scoundrel worm. That slow sinking worm can get the attention from bass that will ignore other offerings. I haven't had much luck in recent days with a crankbait or trap but this action will perk back up as the water warms.

Crappie - Have had a few reports of crappie being caught from Housen Bay and up around Holly Park. Not much from the Chicken Coop area. Best pattern seems to be fishing minnows on a tight line in about 25-feet of water over brush. I predict that this will be one of the best years ever for crappie fishing once they kick off.

O x y m o r o n s

1. Is it good if a vacuum really sucks? 2. Why is it called "after dark" when it really is "after light"? 3. Why is the third hand on the watch called the second hand? 4. If a word is misspelled in the dictionary, how would we ever know? 5. If Webster wrote the first dictionary, where did he find the words? 6. Why do we say something is out of whack? What is a whack? 7. Why does "slow down" and "slow up" mean the same thing? 8. Why does "fat chance" and "slim chance" mean the same thing? 9. Why do "tug" boats push their barges? 10. Why do we sing "Take me out to the ball game" when we are already there? 11. Why are they called "stands" when they are made for sitting? 12. Doesn't "expecting the unexpected" make the unexpected expected? 13. Why are a "wise man" and a "wise guy" opposites? 14. Why do "overlook" and "oversee" mean opposite things? 15. Why is "phonics" not spelled the way it sounds? 16. If work is so terrific, why do they have to pay you to do it? 17. If all the world is a stage, where is the audience sitting? 18. If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular? 19. If you are cross-eyed and have dyslexia, can you read all right? 20. Why is bra singular and panties plural? 21. Why do you press harder on the buttons of a remote control when you know the batteries are dead? 22. Why do we put suits in garment bags and garments in a suitcase? 23. How come abbreviated is such a long word? 24. Why do we wash bath towels? Aren't we clean when we use them? 25. Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle? 26. Why do they call it a TV set when you only have one? 27. Christmas - What other time of the year do you sit in front of a dead tree and eat candy out of your socks? 28. Why do we drive on a parkway and park on a driveway? I dunno, why do we? ************************************

Cinnamon and Honey
Honey is the only food on the planet that will not spoil or rot. It will do what some call turning to sugar. In reality honey is always honey. However, when left in a cool dark place for a long time it will do what I rather call "crystallizing." When this happens I loosen the lid, boil some water, and sit the honey container in the hot water, turn off the heat and let it liquefy. It is then as good as it ever was. Never boil honey or put it in a microwave.. To do so will kill the enzymes in the honey. Cinnamon and Honey Bet the drug companies won't like this one getting around.

Facts on Honey and Cinnamon:
It is found that a mixture of honey and Cinnamon cures most diseases. Honey is produced in most of the countries of the world. Scientists of today also accept honey as a 'Ram Ban' (very effective) medicine for all kinds of diseases. Honey can be used without any side effects for any kind of diseases. Today's science says that even though honey is sweet, if taken in the right dosage as a medicine, it does not harm diabetic patients. Weekly World News, a magazine in Canada, in its issue dated 17 January, 1995 has given the following list of diseases that can be cured by honey and cinnamon as researched by western scientists:

HEART DISEASES: Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply on bread, instead of jelly and jam, and eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries and saves the patient from heart attack. Also, those who have already had an attack, if they do this process daily, they are kept miles away from the next attack. Regular use of the above process relieves loss of breath and strengthens the heart beat. In America and Canada, various nursing homes have treated patients successfully and have found that as you age, the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged; honey and cinnamon revitalize the arteries and veins.

ARTHRITIS: Arthritis patients may take daily, morning and night, one cup of hot water with two spoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. If taken regularly even chronic arthritis can be cured. In a recent research conducted at the Copenhagen University, it was found that when the doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon Honey and half teaspoon Cinnamon powder before breakfast, they found that within a week, out of the 200 people so treated, practically 73 patients were totally relieved of pain, and within a month, mostly all the patients who could not walk or move around because of arthritis started walking without pain.

BLADDER INFECTIONS: Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water and drink it. It destroys the germs in the bladder.

CHOLESTEROL: Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of Cinnamon Powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea water, given to a cholesterol patient, was found to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10 percent within two hours. As mentioned for arthritic patients, if taken three times a day, any chronic cholesterol is cured. According to information received in the said Journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol.

COLDS: Those suffering from common or severe colds should take one tablespoon lukewarm honey with 1/4 spoon cinnamon powder daily for three days. This process will cure most chronic cough, cold, and clear the sinuses.

UPSET STOMACH: Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomach ache and also clears stomach ulcers from the root.

GAS: According to the studies done in India and Japan, it is revealed that if Honey is taken with cinnamon powder the stomach is relieved of gas.

IMMUNE SYSTEM: Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacteria and viral attacks. Scientists have found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts. Constant use of Honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles to fight bacterial and viral diseases.

INDIGESTION: Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of honey taken before food relieves acidity and digests the heaviest of meals.

INFLUENZA: A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains a natural 'Ingredient' which kills the influenza germs and saves the patient from flu.

LONGEVITY: Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, when taken regularly, arrests the ravages of old age. Take four spoons of honey, one spoon of cinnamon powder, and three cups of water and boil to make like tea. Drink 1/4 cup, three to four times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft and arrests old age. Life spans also increase and even a 100 year old, starts performing the chores of a 20-year-old.

PIMPLES: Three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste. Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it next morning with warm water. If done daily for two weeks, it removes pimples from the root.

SKIN INFECTIONS: Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected parts cures eczema, ringworm and all types of skin infections.

WEIGHT LOSS: This is the one I really want to work!!!) Daily in the morning one half hour before breakfast on an empty stomach, and at night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one cup of water. If taken regularly, it reduces the weight of even the most obese person. Also, drinking this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body even though the person may eat a high calorie diet.

CANCER: Recent research in Japan and Australia has revealed that advanced cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured successfully. Patients suffering from these kinds of cancer should daily take one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder for one month three times a day.

FATIGUE: Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is more helpful rather than being detrimental to the strength of the body. Senior citizens, who take honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts, are more alert and flexible. Dr. Milton, who has done research, says that a half tablespoon of honey taken in a glass of water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder, taken daily after brushing and in the afternoon at about 3:00 P.M. when the vitality of the body starts to decrease, increases the vitality of the body within a week.

BAD BREATH: People of South America, first thing in the morning, gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water, so their breath stays fresh throughout the day.

HEARING LOSS: Daily morning and night honey and cinnamon powder, taken in equal parts restores hearing. Remember when we were kids? We had toast with real butter and cinnamon sprinkled on it!

That's all -- Stay warm and I will see you on the water -- JB