Welcome to Mike's BLOG

Kentucky Lake.... the rest of the story.

Mike Neal — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 18:55:00 GMT

Hey everyone,
Sorry for the long wait again but after I got done fishing with Jeff Kriet the second day I was completely wiped out and with the tournament hours being so late I got my tackle done and went to bed. Then since I made the 50 cut I got to fish the last day(sat) and I drew Shaw Grigsby. After the tournament I hung around long enough to get my check and start heading home. I crove to Poplar Bluff Mo. before I decided to get a room and pretty much went straight to bed as soon as I got in the motel. Then I drove the rest of the way home sunday(7 hours) and when I got home Timber wanted to mow..... grand. So I mowed for 2 hours and by that time I was ready for a nap before I went in to work Sunday night......... ok so maybe I didn't make it too work, lol. I went to bed at 7:30pm and slept till 10:30am the next morning, my god was I still tired and it pretty much took me till Thursday to recoup and not be tired as hell all day.

Ok now lets get to the fishing. With Jeff I seemed to be working too hard to try and get a bite, especially after the first day when the bites were one after the other. Jeff started with a rig and started catching fish really quick but not alot of fish like the day before. He goofed around and got a limit off the first ledge but it took him damn near 2 hours as to where it took him pretty much 5 cast the day before. I ended up getting one keeper and loosing 1 other by the time we left. The next spot Jeff gets a good bite on the first cast and it pulls off then never catches another fish off of it and I never have a bite. The wind starts blowing straight down the lake and it is starting to get rough. We pull up to the next spot and he turns the Lowrance off again and explains to me that it will run the bats down if he leaves both of the big SOB's on for very long with the livewells pumping. The rear depth finder in a situation like we were fishing is a must for me to get a feel for where to cast and with out it I felt I was fishing 100' of water all the time. Jeff would explain how everything ran but I for some reason thought he was messing with me because he didn't want me to fish the spots very well. After a few ledges I realized he wasn't messing with me at all but still with out the DF I kind of felt weird launching my jig as far as I could with out the thoght that I was casting to the middle of no where.

The wind was really blowing and since we were fishing parallel to the le everytime Jeff would make a cast his line would bow clear back behind the boat till it hit bottom. With this said I can not(this is not a rule just my own respect) cast over this bow in his line to get close to the school of fish so I am stuck pretty much casting straight behind the boat. Jeff would work up the ledge until he found the fish we would throw a bouy out and then while he was culling the wind would blow us forever(wind is really bad) so Jeff would idle back close to the bouy and when he would make a cast to the school the bow in the line would keep me from even getting close. This went on for what seemed like forever or atleast 10 keepers for him and I some how got 3 bites out behind the boat by the time we left that ledge.

Mike McClelland and Jeff room together and Mike had just pulled up to the ledge in front of us so as we were leaving Jeff idled up to Mike and BS'd for a short. Mike told Jeff to go to the spot that he had 20 some pounds the first day to try and get a big fish to make the 50 cut. So we left and went to a ledge fairly close to the spot Mike was talking about and never got a bite but then we moved to the exact spot Mike talked about and Jeff started catching fish that culled for him but they weren't much bigger. At the last spot I caught a pretty nice fish, near 4#, and Jeff told me "man I would trade 2 of my keepers for that one big fish because I know I could catch another fish to make up for loosing one". Ok, let me clarify this, Jeff in no way ment he wanted to trade he was just making a statement that he wish he had a big fish like mine. But with the statement he made it did make me feel bad because I couldn't seem to get my last keeper to make my limit and I tried concentrating a little hard. Anyway, Jeff stands back up and gets a bite that ends up being bigger then mine and puts it in the boat(we are still on Mike's big fish hole", he makes a statement that it just knocked the shit out of it and he said there is some very big fish that live in the area. It was just a couple cast later I have one just like Jeff said knock the shit out of it but when I set the hook I got nothing and it happened agian. By now I am starting to get a little frustrated and it is getting late and with only 4 keepers the pressure is building I can feel I am not fishing right but I can't seem to shake it. We have about enough time to stop at one more place and as we pull up Todd Faircloth is getting ready to leave and states that he just got there and caught 2 4lbers and is leaving for weigh in. Jeff has an upset look on his face and he pulls the boat to the waypoint and says cast right there. He actually came to this spot for me to finish my limit and actually left me the wide open spot where the fish were. I am stunned and then the pressure was real high then since he is watching every cast actually cheering me on to focus since we don't have much time. Well I never got a bite before it was time to head in and as we were sitting down he made a statement that made me happy, he said I was a great guy to fish with and he wished I had got my limit since he knew I would probably be leading the co side if I had. I knew what he ment "by a great guy to fish with" because we had talked about it several times through the day. Me not casting over his bowed line to get to the fish was one of the things I know I did out of respect that caused him to say that. The conditions made the bow in the line out of his control and I knew that so I couldn't be mad at him.

I ended the day with 4 that weighed 10.5lbs for 26lbs even and making the 50 cut in 11th place.

I again run like crazy to the tackle store to get more jigs then back to the place where they was to have the next day drawing and I drew Shaw Grigsby. I headed to the room and started getting everything ready to load since I would need to be out of the motel in the morning and I just plum run out of energy and just went to bed.

The next day I get in with Shaw and it is amazing how full of energy this guy is, I kept thinking maybe this is a show for the on lookers well let me tell you the energy never stopped all day. The first stop we made was some tired reefs and I get the first bite on a jig but it is short and Shaw gets 1 keeper off of them. We idle to the back of the pocket and start fishing grass. Shaw is using a frog and I settle in with a crankbait RC1.5 and flipping a Baby Paca Craw. If I remember right Shaw get another keeper on the frog and off we go. He stops on a ledge/point and doesn't get a keeper but says he want to go fish this grass he has been eyeing all week so we trolling motor to the grass and bam he smacks one on the frog abd puts the power poles down to stop the boat from drifting up to the fish, I am like them are cool but I don't pay much attention to them. We make another move to a pocket thaat has a roas bed in front of it with a jetty on the other side. Shaw gets a keeper on pretty much the first cast and I again never get a bite. I was being nice by not casting to the end of the jetty since I figured he would fish it and he did which he caught another keeper. I start dragging my football jig around the outside of the jetty not intruding on his space and bam I hit a sweety, near 3.75 lbs. He doesn't say much for a very short time then says man that is a nice fish, nicer then I have really been catching, well well. We start down this jetty were he said he had got several good fish off of the days before but this time with out putting a fish in the boat. As we get near the back of the jetty there is some grass patches about the size of a couple basketballs. I watch him beat the shit out of the first one with out a bite then he turned around to make a cast to another so I pitched my jig in and it starts swinning off, another keeper! (kind of made me feel good that I was using something that would get a bite after him).

We fish for awhile along this tapering grass bank and Shaw gets another one. When we get to the end we idle to the otherside of the pocket and start fishing more grass....... no bites. I switch over to a baby ring fry and shortly after get a keeper but never have another bite on it. We move back down lake to a point and Shaw finishes his limit and makes the staement that he needs to be somehwere he feels like he can get a bigger bite. He decides to go back to one of the ledges and stay there for a far anount of time. On the way he stops at one ledge and he catches a couple keepers and I get a couple of short.... imagine that. I have 3 fish and I am starting to beg to myself and one time I stated after making a cast "come on just hit it as it is falling so I can have my 4th". Well Shaw makes cast at the same time and low and behold a keeper eats his on the fall and I drag mine about 2 times and a short eats it........................ my gosh stop with the pain I am thinking. So I mess with Shaw and I say "come on 5lber come on" he laughs and says "I like your thinking". We move to the original destination and he again first cast gets a keeper and I set down and hook up a c-rig. I start getting bites but only small ones then I set the hook and realize this is no short. It is trying to rip the rod out of my hands and I am doing all I can to make sure the line doesn't break since I finally have a keeper. It is a msllmouth and as I went to lip it, it jumps right in the boat and comes off in the bottom of the boat, I am very excited thinking I might be able to get a limit from here................ NOT. Shaw wants to stop at one more place that is close to weigh in and when we get there we are sitting in the middle of the party coves inlet. Boats are going by but being nice and not getting so close we can't cast but like Shaw said we are siitting in the middle of a fairly tight area. I grab my jig and decide that I am going to try stroking the jig the whole time we are on this spot till we have to go in. About 4 cast and as I go to pull it back off the bottom I feel pressure and I keep pulling.... in the boat and keeper #5, yes! Two more cast and we head for weigh in.

My limit weighs 11.14 and I end with 37.14lbs and I am praying that will keep me in the top 12 since that is where the money starts to move and top 12 gets a trophy. Not going to happen... 13th and that is it. I will go back next year if I can that place can be addicting. Thanks for reading and I appologize for not updating it faster but I just got so wore out that I didn't have enough energy to do crap. I think some of me being wore out is all the blood thinners I am on and the amount of pressure I put on myself the second day had alot to do with it. You have to respect the guys like Shaw that are out there day after day giving it 110% and not seeming to wear down like I did.

BTW for those of you that really know me, it took me 2 hours after leaving the tournament to chill out and not be pissed that I finished 13th.

Take care, Mike

Day 1

Mike Neal — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 03:38:00 GMT

Man what a day! since the tournament didn't start till 8 we didn't have to get up early, very odd. Ment Jimmy Mize at his room and we got in no hurry till................. I realized I had forgot my life vest, damn it, Jimmy in his calm has heck way said no biggy we have plenty of time just go get it after I dump him off. In no time I was back at the ramp and in the boat. We take off and head to the first stop which is in the middle of no where and deep. He catches one on the 2nd cast and I pretty much follow behind with a keeper. By the time we leave that stop we both have 2 in the well a piece. Next stop doesn't go so well then he says lets just work our way up the drop and see if we can run into them.................... holy shit did we!

Literaly cast after cast for about 10 cast in a row and if you missed one on a cast the next cast would be a bite, wowowowowow. We kept having guys watching us just trying to mark the spot so we sit there for what seemed like forever and when they left we moved on and caught fish every stop after that. Both of our fish didn't look too good so we went and got some ice at a marina and cooled them off but one of mine was in no shape to return to happyness. Come weigh in he was dead as hell and coat me 4oz and I ended the day with 15.11lbs and a tie for 5th.

Tomorrow I have Jeff Kreit, man this should be a blast. He is doing the drop thing also like I did today so hopefully everything will go fine and I will make it to Saturday.

Mike

Pre Tournament Meeting day

Mike Neal — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 02:43:00 GMT

Ok, I literaly screwed off all dang day, period. I didn't get my butt out of bed till 10 then I went to the Ranger dealer to meet BBC member Rodney Tidwell, great guy. Then I headed off to find the tackle shops....... just like a meth addict I can't stop from getting the cool tackle. I went to Cabin Bait and Tackle on the other side of Barkely Lake dam first and bought too much but whats a guy to do when he doesn't know what he is going to do......... buy what you think you will need, lol. Then I headed to Fisherman Headquarters in some town and don't ask me how to get there because I have no clue how I found it but it was an ultra sweet store. Prices were a little and I mean a little(hardly at all) high but when they have stuff you want you just get it and don't worry because if you get out there and need it and don't have it, it sucks. I know this because my wonderful partner Everette seems to buy only one of everything and sure enough he always finds something they will eat and he of course only has one (1).

Anyway, after I made my way back to the room I started bring things in out of the car and then I just chilled for awhile. Registration started at 4:30-5:30 and I decided to go to wally mart before going to reg., then half way there I realized I didn't have much time so I am running through wally to get some sunscreen and eats for tomorrow, I had to look like and idiot.

I made it reg on time and then I had to wait some more for the meeting which started at 6. While I was sitting in the car Mirizo Shimuzo(sure that isn't spelled right) pulled up. I watched him start to the meeting 6 damn times and turn around and go back to his ride, not really sure what he was thinking but it was kind of funny. As I set there I got to knoticing how dang many pro's have brand new truck, all most unreal how many are in new 3/4 tons with diesels, must be rough.

I got into the meeting and set next to a couple co anglers BS'd with them for a short. It is really cool to see all the pro's. The table in front of me had Hackney, Browning, Stone, Quinn and Duckett..... cool just see them in person and just not on tv.

I drew Jimmy Mize for the first day and he is pretty much ledge fishing from what I could tell so I am ready for that.

Type you all tomorrow, Mike

Kentucky Lake BASS Elite

Mike Neal — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:02:00 GMT

Hey everyone,
I figured I better make sure this dang thing still works since it has been so long since I last entered anything. Alot of people want to know when I am going to update this but I really don't think anyone wants to know how boring my normal life really is, lol.

Since last Friday everything has been flying by, Everette and I fished the last regular season Triton tournament on Grand last weekend and the end result was mostly good except fpr a dea fish that cost us $300 and the all out points lead in the yearly standings race, that was enough to about make us puke. The good news is we have made a check in every Triton tournament this year and we can not complain about that at all.

Triton tournament yearly

On the way home after the tournament Sunday everything was going fine then Wendy calls and says it is about to get shitty at home and we might be better off waiting for the storms to pass so we pulled into Sedan and waited the worst part out an headed home. I didn't want the boat soaked since I had to be in it the next day to get everything ready to leave Tuesday morning and the fact I won't be able to pull it out and let it dry, oh well.

Monday I packed, filled a few orders, went to town to the bank and did a bunch of other crap that needed done before I left and most importantly played with Timber, I sure wish him and Wendy could of came along. Next year these trip will only be planned if they can come along.

Today, Tuesday, I got everything ready and then I had an order on line so I didn't get away as early as I wanted but no big deal. I made it to Springfield about noon thirty and decided to stop at Bass Pro Shop and Fin n Feather on the way through to get some DD22's and worms. After getting back on the path to here, Calvert City, KY I had to stop and get gas. I wanted to check how close the MPG deal was on the Lincoln with what it was actually and the in dash deal showed 21.8 mpg averaged on the tank and I figured 20.5, lying POS!

I didn't get to go to NYC while I was at Champlain last year but I got to go through New York, KY on this trip..... what a thrill, I actually never seen a single house. When I get here and get checked in, I call Wendy... no answer. Later she calls me back while I am driving down the 4 lane makes me miss the turn off.... $4 missed corner since the next turn around was 10 miles down the road and then 10 miles back, lol, whoops.

Well since I have officially screwed the day off driving, eating, drinking, washing the car Wendy was suppose to have washed and looking for the ramp, I guess I ought to go to bed so I can have enough energy to run around to all the tackle shops buying tackle I think I will need for the tournament tomorrow.

Type you all tomorrow, Mike

We made it home.

Mike Neal — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 15:41:00 GMT

With Wendy packing most things Saturday we got out of the resort quickly Sunday morning. We made it to the airport about 2.5 hours early and that was way too early but I guess better early than late. Both flights made it in and out on time plus our bags made to Wichita all in one piece and together.

Mike

BASS Lake Toho - Day 3

Mike Neal — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 00:46:00 GMT

It is over with! if it wasn't for bottled water I would be dead right now. It might be nice and cool in Kansas but it is hotter than heck down here and with no wind, wow, as for the fishing......... alot better for me.

John and I started about a half mile from take off at this public dock. As we pulled up to the front of it I looked at the depth finder and seen we just pulled into a little channel. John stated he was going to fish infront of the dock which had a ledge and some very scattered brush on it, well this left the whole drop off I just seen all to me. John had an old man on the dock try to start a fight but John shut him down when he mentioned how much of a bad example he was setting for the young kid fishing on the dcok with his father. After about 5 minutes of fishing on the drop off behind the boat I get my first bite and in the boat it comes, not a big fish but I didn't have to measure it (that's always a good thing). After 20 minutes of fishing at the dock a crowd starts to gather on the dock and out of the 11 people on the dock 8 have stopped to do nothing but watch John. I mentioned to John how it is funny that the old man hated us being there but 8 people have went out there road to watch him. He decides it is time to go to Lake Kissimmee and as he ties everything down he yells at the crowd and tells them that if they want to learn how to fish they needed to talk to the man that has been fishing that dock for 52 years. That sparked the old man and got him cussing us again while all the people on the dock laughed at him.

We make it to and through the lock to Kissimmee then pull up to his primary spot. It doesn't look like much but after a while I started to ask John what made it special and he pretty much said "wind". The only damn problem is there was no wind, none, zero, zip! and it never blew all day or atleast it never blew enough to cause current to move the shad. Any how John catches a couple and I get to switching baits, then I get to realizing I have caught all my fish except for one yesterday on the same bait...... the watermelon red senko. I grabbed the rod it was on and caught a keeper with in 10 minutes, at that time I decided to throw nothing but that the rest of the day.

John decided to move to one other place and with in 10 cast I catch another keeper. He turns the boat a little and I mention are you going on down this bank he says, no. So I cast down the bank to the base of a tree and as I watch my line I knotice it has not stop falling so I set the hook and tolld him he should of went on down the bank and he instantly sets the hook on a fish himself, mine keeps his doesn't. With 4 in the well I am starting to think maybe a limit might be possible. We are still setting where I caught the 4th and I make a cast down the side of the Kissimmee grass and as I am dragging it I "think" I am hung in some grass. The I realize it is not grass and set the hook, I miss the fish and see the swirl that was a very nice fish but oh well.

We move back to the 2nd stop again, still no wind. I start dragging my senko along where I think might be a drop off (which it happens there wasn't one) and I swing and miss another fish. About 5 minutes later I swing and get number 5, the elusive limit. At this time I am tickled to complete death for myself but John is 100% sure he will make the Classic if he gets one more to make his limit and he is so nice of a guy I am really hoping he gets it.

I am completely staying out of his road and casting out in the middle of the channel to make sure I am out of the way in case he sets the hook. Check in is at 3 and at 1:30 he says lets go back to the dock we start on, he has stopped there at the end of each day also.

John boats a short and I think he is going to drop kick the damn thing he wants a keeper so bad. 10 minutes later he sets the hook on a good solid keeper and half way to the boat jumps and come off. At this time I am damn near to start crying for him, after he gets done with the after math (that rod will break soon) he grabs another rod and catches number 5. I am happier for his 5th than mine, hell I just watched a guy make the Bassmaster Classic how in the heck could I not be excited for him.

At weigh in I am mashed in line between John and Gary Klien, cool (Yesterday Denny Brauer was right behind me inline). When I weigh in the announcer says I am in the top 12 with 12.12lbs for 3 days. I ended up 14th and John is on the way to classic, James Neggemeyer (day 2) weighs a limit of 19.1lbs with a 7.15 lbers and makes the top 12 plus he might make the classic, Matt Sphar (day 1) weighs 4 and should be in the classic.

All in all, I had 3 great partners and made a check......... what more besides winning could I want, it just doesn't get any better than that.

T-Man is ready to go home and ride his bobby car so I guess that means it is time to go, Mike

BASS - Lake Toho Day 2

Mike Neal — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 00:30:00 GMT

Well today went much better and again my partner was a fabulous person. James Neggemeyer was my partner today. It took a while for either of us to get a bite and then we both had on close to each other. I caught mine on a Reaction Innovations Flirt 6.95 in Watermelon Red color and he caught his on a Sweet Beaver imitation bait black/blue, I think it was a Lake Fork bait but I am not sure.

James ended up missing a couple fish on the black/blue bait while I kept pitching and flipping the Flirt. About noon he caught another keeper and then I got to thinking. We are both throwing braid and bigger weights so I got to thinking about a tournament I fished with Bobby Sullivan on Table Rock and he went to 12# line flipping the bushes to get a bite, anything heavier and they wouldn't bite. So I picked up my Senko with a very light weight and 15# Seaguar Fluorocarbon. Now this may not seem to odd except for the fact of we are in Florida and nothing lighter than 20# should be used where we are flipping. On the first flip I catch a keeper, bingo as Dale Littou would say, I start thinking that is the key. A very tough bite is requiring the lighter line along with the slower fall. Well this only was a quick fix since after that bite I went for another 2 hours with out a bite. Then we move to the other side of this pocket and right off I catch a good solid 3 to 3.5 lber, I kind of felt bad since James really needed the fish to help him make the top 50 cut but then again I knew that fish made the cut for me. We went about 50 feet and James catches one about the same size, now tell me why in the hell them 2 fish were so close and we fish so far with out a bite? I have no clue, nothing seemed different.

At the end of the day I had 6.02lbs and made the cut plus his 5.10lbs added to what he had the day before helped James make the cut also. Matt Sphar, my day 1 partner, made the cut also....... sweet deal.

After the weigh in they have the pairings for Saturday and I drew John Crews. He had 13.14 today and not much the first day so I am hoping he finally figured something out. He said c-rigs and finesse stuff that is totally opposite of what the other 2 days were but that is what you have to deal with when drawing different partners each day.

No matter what I am guaranteed a check of atleast $500, that is a good deal, Mike

BASS Day 1

Mike Neal — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 00:06:00 GMT

Matt Sphar......... absolutely a great guy, calm as hell and a dang good fisherman. Fishing on Lake Toho ssssllllllloooooowwwww as hellllll. I had one fish in the boat today that was 11" and 3 other bites that didn't work out. I am out of the 50 cut right now at 2lbs even so I am no way in hell out of it. I started the day with a frog and after a million cast over some of the sweetest grass I have ever seen I decided to put it down and start flippin' a smallie beaver, same results! Matt was throwing a tiki stick in blue fleck and had 5 fish in the boat before I decided I would give in and tie a senko on. Don't get me wrong Matt wasn't hauling them in one after another but it was enough of a bite compared to my no bites I just had to give in.
On the first cast with the senko I had a bite and lost him, he was too small anyway. Then I went forever with no bites and then I caught a short, then I had 2 more bites that I missed all on the senko. I have the feeling that if I had maybe given in to the senko a little earlier before the sun got up, maybe just maybe I might have actually got a few more bites. All the guys I had talked to said the bite was tough but I never expected that tough.
Anyway, I drew James Niggameyer for tomorrow and he said that he will be flippin', go figure, maybe I can use what I learned today and get a couple in the boat to make the 50 cut and get a check, if not I will just head to the beach with Timber and Wendy Saturday.

Oh yea, I am having problems with getting the pictures to go through, sorry, Mike

Meeting day

Mike Neal — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 01:09:00 GMT

Now I see how people get addicted to the ocean and a word of advice, wear your swim trunks even if you don't plan on getting in. You will get in the water the lure of it all is just too much. When we left this morning my thoughts were to just go and see it, wrong. Needless to say I wore my jeans, socks and tennis shoe........... what a freakin' idoit. Anyway, by the time we got back in the car I was 75% soaked and Timber was 100% soaked.
After we got back to the room Timber and Wendy took a nap while I started on my tackle, which I got very little done. Then I headed to registration and all heck broke loose when they asked for my FL fishing liscense........ whoops. Thank goodness I knew where a wally world was because I made it back and registered with only 10 minutes to spare. At the meeting I sat next to Jami Fralick, I fished with him at Lake of the Ozarks during a Central Pro-Am many years back. The meeting took forever since it was the last one for the year and Jerry McKinnis had to make a speach with a video, by the way was cool, and then the GM of BASS thought he needed to talk...... go figure.
For my first day draw I drew Matthew Sphar, rookie and in a tie at 33rd so he is in the classic right now but needs to catch them this week, period, to stay in.
When I got back to the room I hassled to get my tackle finished while T and W went to wally mart to get food and more drinks. FRom what I got out of Matthew we will not be fishing matted grass just grass........ as normal I loaded the tackle bag with everydamn thing I could think of and will probably us very very very little but atleast I feel good about what I am taking.
Type y'all tomorrow, Mike

Disney World - Animal Kingdom

Mike Neal — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 02:10:00 GMT

Ok, this park was cool but not really fun. Kind of like a glorafied zoo. Wendy read that we needed to get on the killamonjaro Safari ride first thing to get the best possible view of the animals since they would of just got fed and would be out eating. Well every freakin' person going to the park read the same dang thing. I thought we would be the cool ones................. NOT. all in all it was fun and interesting then at the end we went to the 3D show and I thought the show yesterday was good well this one blew it away. It was all about bugs, bettles and spiders. They had smell for the stink bug, water for the bugs that threw liquid to protect themselves and dry ices for the ones who put out fog type defense. After this we called it a day with T-Man asleep in the stroller.
We get back the room early and decided to got to Bass Pro Shop and get some weights and line I might need. Then Wendy found Jimm Buffets Margaritaville Bar and Cafe so we decided to go. After walking 10 miles we had a good margarita and dinner then headed back to the car really fast since the skies were very dark and the lightining was getting bad.
Finally my rods showed up, relief! Wendy just went to bed and I got them out to get started, I had to take the dang tube out side to beat the cap off to get them out. I just now opened my tackle like I had promised myself so that I wouldn't mess with it and think about fishing when I needed to be having fun with Wendy and Timber.

Well I better head to the bed, we are going to drive over to the ocean tomorrow just to say we have seen it then in the evening I have to register and go to the meeting, Mike

Disney World - Magic Kingdom

Mike Neal — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 01:35:00 GMT

Oh my where to start! After the ruining of the digital camera by Shamu the killer whale we decided to get another Sony like we had so I headed to Wallymart first thing this morning and got one. After charging the battery for an hour we decided we better get on the road. As normal we had no clue how to get there but with a little "drive this way for awhile" attitude we found the entrance but that was the easiest part since the road into the dang place is almost like a free way with exits to several of the different places attached to Disney. As normal we took the wrong exit and had to figure out how to get on the entrance road again, not easy but we got-r-done. After we parked it was like a 50 mile ride on trams/mono rails just to get to the ticket gate then another mile walking to get to the actual entrance to the start of what would be called the attractions aka stores.
We head for a section we thought Timber might like and it ended up that we all enjoyed it. The Buzz lightyear deal was the first thing we done. You got to ride a ride with 2 lazer guns and shoot bulls eyes as you went through. The next was the Monster Inc. laugh factory which was a show type thing that interacted with the audience to of course make fun of people, too funny. After that T and I rode some go carts, got pics with Goofy and Donald. We started roaming after this just doing all kinds of things from rides to eating ice cream. Timber ended up falling asleep on a slow water ride so we decided to roam the shops with air conditioning while he slept. After he woke up we rode some more rides, I think he is going to be a ride junky, and then we went to the Donald duck theater. This thing was awesome as could be and to think we about blew by it would of been mistake. You had to wear special glasses to make it work right but the first thing that had enough 3D effect to make me duck was cool and the entire show was like that. Timber wouldn't keep the glasses on but one time I got them up to his face when a little fish came swimming up to you and he reached out to grab it, needless to say we both knew he got the effect. Then he left them on when somethings were flying through the room and he was pushing back on me like he was trying to get out of the road.
After this we decided we had covered about all we wanted and headed out, not easy but we made it.

I stopped at the front desk and checked for my tackle. Only my tackle was there so I checked ups for my rods and for some odd reason they said the place was closed and they will retry tomorrow, I hope!

Mike

Sea World

Mike Neal — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 02:36:00 GMT

Hi again,

We had a great day, period! The weather was great and Sea World was a complete blast. Except for a few rides that T-Man was tooooo short to ride on, even with Wendy or I, we got to see and do everything we wanted. We got to see the dolphin show and the Shamu (whale) show which both were completely awesome. We didn't get any pics of the dolphin show but at the whale show we got several plus one the finished or older digital camera off. No matter what I took the picture right as the whales tail came out of the water to get us and the camera freakin' soaked. I figured it would take a little water but needless to say it didn't. I wanted to get a couple pictures of the whales holding the people out of the water but by that time it already needed replaced.

Timber was getting very very tired at the whale show and didn't enjoy it much but the dolphins, penguins and sharks he loved.

We decided last night we were going to eat BBQ tonight at a place called Smokey Bones and it was unbelievably good, I hope Wendy wants to go back but the more we drive around we see more and more places that look like they might be good.

OK, here is a good one...... we left the room with no clue how to get to Sea World so we asked a dude on the way out of the parking lot. We take his directions and head on, they were right by the way. As we turn to get on the toll road I seen .75 is the cost, no biggy right........... well I pull up to the gate and it is a exact change only gate. This does us no damn good since neither of us even have a penny on us or in the car. I set there with my dollar hanging out the window thinking WTF am I going to do now! Well in good Ol' Mike Neal fashion I look in the review mirror and see several cars behind me................... Oh well, DRIVE ON! Good thing there wasn't a gate we would of really been screwed. The shack started buzzing and the camera started flashing so needless to say I will more than likely get a ticket in the mail for that one.

Have a good work week, hehe, Mike

We made it..........

Mike Neal — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 01:02:00 GMT

Well, after missing our 2nd flight due to fog which they wouldn't let us land in at Houston. We ended up getting on another flight about an hour later plus we got moved to Elite status, sweeeeeeet. Our bags ended up making it to Orlando airport on the original plane so we got our rental car and bags and got the hell out of dodge.

The club resort we are staying at is super nice. I have a few pictures on the Lake Toho tab so check them out. I guess I should rewind a little and embarrese Wendy a little. We got registered at the resort and I had 3 key cards made so I would always have a spare, aka not get locked out. Welllllll........ Wendy carried all the cards inside when we first walked in too look around and when we walked out to get the bags she pulled the door shut, car keys and door cards all locked inside. So I take off on foot to get another card and here her say..... "hurry so Timber and I don't get wet" (it was getting ready to rain), all I could figure is that she thought the walk to the front desk was covered, thanks Wendy.

We went to Wally world and got some eats and drinks, then decided to go drive around for while and find the ramp. After missing a couple of corners due to yahoo maps we finally found it (yahoo tells us to drive south then turn left which then we will be going west, not possible that I know of). I took a few pictures of the lake that are in the Lake Toho tab also.

Thanks for reading and type y'all tomorrow, Mike

Thanks to everyone who...........

Mike Neal — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 17:01:00 GMT

Thanks to everyone who let me know that they were reading the blog from Champlain. I had not posted too much while I was up there due to the fact that I didn't think anyone was reading, lame azz excuse but the truth.

Wendy, T-Man and I leave for Orlando Saturday morning bright and early at 6:30 from Wichita via Houton. We have tickets to Disney World for 2 days and Sea World for 1 then the fishing begins, yes!

Anyway, We are staying at http://www.runawaybeachhotel.com/ which is owned by Mike Ditka........ LOL, anyone who knows me well knows I really have no clue who the dude is but I know he is famous for something in football. We got the room reserved a couple of months ago and I kept putting off the rental car then as normal the last minute part of me came out and started looking last night. I got excited when I seen we could rent a Hummer 3 and just knew Wendy would go for it but she shot that down pretty quick (Hummer and Wendy shot.......... yes we are planning a fishing trip, perverts!). Anywho, I got a car and now we are good to go.

I will try and post pictures on www.MikeNealOutdoors.com in the Lake Toho link, every evening that is if we remember to take any.

Aagin, Thanks and don't be afraid to leave a comment. Even if it is about my bad writing skills, Mike

Forgot to tell you about who I draw for Saturday.....................

Mike Neal — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 23:22:00 GMT

Greg Hackney........... enough said.

Sorry but I was tired as he!! last night.

Mike Neal — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 22:24:00 GMT

Ok, since I last posted I have fished 2 days of the Champlain tournament. The first day I weighed 9.4lbs and they were all smallies. My partner had an 18lb bag with all smallies also (the biggest bag of all smallies on day 1). I caught my first 3 on a Yamamoto 4" cut tail that I got free a couple of years ago, it was some kind of dark smoke with silver/blue flake. Then my partner stated kicking my ass with this bait he had. It was so bad I give in and got one of his bait and commenced to lose a monster smallie but even then he would hook one and I would cast back to the same spot ASAP and never get bit then he would cull cast back to the same spot and hook another. Needless to say with 1 hour to go I was figuring 3 was it, then with 10 minutes left I caught a good 2 3/4 and a 12 1/2" to fill the limit.

After we got back to the motel I asked my partner if I could have the baits off the floor, so I took them and he gave me the rest of the pack we were using out of. I am so glad he let me have them because the second day I caught another limit all on the worms he gave me. The limit was smaller, 7.14lb, but it was enough to give me 17.2 for the tournament and I made the top 50 cut in a tie for 39th.

Now comes the part I am proud of. My partner for day 2 was a guy named Jeff Cannello, great guy but he got on something late the first day that made my job of catching "A" fish the second day really tough. He was fishing bouy's.................. yes that is what I thought. He found some nice smallies under the bouy's in the shade and he was going to point the boat at the bouy and when he was done I could have a shot.

We are boat 3 and the storm/rain just starts, I am talking buckets of rain. I am prepared with suit on and fish hedz keeping me to where I could see too bad it is raining so hard it is coming in behind the fish hedz so I have no clue to where we are going. All of a sudden we stop at the inlet to the inland sea indle through and then stop at the next bridge and shuts off the engine. I kind of start getting excited since I might actually get to fish something beside a damn bouy. Well the wind is blowing so hard under the bridge he ties us to it and why in the hell he does this I have no clue but leaves me the down current/eddy side of the pilling. I grab my drop shot and run to the side of the boat before it moves and make a drop litteraly straight down. I get a bite but it feels like a rock bass very next drop, again straight down, I set the hook a 3lb smallie and fight, fight, fight, fight the damn thing tilll I could grab it (I didn't want him to know I caught one so that I could maybe get another drop before he wises up). After about 5 more cast I get a close keeper largemouth and a couple cast later I set the hook and lose a 2lb smallie and then the dry spell starts. I think my next bite came at 1:30 after the bouy screw job ended and we were hidding under a bridge from the rain. Now I have 3 and in all rights I am tickled to death. He has this idea to run up this creek that seems like it is 100 miles away because of the wind. We get to the creek idle atleast a mile to fish under a fucking bridge, I have no clue don't ask me why but he does catch a keeper smallie. Then after about 20 minutes of fishing the same spot under the bridge we leave the whole damn creek passing willows, docks and a bunch of lay downs.......... needless to say I am pissed about the long run to fish "A" spot. We come out of the creek with an hour and a half to go and start the damn bouy job again.

At the first bouy I dick around and catch a good 2lb smallie then 4 bouys later I get a close keeper smallie giving me my limit, YES!

Glad the day is over, see ya later, Mike

Meeting done!

Mike Neal — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 00:39:00 GMT

Ok, the meeting sucked! we had some fish and game dudes wanting to be famous and talk about everything for an hour but other than that it was just like any of the other meetings of bigger tournaments.

I drew Brian Hudgins. He pretty much gave me the doing everything BS story so I have no clue. I will plan on doing nothing but everything. http://proxy.espn.go.com/outdoors/bassmaster/media/angler?anglerId=24173

Well I better get the tackle ready, Mike

Getting closer...

Mike Neal — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 21:35:00 GMT

Ok, I have went and registered now I have to be back at the civic center at 5:30 for the meeting and draw, Hopefully that goes well. I have driven all over the place trying to get no where up here. The roads are nice but for someone that doesn't pay much attention while they are driving (like me) they can miss turns real easy. I missed a turn first thing after the flight yesterday and went 30 miles out of my way.

Don't try and get a pre paid slip from the UPS store they won't do it. If I fish saturday I will have to call UPS and have them stop at the motel and get my stuff. This won't be a bad deal but just an extra couple things I will have to do.

Type you all after the meeting, Mike

flying isn't so bad...........

Mike Neal — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 15:35:00 GMT

Ok, maybe I haven't even loaded on the plane yet but the check in was easy. I can't believe some of the carry on's they are allowing since I thought they had to be some what small.

See ya, Mike

About ready....... finally!

Mike Neal — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 13:44:00 GMT

Ok, if it wasn't for my wife there is no way I would be able to get ready since I seem to want to screw off till the last minute. My equipment left Middleburg Hieghts, Ohio Saturday morning headed for Plattsburg.

I think I have the airport thing somewhat figured out but I bet that goes to shit really quick in Chicago. I guess as long as I don't miss any flights I will be good to go.

Today is the last day I will be home so I will have to finish everything and get it all packed then loaded so I can take it to work with me tonight. I have a friend taking me to the airport to save me parking money since at $7 a day it will add up quick.

Well I better go, Mike