Seminole Ramlin's

July 31, 2005

Settin in the Tallahassee airport Thursday noonish looking west along the sprayfield on that side, we 3 Musketeers, Mike Sloan, Eddie Ditto and myself, on our way to the Bassmaster Classic in Pittsburg, watched a couple of big hawks soarin over the grass for one hour looking for something to eat. They never dove one time, pretty hard work for meat and taters.

We boarded the plane in Tallahassee and sat there a long time then they cranked up the engines and the plane went to shakin. When them wheels left the ground, I was shaken all over, more than anywhere else.

The bells went off 3 times in the plane, Ditto sed we’re at 30,000 ft. I thought about what Kevin Dowdy told me before we left, “Low I am with you, so say’ith the Lord.” He didn’t say nuthin about 30,000 ft.???

We lit down at the Charlotte airport, Mike Sloan sed he’d walk. Me and Ditto took the tram. We changed trams 4 times before we got to the loading area. Mike had been there 30 minutes ahead of us, done had our boarding tickets and was reading a book. Well, it weren’t long fore they let us on the biggest plane I ever did see. When we was loaded up, they was more people on that plane that we got registered voters in the Recovery district. Bout the time I heard the 3rd bell ring we commenced to fall to land in Pittsburg. One that plane we met one of the nicest people, Jeff Greene. He helped us git outa that airport through a hole in the ground. Me and Ditto would not have found that hole till midnite had it not been for him. We had to git us a cab to town, tuck near an hour to go 20 miles and you don’t see no buildings til you go down a mile long hill and to the mouth of another hole in the ground which you go threw and bust out into daylite and there is the big building, football stadium, baseball stadium, etc. and many fine old buildings and the cleanest downtown you ever saw. Seems like they are cleaning 24 hours a day. One thing I really liked was the friendliness you found everywhere and no chlorine in the water.

We took the shuttle bus to the Melon Center which I think was the ice skating ring. It is a big place. All 3 days there was big crowds. This Classic will most likely have the least pounds ever to win a Bassmaster Classic.

The final day Kevin Van Dam won the 3 day event with 12 lbs. plus. Aaron Marten took 2nd, Gerald Swindle 3rd and Mike Iacanelli 4th. Big Fish of the tournament was 2 lb. 14 oz. That is the smallest weigh-in in the Bassmaster Classic history.

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Wingate’s Fishing Report

July 31, 2005

Lake Seminole Temp: 82°

Lake Level: Down

Chattahoochee: Clear, Fast and Fishible

Flint: Stained and Fast

Spring Creek: Clearing and Fast

Fish Pond Drain: Clear

Report Provided by: Jack Wingate