The Old Man And His Bluegills
I started fishing a little lake just south of Somerset, Ohio, called Clouse Lake about 35 years ago. Matter of fact, when I first started fishing it, I fished with a fly rod. One day, I was fishing and noticed this older gentleman trying to get a little plastic boat on his car after a hard day's fishing. He was using a fly rod too. We began chatting and discovered we lived about 10 miles from one another. He lived in Pleasantville. As the conversation closed, he said he would call me sometime and we would go fishing together. I thought "Yeah, I bet he calls me". Imagine my surprise when he called two days later and wanted to know if I wanted to go fishing with him the next day.
Earl and I became good friends, we fished Clouse many times and about every other place that we could find, that held water. He was an excellent fly fisherman. There was only one thing wrong with Earl, he liked to catch bluegill. Actually, he loved catching Bluegill. He showed me how to clean bluegills in a matter of seconds. Here is how he did it. First, he got out his board and filet knife. He would scale the fish. Second, He would cut around the head but not clear through. He would leave just a piece of meat right under the head. Then he would twist the head and pull and the whole insides would come out at one time. He could clean bluegill faster than anyone I have ever seen.
One day, I got teasing Earl about fishing for bluegill, I told him the only reason anyone would fish for bluegill is because they couldn't catch a bass. I have to admit, I had seen him catch bass on his flyrod while fishing for bluegill. Anyway, Earl said to me that he could catch bass anytime he wanted. I just laughed. So, Earl put on a little bigger fly and threw it about a dozen times and out comes a bass. Not only was it a bass but it weighed about 6 and 1/2 pounds. He just looked at me and smiled, never said a word, then threw it back. I was dumbfounded, to say the least. He then went and tied his little fly back on and fished for bluegill some more. I sat in shock the rest of the day.
I learned two lessons that day, one was never to run my mouth about people who like to fish for bluegill and the second was, right when you think you have the bull by the horns, some old fellow is going to show you different. By the way, I never teased Earl about his bluegill fishing again. Earl passed away not too long after that, I was one of the last people he asked for. I miss you my friend.
Did you know a large mouth bass and black bass really are not a bass? They are in the sunfish family.
Clouse Lake is on RT668 out of Somerset, Ohio. There are some nice bass there and I have seen some in the 5 pound range taken right below the dam. There is a boat ramp on the south side of the lake...a smaller boat is more suitable.
Charles E. White has fished for almost 50 years for bass from California to Florida. In his lifetime, it is estimated that he has caught over 6,000 bass. His biggest bass is a 12 pound 14 ounce that hangs on his wall in his office.
Charles has fished with people who have never fished for bass before and taught them how to become successful anglers and also has fished with the Pros in Florida. His new website about fishing for bass is at:
http://www.bassfishingweekly.com.
Latest News
GAO: Dolphins, whales lack protection from fishing The Associated Press - ... by law to more than a dozen marine mammals potentially at risk of death or injury due to commercial fishing, congressional investigators said Wednesday. ... |
Illegal fishing charged; tons of rockfish seized Baltimore Sun, United States - It was the second time in less than a week that officers had charged Jack C. Colbourne, owner of Colbourne Seafood Inc. in Secretary, with illegal fishing. ... Police board fishing vessel; three men cited Maryland Today |
Teenage girl, a rarity aboard fishing boats, lands giant yellowfin ... Los Angeles Times, CA - That's because women are a rarity and girls are essentially nonexistent aboard San Diego long-range fishing boats, which spend up to 18 days at sea. ... |
 MLive.com | Fishing away through the holidays MLive.com, MI - "We were fishing for steelhead earlier today in the Paw Paw River, but they weren't biting," said Smith, a 31-year-old angler from Parchment. ... |
Anglers enjoy a fine ice fishing weekend Petoskey News-Review, MI - By George Rowe News-Review Outdoor Writer Most contacts reported a really good ice fishing weekend, despite the competition from football and partying. ... Minnesota Fishing Report Column — Winter fishing is heating up Wegman to host ice fishing seminar |
Ice fishing traditions passed on Fort Mills Times, SC - "This is his first time ice fishing," Brian said between drilling holes through the lake's ice. The younger Teskey is starting ice fishing at about the same ... |
Ultimate Fishing Show Returns WXYZ, MI - (WXYZ) - The Ultimate Fishing Show returns to the Detroit area Thursday, January 8 at the Rock Financial Showplace in Novi. ... Michigan's Ultimate Fishing Show starts Thursday |
 AlaskaReport | Search suspended for lost fishing boat crewman Fort Mills Times, SC - JUNEAU, Alaska — The Coast Guard has suspended the search for a missing crew member of a fishing boat. The search was suspended Wednesday for 43-year-old ... Coast Guard crew seeks missing fisherman Coast Guard searching for lost crab fisherman Crab fisherman missing in Bering Strait |
 ABC News | Bush to Protect Three Areas in Pacific Washington Post, United States - The protected areas "will allow for research, free passage, and recreation -- including the possibility of recreational fishing one day," Bush said while ... Mr. Bush’s Monument Bush to create three marine monuments Bush to create oceanic national monuments |
Fishing Report for Jan. 7 Modesto Bee, CA - Striped bass fishing took a rebound for a few days around the New Year in the deep water near Martinez. Jim Smith of the Happy Hooker boated 15 bass to ... Fish Finder -- Published Jan. 7, 2009 Anglers Speed To Gag Limit Off Hudson |
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