Just a little update on Sam... 

 Some of you might remember my post from last year concerning Sam, J Todd's Lab flush dog that had her right rear leg shot off by a careless hunter. J Todd's first response was naturally that she would never hunt again, he was going to retire her. We talked about that. I told him there was no way he couldn't let her hunt if she wanted to, it's in her heart.

When J picked Sam up at the Vet's in Sylvester to bring her home, he stopped by Southern Woods Plantation where he guides. He caught one of the guide jeeps and they got on. J had to see for himself if she still had the heart,,,and she did. Needless to say we shed a few tears over that.

J and Sam have been guiding at Southern Woods for eight days straight as we speak. He came over this evening and told me a story about a retrieve Sam made today that I want to share.

To refresh your memory Sam is now a "Tripod", a three legged dog. Three legged dogs shouldn't be able to swim, but she does.

Today one of J's hunters shot a bird that fell into one of the ponds on the Planatation. I know the pond and it's well over 100 yards wide. The bird fell about twenty yards from the opposite bank.

J said that Sam marked the bird and was looking up at him as she heeled by his leg. One of the hunters said "There is no way that three legged dog can retrieve that bird".

J simply said "watch this"..and gave her the command. She made the retrieve,,, near 200 yards and with three legs. He couldn't deny the challenge and neither could she....called "Heart" folks.

J said all the Hunter's talked about the rest of the evening was the retrieve Sam had made. It made an impression no doubt. But Sam has made impressions on many over the past four years, including Vince Dooley, Governor Sonny Purdue, and many other famous people.

She's a special dog and as I'm sure you can understand shares a special place in our hearts....she teaches lessons in life,,pretty special.

The BrushPile

By Keith Nighswonger

2.03.09-Gerry, I Hope You Are Paying Butch!-Though I am quote un quote, out of the game for now, I still dabble, still brose, still check in to make sure that all of you are behaving yourselves and I am constantly taken back by what I consider the most heartfelt, the most genuine, the most unbiased, the best written and the most entertaining content on the entire internet regarding bass fishing, the infamous Butch Tucker Tournament Journal.  I can't think of anything regarding the sport I would rather read then one of Butch's masterpieces.

Ironic of course is the fact that Butch posts these journals on the BassFishingHomePage which brilliantly makes anyone and everyone an instant columnist.  One must wade through a lot stink weed to find one of Butch's gems, but now that the tournament season is finally upon us, I trust that I will get my fix on a more constant routine.  Ironic of course that in a business where everyone is trying to squeeze water from rocks to generate a few dollars, Tucker is posting his brilliant commentary on a public message board.  Message to Terry Brown at Wired2fish and to Mark Jeffreys at BassZone, hire this guy. 

Gerry, (BFHP wizard and founder,) you don't know how good you've got it, on second thought, yes you do.  Butch keep on writing, if you need a publicist or an agent, give me a call.

Hail to the Chief

No guilt complex here Grid... :) from ButchT  1/20/2009 9:09:05 PM
 And you responded with "nine" paragraphs Grid.... ;)Thank you, I certainly take that as a compliment.

Perhaps I "read" a little sarcasm in your words Grid. Or maybe I simply "sensed" a little sarcasm.

And I'm simply "chuckling" as well. Seems we don't agree on how we are "chuklin" either.... :)

Interesting.....

By the way,,,have you ever wondered why there are so many different definitions of "hail"? Amazing. The only "hail" I ever knew was the kind that would beat your car windows out, beat your car roof top and hood into a roulette wheel and scare the "hell" out of you.

And I thought it was "Hale To The Chief",,,what a dumbass. But thanks for the opportunity to express and enlightenment...

Where are we going from here? Who knows. Never an answer for what happens tomorrow because tomorrow hasn't come yet. We live for tomorrow Grid,,,always have.

And I know you aren't mean Grid, simply challenging. What we all love about you.....

Entire post can be read at

http://www.wmi.org/multi_boards/other_topics/message.html?message_id=305952#1235652

BFHP post

 This has been one of the better posts on here that I've seen in a while. Some excellent responses that make some very good points. This is what the "powers that be", at one time, liked to read on here. Hopefully they still are, because the sport certainly needs some help. And some honest guidance.

Just looked at the Bass Pro Shops BIG CLEARANCE SALE. Nothing but a BIG JOKE!

Everything is way overpriced and us, the primary consumer, simply can't afford it anymore. So the next step is they can simply choke on it. Same goes for the boat and engine manufacturers. They've about squeezed all the blood out of the turnip that the turnip has.

Nice to see the independents still competing, like the Board Sponsors here. Compare the prices folks. Most of your independent dealers are now beating or at least competing with Bass Pro. Be sure and check your shipping charges, that's where you can save.

Full circle is hear folks, our economy and government has finally evolved to it's level of incompetence.

Now we just have to suck it up and survive. And we will. Won't be pretty, but we will.

When I think back some of my best tournament memories were fishing "Float Tube Tournaments" back in Oklahoma on Lake Humphrey's, Clear Creek, and Fuqua.

But then I reflect back even further. Perhaps my best memories and times were fishing the Detention Lakes in southern Oklahoma in my truck tire float tube pulling my son behind me in his car tire float tube when he was five years old. Both were homemade, nothing fancy. Still have the first set of commercial foot paddles that came out. Before that we used cheap swim fins and fished backwards...lol.

And now my son will be fishing the Elite Series in 2009. Sort of puts things in proper perspective when you reflect on it. Maybe things aren't so bad. Just need to reflect a little. And take your son or daughter fishing,,,never know where it might lead.

Maybe that's the true "full circle" folks,,,,sure hope so.

Santee Open, alligator encounter

ButchT 5/12/2008 6:44:42 PM

My son had an encounter with an alligator first thing on the last day of the Santee Cooper Open BASS tournament. I thought it was interesting, funny, and just wanted to share it with those that might be interested.
He was fishing pretty much the same pattern as Randall Tharp and started on some cypress trees with lily pads adjacent to them. On about his fourth cast he had a hit, let the fish swim out, toward the pads of course, and set the hook. The fish fought a bit and then just stopped. J figured he was hung in the pad stems and kicked the TM on high. When he gets to the fish, it is wrapped around a couple of pad stems but with it’s tail in an ALLIGATORS MOUTH!! A darn alligator had the fish by the tail,,,he couldn’t believe it! Though it’s funny now, it certainly wasn’t to him at the time as it would be his first fish and a four pounder at that. He said there was not way the alligator was going to get that fish, so he fought back.
First of all he grabbed another rod and tried beating the alligator off with that, luckily he didn’t break the rod which speaks well for Fenwick as I doubt they designed them as “alligator beaters”. Finally he was able to get in position to hit the gator with his trolling motor and he let the fish go, taking approximately 3 ounces of tail and flesh with him. But J won and got the fish in the boat. That three ounces, J’s estimate of course, and might have cost him 1250 bucks!
Though bleeding and in a state of shock he got the fish in the livewell and with the help of Rejuvenate the bleeding was stopped and the fish survived. Not sure how well he or she will do on the bed next year but we have a three legged Sam right not that has adapted quite well so there is hope.
The only thing he could figure was the alligator might have been laying on the bottom and when the fish was fighting in the pads realized it might be an easy meal. He never saw the gator on top. I did ask him why he didn’t just reach down and grab the fish and do a tug of war? He said he wasn’t the brightest apple on the tree but not the dumbest one either….LOL