a true story of triumph over seemingly insurmountable odds

[thedude]

My wife has wanted to go see her grandfather in Florida for a few years. I have no problem with this. Her grandfather is a great guy and I enjoy his company immensely - But here's the catch: He lives in Ocala - nearest airport - Sanford (Orlando) - you know what that means? We gotta go to freaking disney world.

So she books the thing and now i'm shelling out.... well... enough to fish a tournament every weekend all summer.... to go see her grampa for half a day and then screw around in orlando for 2 more days. Fantastic. I'm thrilled. There's nothing more fun that i can think of than being within an hour of 50 lakes that have 10+lb bass, where its 70-80 degrees in the winter and we can't bass fish in michigan for myriad of reasons.... and be stuck in some freaking line for space mountain for 6 hrs.

So in my very best butt-kissing voice i say to my wife "Light of my life? may I, pretty pretty please, if you find it agreeable, one morning, perhaps... go ...... fishing?"

this is where the 10 minute "you are always going A. fishing or B. hunting why can't you just spend time with me?" speech goes - many of us are married so no need to type it all out.

Judging from my blank face and disconnected gaze she finally trailed off and said "Fine. just go" in that "if you go, i'm going to smother you in your sleep" voice which was followed by a lengthy awkward silence.

So i dug deep friends. I dug very deep - and what i came up with can only be described as the most perfect, most excellent, rank with awesomeness response one could possibly pose in such a scenario:

"But, its Toho!"

Battlestations! Engaging laser eyes, aim for the brain!

"I'll be back by lunch?" with a slight wince.

Disengage lasers, set threat level Hi-alert

"You can go shopping?" more wincing.

Cancelling attack warning. Resume defensive posturing.

"Maybe hit the hotel spa?" full-fledged-cringing now.

Standing down, abort abort abort.


I've since solicited a boater from BBC and looks like i'll be punching the mats on toho - and that my friends.. is the true story of triumph over the XX chromosomes.

-Justin

[Waterfoul]

Since I've actually met your wife... I gotta ask:

How's the dog as a sleeping partner??  Warm and cuddly??  LOL!!!!


By the way.... good luck at Toho!!  I might be visiting a buddy in West Palm in Feb.... and I'll be looking for someone to take me out at least once... so if you can get me the hookup with this guy...

[1javelin]

amen!!!!

[thedude]

man, i love my dog, he's welcome on my bed any day. and yes, he's warm and, although the size of a small pony, still somewhat cuddly.

[djkimmel]

Do we ever... truly... win??

[bigjc]

Wow, you are the MAN!!!

So tell us the truth, where did you sleep that night?

If I remember correctly that Recliner in the living room is pretty comfy....

I had the exact same conversation with my wife, with the only difference being that we have four children, so she would not be off soaking in the Hotel, spa.....she would be chasing Noah Jay around the Magic Kingdom....we have not yet resolved that matter, but just in case, could you take a couple of photos of Toho for me.

[thedude]

lol. nope i got the bed last night.. she even used it too. even got kept up past my bedtime......

[McCarter]

I have much to learn from you oh wise and powerful wizard of marital harmony.  Much indeed.

McCarter himself

[Dan]

After all he is the dude with the smooze. I don't know about punching matts though, maybe. If I was you I would be buying a couple of Johnson silver minows with a white pork trailer, 5 chrome rattle traps, a couple RC 1.5 crankbaits, and taking some jerkbaits, flukes, dropshot rigs, and some shakey heads. If you hit a cold front stay off the edges a ways and run that jerkbait or crankbait. Be prepared to wear some warm clothes as well. When we were down in November I wore pants long sleeve my rainsuit and a fleece jacket each day till 2:00. Watch for bustin shad, commorants, etc bunched up. That's where you throw that chrome rattle trap, boat lanes and the prop cuts up inside the Kissimmee grass. Sounds like you have a local so you probably won't need spots. I don't know where you are staying, but the Orlando Sun Resort is an older resort but nice and it's only 5 minutes from Disney and its where the Federation Anglers stayed for the Toho event. Toho is about 35 minutes from the Orlando Sun. Easy to get to. The sun sits on a 28th Street type 6 lane road, West Irlo Bronson. Every restaurant and store imaginable is on that road. Go east out of the Resort and stay on the road till you see a huge archway over the road to the right welcoming you to Old Kissimmee. Turn right, through the arch, and Toho is just a ways down on the left. Turn at the Sherrifs Office. We paid $57 a night and it's pretty nice (Book it online and save some bucks). I have a bunch of Toho pictures and write up on my teardropbass.com Daily Blog. The Toho trip is archived in the very top when the Blog opens. I also have an hour long DVD I made of all my pics and video of the Federation Nation Championship on Toho. In three days I never saw anyone pull anything out of the mats, but we were there after a major cold front and it really shuts the fish down. The picture of the locks is at the southeast end of Toho and fishing the lock area, inside the barrels is where Freeman won the tournament. Largest fish of the tournament all three days after the cold front was 4 1/2 pounds. Depending when you go you should be hitting some prespawn stagers pretty soon and the big ones should start moving up mid February.

[5alive]

I am assuming that your grandfather (her's) lives in the Villages? Forget Toho, grab his golf cart (everybody there has one) some sinkos, spinnerbait and a floating worm and head for the ponds in the Villages. Some are loaded with bass, other have very large bass! My dad lives there and I was pleasantly surprised at the fishing within their complex.

[thedude]

not sure what the villages are, but if i can somehow fit a 2 piece rod in my suitcase, i will grab one just in case

Dan thanks for the info - The guy i'm riding with fishes there pretty often so i will follow his lead. I'm just glad to get out on the water in Jan! I've actually been there once before when i was in college, but we had little 14' rental boats and were shiner fishing so didn't really get to "fish" much.
As for orlando.. i've been there more times than i care to admit.. my wife used to work at a restaruant in mgm... hence why i'm so thrilled to go back! 

[Bender]

Good luck down there! I bought one of these Bazuka tubes for taking rods to Florida: http://www.cabelas.com/prod-1/0011837010576a.shtml
I put a "TSA" approved lock on it and they destroyed it and bent a couple of eyes when they were checking to make sure it wasn't a real bazooka I guess. The tube itself works pretty well.

[thedude]

yep, got one of those... its in my parents attic in indiana

[dmills4124]

Hey dude love the way you did the Texas two step and thats reality tv ah  internet for ya. Try to find one of those 7 ft collapsable poles. I use two of them and have a bass pro who swears by them for flippin. and if your talking matt thats what you'll be doing is tons of flippin. good luck
don and kim m

[10-10 Bass Busters]

Justin have fun man...but remember this will surface again they never forget...ever!!!  make sure you have that emergancy stash of maoney set aside for when she says remember the time I let you go fishing in Florida...hey you know it it will be said!!!!  Good luck and have fun.