This was a special day, and a little more than just a fishing report. Pepper and I went to Colchester, IL to visit my parents grave for the first time. Mom was buried last year around July 6th, and Dad was moved from the National Cemetery at the Rock Island Arsenal to Colchester on September 22, which was 2 days before my parents 70th wedding anniversary.
As Pepper and I said goodbye, and said we would be back, there were two loud rumbles of thunder from a storm that was gathering. As we left the cemetery the storm did not hit, and left the area.
From there I went to visit Roger Yetter, who along with his brother, Larry, runs Rettey Manufacturing on the south side of Colchester. Rettey manufacturers one of the best and most stable pontoon boats built. They also manufacture docks, all of which are full guaranteed against damage because of their special patented coating. The tri-pontoons are so stable that they make excellent rigs for divers and disabled individuals. Boats can even be build with ramps to accommodate wheelchairs.
Stay tuned from some “electrifying” news from Rettey to help people fishing horsepower/gas motor restricted waters. More to come on that front.
While there I was able to fish at the small pond they have, which was one that my grandfather, Harry McCullough, took me to in my early years. In later years I used it to learn to fish plastic worms while using Mann’s Jelly Worm and Virgil Ward and Championship Fishing Bass Buster Slinky Worm. This lake is also where I caught my first 5 pound-plus bass using a Slinky Worm, rigged Pennsylvania style.
The last time I fished this pond was in the mid-90’s with Johnnie Crain and Don Banning when we were booked for a seminar engagement in Macomb, IL. We caught a lot of bass during that outing using Road Runner Lures.
Today I fished for a short time before some heavy storms started moving in. The water was clear with heavy submerged weeds, so I pulled out my Natural Forage Baits offerings of RT7 and R4 worms. This helped me catch 7 bass, and lose about 3 others to the heavy weeds. They were not big, but at least fun, while bringing back a lot of memories.
More memories were brought forward when Lloyd Yetter, Roger and Larry’s Dad, came out and started talking about the old days when my grandfather used to catch a lot of bluegills in the pond. He was also asking me about my Aunts, as there were six sisters in the McCullough family. Lloyd had Vada and June mixed up, but then they married brothers so had the same last names.
Until next time, get out on the water, and have a great day of fishing.