Bass Opening

I had been trying to reconnect with my old friend Jim Smythe after he left a message on the phone.  We finally spoke after I had published yesterday's post.

Jim had been watching the golf tournament from Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island and was reminiscing about a golf week we spent on Hilton Head many years ago (although we didn't get to play Harbour Town since it was in a gated area).

It was nice to reconnect with my Optimist friend - we haven't seen each other since well before Mardi and I made our last trek to Florida.  Coincidentally, yesterday was Jim's 95th birthday!  A couple of his family got to visit him at his Amica retirement home which was nice.

I hope we'll get to play Euchre with Jim again in the future.  He's a fine gentleman.
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Normally, on the fourth Saturday in June I would be with my Fishguts friends at Lake Weslemkoon for bass opening.  However, this year, with the coronavirus over our heads, some decisions had to be made.  Within the group and their partners are people with COPD and with compromised immune systems.  During the email planning the anxiety level was obvious.

Since I am out and about every day, either golfing or gardening, and although I follow the guidelines on social distancing, I recognized that I presented a risk to my friends.  Even getting in and out of our building, wearing a mask, brings you too close to people at times.

So, I decided to take a pass on this year's outing.

What do you do when you can't attend the 45th Annual Invitational Bass Classic?

• first, you save over $300.
• second, you avoid dozens of mosquito bites
• third, you don't have to listen to your brother snore
• and fourth, you look for a different venue. It was off to Trillium Hill Fish Farm.

Instant success!

Jake wasn't so sure what to make of it all.

Sarah-Jean tried her hand at the sport.

We kept just three tasty Smallmouth Bass for the Craig family dinner.

And then David decided the heat required a swim.

And the fish go to the greenhouse to get cleaned.  No boat, just a bike!  We're saving the environment too!

Caught  more fish in fifteen minutes than I usually caught in a weekend.  Average cost for each fish - $0.  I'll have a tough decision to make when the 46th AIBC comes up!  

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Stay calm.  Enjoy your day.