OK, I have a little sneak peak for you on the traveling trophy I came up with. I will post pictures when it is complete. Originally I thought of a gag type thing but, after consideration, I kind of wanted something that would be nice to display and something that "everyone" wanted to shoot for.

My idea is simple: At Liars club on Friday evening, the group can make a decision on what "wins" the trophy for that slab Fest. It could be the most Crappie caught, biggest crappie caught, biggest non-target fish caught... whatever the group decides.

The following days fishing will determine the winner. Winner will hold on to the trophy until the next slab fest! He will write his name on the back along with the fest he won the trophy (as well as the reason why he won it).

I started with a 1 1/4 inch Walnut board that I cut out of a tree at my grandparents house 6 years ago. I planed it down to 3/4 and then joined one end. I ripped it to size on my table saw and then joined the other end. I routered the entire thing. I built two walnut holders (to hold a fishing rod). On one corner I used my wood burner to burn in "MICDC" in Itallic lettering. Tonight I will break it down, finish sanding, and then polyurithane it. I had a gold plate made that has "Slab Fest Traveling Trophy" engraved in it. I will also add some decoration to it upon completion.

Originally I was going to put a "barbie Pole" on the holders. Although it would be funny, it now doesn't seem to go with the whole plaque. I have an idea but I want some imput before I complete it.
My idea is to provide a fishing rod (might be an ice fishing rod) with the plaque. I will also provide a "Log" book. The "winner" of the trophy will have the time between each slab fest (about six months) to utilize the rod however he/she wants. Document where you took the rod and what you caught with it in the log book. When it is passed to the next slab fest winner, that person will then have the opportunity to do the exact same thing. What we will begin to see is the process of "who won the trophy" what they did with it, and what they caught.

Let me know what you think!

I got this idea from a friend of mine that is into custom archery equipment. Several years ago, a long time friend of his (and good friend of Fred Bear) created a custom made recurve bow, case, and equipment. He created a log book, and then hunted with the bow and harvested one buck with it. In the book he documented all the things/places he took the bow. After the harvest of an animal, he passed the bow to a friend of his. The only rules were the recipient of the bow needed to keep it until he harvested an animal (could be anything) and that he had to document where and what he did with it. After the harvest, the person got to pick who he wanted to pass the bow to. Over 20 years later, this bow is still being passed. It has gone through several hands and several log books. It has harvested whitetailed deer, blacktail, mule deer, elk, black bear, grizzly, squirels, rabbits, and I believe it has been to Africa for plains game. It has been to almost every state in the US and several of the Canadian providences. I've tried to get my hands on this bow but, as you can tell, it is a hard thing to get ahold of.

Wouldn't the above be cool with a fishing rod. Fifteen years from now, image what the log book reads and where the rod has been. Reading the "traveling trophy rod" log book around the campfire at the liar's club on Friday Nights!!!!