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"Looking forward to reports from everybody.  Hope all made it home safely.." Ronnie

Past Articles One Year Ago - 9/14/00 - A Slick Willie That Actually Works! Two Years Ago - 09/13/99 - Ode To A Bucktail Three Years Ago - 09/14/98 - Catch  Counter Software Four Years Ago - 09/15/97 - Fall Turnover

I left home Tuesday morning, September 4th a little after 10:00 AM for the long drive north.  I was not sure how far to drive so I kept going until I started feeling tired, which was just south of Chicago.  Since I did not want to go through the city during the day, I decided to stop as soon as I got north of it.

After 14 hours I stopped just south of the Wisconsin line - right at 850 miles from home - at 12:15 Georgia time.  The truck and boat did great, I hardly knew the boat was back there except for the time when an idiot passed me on the left and immediately pulled in front of me to turn right.  I pretty much stood the truck on its nose - thank goodness for surge brakes on the trailer!

After a five hour drive Wednesday, I arrived in Rhinelander for the first part of my fishing - the Bass newsgroup's North Woods Classic.  On Thursday I practiced for it and caught my first smallmouth and first pike.  Friday I managed to catch my biggest pike and smallmouth and also my first muskie.  Although we had two local guides in that tournament, only two of us weighed in a keeper!  I had big fish and second place with a 17 inch  2 pound smallmouth!

The second day of the tournament I landed one more keeper smallmouth - this one 18 inches long -  and won with 4.2 pounds.  That amazed me that more fish were not caught in the tournament, but I was happy with the win.

Sunday morning I headed north to Van Vilet lake - after getting lost in Rhinelander.  When I arrived most of the guys were already there and out fishing.  After meeting Tony, Jim, Keith and Bryan we all went fishing.  Tony showed me some of his hot spots on the lake and I caught more keepers that afternoon then I had in the past two days!

During the week we all caught fish and ate very good.  Details and pictures will follow in future articles, when I recover enough.   I left Saturday morning at 9:30 and drove home in 19 hours - 1200 miles - arriving at my house at 4:30 Sunday  morning.

Unfortunately, its over for this year.  We all had a great time and everyone seems to want to do it again next year, so start saving your pennies!

Check out Coming Next Week - Next week's column topic, contest prize and new additions to the resources lists.

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