Messing Around Down At The Pond

Hey guys, and welcome back to Ridin’ Out the Recession, in Miz Judi’s Kitchen.

Dale came down yesterday, this must be Dale week, huh? Anyway, he wanted to cast net a few shiners to fish with down at the creek. I asked him, “Dale, the creek ain’t got any shiners in it?” He said yes, but they’re not as easy to catch as they are outta’ your pond.

Is that supposed to make me feel good or what?

If you buy a dern shiner down here at the baitshop, they’re a dollar apiece the last time I looked, which has been at least 5 years now, so really I don’t know what they charge for ‘em anymore. I’d be willing to bet that Dale could tell me though, you reckon??

When we built our place we dug this pond and used the fill for our house pad. It made a nice little pond, so I told Deb we’d stock it for her. I put minnows in, waited about three months to let them get going good, then I stocked it with shiners. Our intention at that point was to wait a few months, let everything get established, then stock it with bass.

We’d dug one end 28 feet deep, and about 14 feet at the other end. It’s all good hardpan, so the water level holds pretty good. When it’s as dry as it is down here now, it’ll drop sometimes 6-8 feet, but that’s about it.

With this the case we knew the bass would be fine when we stocked it. We knew we couldn’t put a whole slew of them in it, but plenty for Deb to go out and cast around and catch her a few in the evenings.

This was our plan. BUT, we got about 2 feet of rain year before last, in about two weeks. We’ve a little creek back behind the pond that runs to Lake Marion in the wet season, but is dry about half the time.

After all that rain there was water standing behind our barn and the dern armor-plated catfish were everywhere! Guess where a bunch went? Yep, right on off in the pond.

We didn’t realize how many got in it until Deb and I were riding by it one afternoon, and saw dozens of little door mats on the bank proclaiming, “Home Sweet Home!”

I told Deb…no bass now. I’m afraid the catfish will eat the fingerlings we put in. Now I’ve never eaten an armor-plated catfish, but, worst case scenario, I’d eat one quick. As a matter of fact, they’re considered “good eatin” in some places.

We had a driver that used to haul asphalt for us and he loved them. I believe he said he was from Guyana, and he cast netted a five gallon bucket of them. He asked if I wanted his wife to cook some up for me, but I said thanks, but no thanks.

Well, Dale caught a couple while netting some shiners, so I filmed a little of this to show the ones who’ve never seen them what they look like. They don’t grow very big at all, and the driver said that honestly, they are very good.

They are an invasive species down here, and the dern things are getting into all of our waterways. One more example of people bringing species into the States, then turning them loose after deciding they don’t want to fool with them anymore. Pythons for examples are giving the Everglades a fit down there now.

So, long story short, we caught a couple of these, and Dale left here with a bucket full of shiners. I don’t mind as he then brings some bass and puts them in the pond for Deb. A case of…you scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours, huh?

I hope you enjoy the videos.

I’ll leave you guys with a couple fishing jokers…

Dale and Creekdog were out fishing one afternoon, and sippin’ on a few beers.

Creekdog say, “Ya know Dale, I think I’m gonna get a divorce from ole’ Sue Ellen. That woman hasn’t said A WORD to me in the last two months!”

Dale thought a minute and said, “I don’t know Creekdog, you might wanna’ think on that some…Women like that are mighty hard to find!”

Dale told Deb and I a while back, that he was down on the creek fishing with an old man he’d just met the week before.

He said they were in his john boat, just down from the bridge, and they heard several cars coming towards the bridge. They looked up just in time to see a funeral procession crossing over the bridge.

Dale said the old man immediately stood up in the boat, faced the funeral procession, and took his hat off and held it over his heart.

The man sat back down after the procession had passed, and Dale said he told the old man that he had been very respectful of the dead by standing up, and taking his hat off like he had.

After a moment Dale said the old man replied, “Aw, it was the least I could do…we’d been married for over 40 years!”

You guys have a great day!

God Bless, and as Deb says, “Keep a smile on your face, and one in your heart!”
Dub and Deb

Dale Catching a Few Shiners

Armor Plated Catfish in the Pond

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