Category: Blog Banner Pics

Blog Banner – Taco Tuesday

“Not only good lookin’, the girl was so smart, can’t beat her cookin’…”

Use Ta Be My Girl – The O’Jays (1978)

(Note: Always dug this tune and those lines apply to my wife, Julie. Don’t be misled by the title though as she is still my girl.)

Camping fare fave, taco in a bag/bowl – July 14, 2017

What’s a guy look for in a wife?

I guess part of my checklist in terms of outdoor appeal went something like this:

Does she like to fish? Check

Can she set up a tent? Check

Is she okay sleeping in that tent? Check

Is she good with being the one to open gates on occasion? Check

Can she start a campfire? Check

Can she cook without a kitchen? Check

Yep, I got a good one in Julie, all icing on the cake after that stuff I suppose.

And beyond the goods for taco in a bowl/bag as shown above, she also sets us up with camping grub like breakfast in a bag, pizza pockets and omelet in a baggie. Sure beats my old school bachelor camping fare of hot dogs, sandwiches and little chocolate donuts.

We make a good team as her efforts allow me to take the lead on some of the other important camping stuff.

Fishing poles? Check

Tackleboxes? Check

Waxworms? Check

And so on…

Talk to you later. Troy

Blog Banner – Venit Vidit Vicit

“Whenever I see your smiling face, I have to smile myself.”

Your Smiling Face – James Taylor (1977)

Jayce scores on a Henry County, IL pond – May 29, 2017

Well, the smiling face of a kid with his catch pretty much says it all.

But I’m going to say some more anyway. I usually do.

Not only a smile in this photo of my boy, Jayce, but also a triumphant thumbs up on a job well done. All from a stout green sunfish which for pretty much all anglers does not rank particularly high on the gamefish roster. But that’s just right when introducing young anglers to the hobby. No need to be species specific. Target whatever you can get to bite with the most high percentage bait you’ve got. In the case of this local pothole of a pond that meant waxworms on a jighead hung from a slip bobber.

Jayce came, Jayce cast, Jayce caught.

And in the process caught more than just a quality green sunfish.

Also caught the fishing bug.

Mission accomplished (and got to put those years of Latin class to use for the second time in 2019).

Talk to you later. Troy

Blog Banner – Bass Beware

“When I step out I’m gonna do you in…”

Sharp Dressed Man – ZZ Top (1983)

Looking to battle some bass – July 22, 2017

Last weekend I went to the QCCA Outdoor Show up here in the Quad Cities. While attending, I took in a pair of seminars including one presented by a fellow named Jim Crowley of Hook & Hunt TV.com entitled “3 Rigs for More and Bigger Bass.” It was an entertaining and informative presentation with the three standard items that I typically take away from such talks.

1. Most importantly, I learned some new stuff. You can’t help but do so when listening to and observing folks who not only know their craft but also know how to convey it.

2. It’s always cool to get some reinforcement that I’m doing something right when I can nod my head along with what the presenter is laying down.

3. Inevitably there is advice or refinements passed along that ain’t gonna happen because I am either too old, too stubborn or too broke. Should I know better in many cases? Absolutely, but I’m in tune with most of what I do and how I do it.

Specifically, one of the comments that stuck with me from Jim Crowley’s seminar revolved around an angler also being a hunter. Technically, I do not hunt if we are talking traditional firearm or bow pursuits but as a fisherman I am sure employing many of the same strategies as I look to cross paths with my quarry. Good point, makes sense and never really thought of it that way before.

Good thing is though, as a fisherman you don’t have to invest in head to toe camo, face paint, hunting boots, a Ghillie suit, scent blockers and so on. Sure, there’s something to be said about a bit of stealth in bass fishing but me and some of the bass population that I chase have become well acquainted over the years.

They know me, I know them, we both do our thing and let the best species win.

So in terms of the attire in today’s pic, nothing too fancy, it’s just me. Floppy hat Version 2.0 dates back to 2009 and those tennis shoes and shorts will make another appearance later this year in a Friday Flashback post from 2009 as well. I am a creature of habit and as frugal as can be; if it ain’t darn near utterly destroyed don’t throw it out. The GoPro, however, is a recent addition but it was a much appreciated gift as detailed in an earlier Blog Banner post.

I will let you in on one secret though when it comes to appearance and bass fishing. A secret that I have been working on and experimenting with for probably close to 35 years.

You see that beard?

Well, I figure that a lot of those bass below the surface are looking up towards many of the presentations in my normal repertoire such as buzzbaits, spinnerbaits, lipless cranks and wacky rigs. So, by continuously enhancing the gray in the beard it blends in well with any sort of cloud cover thus boosting the odds that my presence will go undetected. I will also add that the floppy hat is a must on sunnier days as it eliminates any glare from a steadily evolving thinning hairline (guess that’s two secrets).

Folks, this is free stuff here but I am available for outdoor show seminars and can be reached at the email address or Facebook link at the top of the page. I’ll pretty much be here every night too as this Blog Banner series unfurls.

Talk to you later. Troy

Blog Banner – Twisted Sisters

“All of the people around us they say, can they be that close?”

We Are Family – Sister Sledge (1979)

Phipps Prairie Park in Silvis, IL with Helena and Carly – April 29, 2018

Okay, so maybe the pose lends itself more to a title of “Turned Sisters” but that didn’t seem as catchy. Besides, it packs a little added musical punch from the days of “hair.” And while I couldn’t find an apt lyric from the band of similar name, you can’t go wrong with Sister Sledge, right?

Plenty going on in this shot of our first two kids. Fun to see them happily coexisting and fortunately that isn’t necessarily uncommon for our teenager and a soon to be teenager. Sure, there’s the expected sibling squabbles but deep down I find that they get the concept of family being the closest bond around.

Spending some of that quality bonding time outdoors away from today’s technological distractions is also an important aspect of this photo. You know, a hike in the woods with the devices put away for a while actually lends itself to something called conversation. Not texting, not chatting, not tweeting but actually speaking to someone within earshot. Comments and observations about the natural surroundings are definitely an added bonus.

Another fun bit of getting along occurred not too long after this photo was taken. As you see, both ladies have matching pairs of shoes at this point. Well, after a misstep in a small creek by the girl in the black shoes, the girl in the green shoes took one for the team. An earlier picture in the Blog Banner series taken after this shot shows that consideration won out over coordination in the form of mismatched footwear.

A small gesture from your kids can sure bring a big smile to their parents.

Talk to you later. Troy

Blog Banner – Go the Distance

“Ah, sometimes I grow so tired

but I know I’ve got one thing to do,

ramble on.”

Ramble On – Led Zeppelin (1969)

Just another day of chasing those Knox County, IL strip mine bass – April 21, 2018

You know, at the outset of this project I stated that each post would have an associated song lyric and I’m sticking to it. However, this one sure begged for a movie line so I elected to use it for my title.

If you do not recognize the line, it comes from the movie “Field of Dreams”, one of my favorites as baseball is another of my passions. I always have a good time seeing where these posts are going to go and it’s fun when I can work in a little something extra. But we’re sticking to the fishing part of the outdoors today.

These days my “Field of Dreams” is an expanse or two of strip mine terrain pockmarked by a bunch of fishing holes. If you’ve ever had the pleasure of covering such overgrown, undulating, eroded landscapes on foot you understand that the stuff of dreams can sometimes turn into a bit of a nightmare.

Too many times I have found myself fishing my way into the mess, hopping from pothole to pothole while reeling in solid numbers of bass only to have reality holler at me that it’s a long way back to the truck. Yeah, but there’s one more spot I’d like to hit since I’ve made it this far…and maybe that other one to the east is worth a shot…

Nothing like being well over a mile from the truck, sweaty and beat but with no choice but to put your head down and wade your way back. And that mile plus estimate is the old “as the crow flies.” Folks, there is no such thing as a straight line in this environment. Nor is there anything that resembles “flat” for more than the length of a long cast.

Nope, if you’ve elected to go the distance out, you’re stuck with going the distance back. Every time I do this thing I always wind up with another familiar lyric playing in my head as I kick myself for trying it again.

“I do believe that I’ve had enough.” Time for Me to Fly – REO Speedwagon (1978)

Sure would be nice to fly, too.

Anyway, on the specific trek recorded in today’s screenshot I wound up landing 19 bass. So that’s what, roughly 637 steps per bass? That’s a lot of work, makes you wonder if it’s worth the effort to go the distance.

Stay tuned for the 2019 verdict as those fishing holes open up again in April. Talk to you later. Troy

Blog Banner – Fellow Fishing Fool

“I think we’re alone now, there doesn’t seem to be anyone around.”

Tommy James & The Shondells (1967)

(Note: I am aware that Tiffany also recorded this tune but I had no idea that new wave performer Lene Lovich had as well. This discovery prompted a fun revisit of this intriguing artist whom I first saw in the early days of MTV when the video offerings were all over the place in terms of genre. Learned something new today from the world of tunes, kind of cool.)

Okay, now back to our regular programming.

Unexpected prints off the beaten path, Knox County, IL strip mines – September 9, 2017

On the heels of yesterday’s Bigfoot post, it seemed fitting to go with a shot of muddy footprints. Nope, not my contribution to the collection of Bigfoot evidence but a mystery nonetheless.

The tracks were found on some of the public Knox County strip mine ground where I do a fair amount of walk-in/bike-in fishing. And that’s the only way that anglers are allowed to access the area. No vehicles and no boats, only bicycles or boots.

While it is not unheard of to see signs of both of those approaches, these footprints were different. They were way off the beaten path around the edge of a pothole pond hidden amidst a vast sea of armpit high vegetation. You don’t even know it is there until you plow through the cover and nearly step in it. Even if you know where it is, it is still hard to find within the numerous ups and downs of the strip mine landscape.

Prior to stumbling upon the tracks, I’d often thought that only a fool would dare tread into such tough to reach territory. I guess that I must now amend my thinking to include a pair of fools.

Once the sting of realizing that I wasn’t quite lost enough to have my own private fishing hole wore off, I actually developed some admiration for the fellow fishing fool. For not only had the angler dared to venture into the tangled interior of the site, he or she had only left behind the proper mark to betray their presence. All too often my initial indication that I am not alone is trash.

So, whoever you are out there, best of luck on our shared water and thank you for taking care of it.

Talk to you later. Troy

Blog Banner – Photobombing Bigfoot

“He’s gonna get caught, just you wait and see,

Why’s everybody always pickin’ on me?”

Charlie Brown – The Coasters (1959)

Bigfoot sighting, Macomb, IL – July 4, 2017

Bigfoot was introduced to our children at a very young age. It’s just one of those things that you do as a parent, pass along some of your interests and see if they stick. And with a couple young boys joining the family it didn’t take much arm twisting to get them hooked on this furry fellow.

The photobomber in this picture, our boy Jayce, developed a particularly keen interest at an early age. I hesitate to guess how many Bigfoot hunts he’s undertaken in his near ten years. Tantalizingly close on numerous occasions to capturing the elusive beast but always an amazing escape or some sort of misstep foils the quest. A near miss at dusk at the Lake Storey campground, within reach just beyond the campfire at Little John Conservation Club, seemingly fenced in in the backyard and even cornered in the living room but suddenly gone.

So, when we spotted old Sasquatch along the main drag in Macomb, Illinois we definitely had to stop (that main drag happens to be named “Jackson Street” by the way). Exiting the van with phone in hand I captured this shot of Bigfoot and one of his most ardent pursuers. Of course, a picture was as good as we got, for actually nabbing a Bigfoot comes with a rather hefty price tag.

And thus, the hunt goes on…Talk to you later. Troy

Blog Banner – Stairsteps

“Your feet are going to be on the ground, your head is there to move you around.”

Stand – R.E.M. (1989)

Hennepin Canal near Sheffield, IL – August 5, 2017

I love my kids.

In my book, that’s a given, right?

I mean after all, it’s pretty much half my fault that Julie and I have them. I don’t recall which one of us started it over the years but the next thing you know there’s Helena, then Carly, then Jayce and then Zac. And once you have them, well, you care for them and teach them and introduce them to stuff.

In the case of this photo we took a daytrip to the Hennepin Canal just outside of Sheffield, IL. Oh boy, more than a few memories from that Bureau County hamlet in the days before I had children including some where today’s song title of “Stand” required a little extra concentration. Used to be a watering hole up there called “R & J’s” run by a couple buddies…but I digress.

The Hennepin Canal is a pretty cool bit of engineering history that is included on the National Register of Historic Places. There’s plenty to be said about the one hundred plus mile waterway but that will have to wait for another day.

For this day, it’s all about quality family time spent outdoors exploring a bit of regional history. Our crew (minus Julie who was our photographer for this shot) is perched on a series of steps that lead from the high ground above the canal to the towpath along the edge. I felt that the descent was an ideal spot for one of those “line up oldest to youngest/shortest to tallest” shots with a little silliness thrown in.

And indeed it was.

However, the odds of getting four kids on board as we neared the end of their arduous four hour daytrip were generally pretty slim. So this pic worked out about as well as one could have hoped in terms of the goofy pose I envisioned. Four kids and four personalities with some shared traits and some individual quirks, you just never know what will transpire during that split second when the photo is snapped.

While initially frustrating in failing to get the perfect outdoor photo I had in mind, it looks just right in hindsight.

It’s us.

Talk to you later. Troy

Blog Banner – Livewell or Live Well

“It’s in the way that you use it, boy don’t you know.”

It’s in the Way That You Use It – Eric Clapton (1986)

Dad, Zac and Jayce on a Knox County, IL strip pit – July 8, 2017

I think about it every once in a while, am I a writer or just a guy who likes to write?

Tough to say, kind of depends on the day or the mood. Perhaps not for me to even say at all.

I can say, however, that I am armed with a pen, a clipboard, a keyboard and a computer and I’m not afraid to use ‘em.

I can also say that ever since I developed this writing affliction, spellcheck has given me some grief. You see, I’m a compound word guy and when it comes to outdoor writing there are plenty of terms where me and spellcheck just don’t see eye to eye.

Tacklebox, baitshop, lawnchair, bassboat, baitcaster and so on. Each of those get the old red underline. I disagree and keep them as one word since I have the benefit of being my own editor (bad idea by the way as you can never effectively proofread your own stuff).

However, today’s picture presents an interesting dilemma as you can’t go wrong either way.

On one hand, Papa and my boys are checking out the “livewell” to inspect their catch. And yes, spellcheck has red flagged my spelling even though it’s correct. Per Wikipedia, “A livewell is a tank found on many fishing boats that is used to keep bait and caught fish alive.” Right on, a credible source even, kinda, sorta.

But splitting the word also works just fine in this case as “live well” applies just as well. For the definition of “live well” sure doesn’t get much better than some fresh air, some fishing and guy sharing his love of the outdoors with a couple of his grandkids hovered over the livewell.

So, spellcheck can generally getlost on this blog. While rules certainly serve a purpose, sometimes you’ve got to cast them aside and let sentiment trump syntax and feeling win out over spelling. Thus, as a writer I may never hit the bigtime in my lifetime but I’ll have a goodtime in the meantime. Talk to you later. Troy

Blog Banner – Brush with Greatness

“I got goosebumps and dizzy and felt kinda faint,

I think I’ve been talkin’ to Hank.”

Talking to Hank – Mark Chesnutt featuring George Jones (1992)

Meeting a fishing hero, Hank Parker (he’s the guy without the hat) – February 16, 2018

Way back when, a fellow by the name of David Letterman kicked off a late night talk show. One of his gimmicks in the early days was something called “Brush with Greatness” where Dave would speak with audience members who described their encounters with celebrities. Had I been in attendance it would have went a little something like this.

One day shy of a year ago today, I had the good fortune of meeting bass fishing legend, Hank Parker, at the QCCA Outdoor Show. I enjoyed his bass fishing seminar and then hung around long enough to have a conversation. Part of our chat revolved around his runner-up finish at the 1994 Bassmasters Superstars Tournament staged on the Illinois River out of Peoria, Illinois. My brother, Brent, and I were in the crowd for that final weigh-in and were really pulling for Hank to win it and he sure looked like he had it in the bag with one angler left to hit the scales. That fellow, O.T. Fears III, nabbed a four-pound kicker fish late in the final day and wound up knocking Hank Parker out of the top spot. Brent and I were pretty bummed that Hank got edged out of the title. Fast forward almost 25 years and I got to hear all about it first hand from the angler himself. A very gracious man who gave credit to the winner and who could still grin as he related the close call.

Of course, Hank Parker is pretty much smiling all the time and is as entertaining in person during a candid conversation as he is in front of the camera. It was quite a treat to spend a few minutes talking fishing and I even went as far as asking if I could take a picture with him. Maybe a little weird for a 50-year old guy to make such a request but you’ve got to realize that the man is a flat out hero to this guy. After all, once upon a time I used to be a teenage kid watching him do his thing on a Saturday morning fishing show. Kind of fun to feel like that kid again over thirty years later.

Oh yeah, I also gave him a business card for my website. Still waiting on that first Top 5 submission, Hank, if you’re out there reading buddy. Talk to you later. Troy