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It is very nice to be sitting back in my favorite chair, surrounded by my favorite people (and dog), and slowly recovering from a wild week down south. However, saying goodbye to the lake, land, people, and food of Washington County, Mississippi was tough! When I last spoke to you all I was just arriving, and marveling at all that was around me, but as I hit “send” (after finally finding a computer hardwired to the world wide web), the seriousness and gravity of the tournament set in, and a fishing we went! Everyone knew the situation, there were six lakes you could fish, one of them was Lake Washington which held the biggest fish, but also the had toughest

5-year-old Brock Murphy with a big Kentucky Lake crappie he caught with his dad, Kevin   There is no greater time of year for us outdoor-folk than fall. The deer are moving about, the squirrels are cutting, the ducks are preparing for their migration down the Mississippi Fly Way, and the fish are gorging themselves! I've seen plenty of posts from people on Facebook about fall bringing hoodies, campfires, and football, and while I’m a proponent of all three, my thoughts are drawn more towards big bucks, mallard ducks, and plucking crappie from Reelfoot stumps! (The rhymes are free, you’re welcome.) Alright, I may have regurgitated that opening paragraph from last year’s column, but when you hit the nail on

6-year-old Sara Foley with a big suckerfish she caught at her Papa's campsite on Current River I'd like to state for the record, that my entry fee for the Ben Kruse Charity Crappie Tournament was meant as a donation, and I was in no way trying to compete or actually place in the tournament… and if you believe that I also have some magic beans for sale! The tournament was a big success once again thanks to all the sponsors, contestants, and most of all the folks that did all the leg work pulling it off. Another record turnout, with 77 boats, and a big crowd of spectators helped raise over $20,000 for the charity! I just can't emphasize enough

TJ Shands with a big blue catfish from the Ohio River near East Prairie, MO I don’t necessarily believe that karma is a legitimate force of nature, but I’d like to think that those of us who go out of our way to be kind and helpful to others have a bit more good fortune. I have been told by more than one person that I have the uncanny ability to walk through a pig farm and come out smelling like a rose, and I always attribute that to holding the door open for people, being friendly to everyone, and trying my best to be a genuinely nice fellow. Well, apparently I let the door fall on a little old

I try to remind myself not to spend too much time talking about the weather in this column, as I am not a meteorologist (witch doctor) and some folks won't see the printed version of this article for another week. The thing is though, as an outdoors-man, the only people that are as affected by the weather as much us are farmers, and maybe a bride-to-be on the precipice of her outdoor wedding! Although it's been so hot and humid you couldn't smack a mosquito without making a splash, the holiday weekend is alleging to bring a nice cool front, which should carry with it a big migration of doves. Unfortunately for hunters, and more unfortunately for farmers who are