Letters To The Editor December 2011

Mike Harris caught these two bass on the same cast while fishing the Sworming Hornet Lures Swarm umbrella rig during the BFL Wildcard event on Kentucky Lake.

Never Before Has There Been A Fishing Rig Like The A-Rig   

Dear GON,

I fished the BFL wildcard at Kentucky Lake this past week for a chance to make the BFL All-American and a chance at $100,000. I needed to finish in the top 6 but barely missed it, finishing No. 10 with 30 pounds even over two days. I’ve now been 1-lb., 3-ozs. and 2-lbs., 6-ozs. from making the All-American — both times at Kentucky Lake. It’s hard to get that close twice without making it.

Every bass angler in the country right now is talking about the Alabama rig. This bait is a mini umbrella rig, and it really catches fish. I didn’t have any of the actual Alabama rigs, which originally came out of northwest Alabama; however, Georgia lure maker Rick Steckelberg with Sworming Hornet Lures makes the Swarm umbrella rig. All I can say is that this bait is top shelf.

I practiced several days on Kentucky Lake and didn’t get a single bite on anything but the Swarm. The amazing thing was that the wildcard weights were even better than the Everstart Championship on Kentucky Lake the week before.

There has never — and I mean never — been another bait/rig to come along that has the impact on bass fishing success as this one!

Mike Harris, Watkinsville

One Reason Not To Trespass  

Dear GON,

On Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2011, while I was walking to a ground blind on family property, I heard a shot from a deer rifle. At the time, I believed it came from the neighboring property.

As I crossed a branch, I was about 20 yards from my ground blind and noticed an orange vest about 35 yards on the other side of my blind. Another shot rang out, and the bullet hit 30 feet to the right of me. I realized the orange vest I had seen was not on the neighboring property, but it was actually on our property. So, I moved toward the blind and kept a big tree in between me and the trespasser.

At that time a 40-lb. deer ran straight in front of me, and it looked at me. I faintly heard a whistle, and at that time I witnessed the deer being shot and killed only 68 feet from me. Stunned at what just happened, my adrenaline took over, and I let the trespasser walk within 10 feet of the deer. I confronted him saying, “Hey man! What the (explicit) are you doing?”

When the trespasser realized I was standing there, he immediately started shaking. He also tried to tell me he thought he had nicked the deer on their property and had come over there to retrieve the deer. That’s when I told him, “There is no sense in lying, because I know for a fact the second bullet you shot hit beside me, and I witnessed you kill the deer right before my eyes. And I can go stand where you were shooting from 35 yards on my side of the property line.”

He then laid his rifle on the ground, backed up, went to his knees, put his head in his hands, and admitted that he was wrong. He said, “I killed the deer because I need to put meat in the freezer.”

I looked down at the baby deer and said, “You’ve got two Slim Jims and a bag of Jack Link’s going to the freezer.”

Then I heard another voice yell, “Hey, is there a problem over there?”

So, I let this individual walk up on us and questioned whether he knew the fellow on the ground.

He said, “This is my brother.”

I told the trespasser to tell his brother what he had done. He told his brother about the incident, and his brother chewed him out for being on our property and shooting a deer on someone else’s property. After his brother chewed him out, I told them I could easily call the law and report this, but I chose to let them go and let them take the deer.

Now, back to the ground blind. I would much rather be 40 feet up a tree hunting over a 2-year-old clear cut than on the ground, but because I was in a high-voltage accident at work, which has caused neurological and vision problems, I no longer have the freedom to climb trees, ride 4-wheelers or even drive myself anywhere. The accident at work and this incident proves that God will protect you, knowing if there is something that is about to go wrong.

Sincerely,

Mark Barnes, Jackson

Editor’s Note: We agree, Mike! GON did some editorial shuffling just to get a feature in this magazine on the A-rig. Turn to page 22 for a full story on fishing the A-rig.