New Story Contest for Driftmaster Crow Foot System - July/Aug 2013

Our previous contest, the Driftmaster “Good Deed” contest went so well I want start another similar contest.

Last time the contest was a general fishing related “Good Deed” contest. This time I would like you to share a true story about something nice you did for a loved one. This does not have to be fishing related. Lets hear new stuff, you can not submit the same story from the last contest, sorry.

If this contest inspires one member to do one good thing for a loved one, it will be well worth it. And don't forget, you can still “do it”. You can do something nice for a loved one during the time frame of this contest. You just have to submit it before it ends.

"Something nice you did for a loved one" Contest

• Post your story in this thread.
• Include at least one picture, even if it's simply a picture of that loved one.
• The contest will go through July and August of 2013. Ends the last day of August 2013.
• The contest will be judged by my family members, my loved ones.
• Please do not submit a story you already submitted in the previously held “Good Deed” contest.

The prize is awesome, I actually want one, it will be the following from Driftmaster:

Attachment 130053
New "Crow Foot" design along with the double seat mount (seat not included).

This is a crow foot with "stalker" style rod holders. The benefit is a more stable and more adjustable base (stainless instead of aluminum round bar). The double seat mount is new for us as well. With this, you can have two people fish eight rods and the only mounting is a 3/4 bolt that screws into the seat pin hole. This is a prototype.

It would retail for roughly $400-$500 and is a really nice prize.

I want to include the following note from the owner of Driftmaster:

"Thanks to all the Crappie.com loyal contributors for your support of Driftmaster rod holders. This month's prize is a new-and-improved version of our Crow Foot system. It attaches to a seat pedestal mounting plate and therefore requires no mounting. It has a stainless bar mounted lower to the deck for extra stability. This unit also has more adjust-ability because the crow foot brackets that clamp to the trolling bar can be slid back and forth along the bar, moving the rod holders closer or further from the user.

Also in the prize package is a double seat mount that attaches to the same plate, allowing two people to fish the system. The double seat mount is 3/8 steel with 1 1/2" diameter steel risers on each end. The height of the risers allow the seat to be placed directly into them with no seat extension needed.

To create quality rod holder systems to help you catch more fish, I need feedback from people who are much better fishermen than I am. That is where you at Crappie.com can help me out. The Driftmaster prizes for the contests are mostly new designs, some of which are in the Field-Testing stage. Your feedback is appreciated and can be sent to [email protected] .

I appreciate all of you,"

David Baynard
Black River Tools
Driftmaster


Thanks everyone, let the contest begin. Go do something nice.


Disclaimer: Prizes and Rules subject to change without notice.

Last spring my dad and I were turkey hunting together. We hunted all morning and finally got some birds to work. Well. We works a pair of toms into range but I knew dad didn't have a hood shot so I waited and the toms went off again. Thinking we had lost them I hit the call again and they answered. So dad gOt into a better position and I decided to leave my gun behind and jiat call the Tom to him. Well I gOt the birds into range and dad shot... And missed! Buy It was still an awesome hunt and I had just as much fun calling the birds in and watching the almost kill

It all started with a little run at the Illinois lottery , I had hit a little lottery on Thanksgiving morning that when it paid off we would have a down payment for a house and a used boat since we always have to bank fish . They said it would take 6-8 weeks before we would get the check so that put us around the beginning of January . We had money put up for our kids for Christmas and the grand babies however my wives Daughter lives with a guy that has two kids ages 8 and 10 . As Christmas was approaching we found out that her Daughter and Boyfriend did not have the money to buy Christmas presents for his two kids and that they would get them something after the first of the year due to his paycheck cycle however that was not sitting well with me because they are 8 and 10 and what would Christmas be with getting nothing from your Dad . So I lost a lot of sleep over this for about 3 weeks trying to figure out how to make this happen . So I just could not come up with the extra money for nothing . I had to work Christmas eve till Noon and on my way home I stopped at the gas station right by my house the same one I won the lottery at and bought a $20 scratch off ticket and a soda , I stood there and scratched the ticket and about half way down the ticket I got a WIN ALL symbol , each spot was $40 and there 25 spots which totaled $1000 dollars , I jumped and ran to the truck , I called the local lottery office in Fairview to see if they were open because it was Christmas eve and they were , I went home to get the wife who was baking pies , told her we had to go so she had her Mom take the pies out of the oven . We went to the lottery office , got our check , went to the bank and cashed it and headed to get presents for these two kids . This was the best Christmas ever because these two kids were so Happy with the presents they received from their Dad . What an awesome Christmas and Thank you God for being with me on the way home .

I must share with you a story that is so dear to me. This isn't a family member even tho he was family to me. The gentleman's name was Al. He was in his late seventies when I met him. We both fished the same spot for salmon. I got to know him and his wife well. Her name was Emma. They were the nicest folks you could ever meet. The years flew by. When Al was about 82 his daughters and son-inlaws decided he was to old to fish. I told him to not worry I would make sure he was able to fish as long as he was able to. We fished for several more years. About 3 years after that he had a stroke. We were planning a deer hunting trip that fall. I knew from talking with Emma that his right hand was very weak. I went in to the hospital to see him. He was really down in the dumps. He was looking foreward to that hunting trip. We were going to go to Eastern Oregon hunting. I gave him a rubber ball and told him we probably wouldn't get to go there but the local season was quite long and if he worked at it we may be able to hunt before it was over. We did and he killed a nice little buck the last day when I was taking him home. We checked out one last spot on the way and it worked. I have killed many big bucks and bull elk. None thrilled me near as much as him killing that little buck. We did make it to easternOregon the following year and he got a nice mule deer. We hunted and fished to gather for a few more years. Those years are very dear to me. If any of you know anyone that is considered too OLD. Please take time to help him enjoy these sports as long as they can. You will be rewarded much much more than any thing money can buy.
i didn't write this to win a prize but to give you one.

My dad passed away in 2008. He and my mom for the last twelve years of his life spent the entire summer at the summer house in Michigan. The year he passed he wanted to go so bad but was too ill to go. He loved that place. After he passed my mom just felt she could not go there without him. But last year she mentioned that she might want to go. That was all I needed to hear. A friend of mine and I took off to Michigan and opened the house so that it would be ready for her to come. We were there for one week and with the house ready we made the 14 hour trip back to South Carolina. I was here for one day and got my mom in the truck and made the trip back north. I did not tell any of our neighbors that I was bringing her up so it was a surprise to them when we arrived. The tears were flowing when they saw each other for the first time in five years. My mom cried when we got to the house because it was her and my dad's favorite place. We were there for ten days and she was so happy that she was there and able to reminisce about the time she spent there with the love of her life. I am so glad we made that trip. It was the last thing she needed to do say goodbye to my dad. I am so glad we made that trip. We all need to remember that small sacrifices on our part can mean a great deal to others.

March 1924 ~ April 2008 Photo taken Valentine's Day 2004

Dedication to the outdoors.

She was one of 11 children and her passion was softball, but fishing fed the family many meals and she was good at putting fish on the table.
Her favorite brother shared her passion for fishing and they could not catch all they wanted so they decided to dig their own private fishing hole.
They hooked the team of draft horses to the grader blade and started going in circles. Time was precious and the chores were many but they were
dedicated and they eventually got their fishing hole dug after many months of grading. Stocking the pond was the hardest part of their ordeal, as it
was hard to put fish in a pond instead of on the table. They fed dried cow patties, grasshoppers and corn from the crib to get the fish to grow. Catfish
and perch were the first fish stocked. This project was done on their family farm in one corner of the property that was rarely visited by grandpa.
The boys were responsible for mending fences and taking care of the crops as well as hunting for table meat. The girls worked the garden and fields as
well as the house work and sewing of clothing for the family. Then everyone grew up and married and moved away. But mom never lost her love for fishing.
I grew up on rented properties most of my youth and we were always involved with livestock, fishing and hunting and growing large gardens. Time flew
from the time of my leaving home to the first property purchase my wife and I made. Twenty-two acres with a creek on the north side and lots of fish in
the creek. Opportunity knocked and I had the chance to have my own fishing hole dug and mom lived on our property and I stocked the new pond with
blue gill, bream and 2 channel cats. That is all we needed to get started. After a couple of years I built a dock and the pond filled and the fish grew and
mom was ready to fish and she did everyday until she couldn't fish alone anymore. I would get her on the back of my ATV and take her to the dock and
she would fish until her arms grew weary and we would go back to the house and I'd clean fish. She fished everyday she felt like fishing and she would yell
out everytime she had a good one. She would always say this was what she lived for and there was no better way to live. The two channel cats multiplied
into hundreds and they were fed well and allowed to reach two pounds before being harvested for table fare. Mom taught me a lot about fishing and hunting
and how to fish and shoot. She could out fish and out shoot all of her siblings. Strike a match at 20 paces, iron sites, offhand in the middle of a cow trail
and you could say you were good. Spin a cloths pin on the cloths line without destroying the cloths pin and you were good. Dad was there, but he didn't
hunt or fish. Memories are what we leave behind and adventures are what we look forward too. All are gone now except for one 90 year old uncle and he
was a great crappie fisherman and he is my last link to family history. He retired a couple of months ago and is in relative good health. He loves to remember
and looks forward to our family reunions every October. Tight lines and no regrets.
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Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in the Eastern Caribbean. Sounds like a tropical paradise? In many ways it is. Beyond the palm trees and white sand beaches, it is a developing nation, struggling with its recent independence, poverty, and classism. This was my assignment given in 2003. I joined the UnitedStates Peace Corps. Founded by John F. Kennedy, the organization fulfills its mission in three areas: the transfer of skill andknowledge to the host country, the learning of the foreign culture,and the sharing of that foreign culture with fellow Americans.

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A picture from the Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest film set.

My formal assignment was in small business development, assisting small and micro enterprises with just about all of the business fundamentals. While this occupied part ofmy days, I soon discovered so many areas to contribute, including education. I found myself tutoring groups of children in Sunday school after church services. Word spread and next came adult education. As projects came and went and I travelled all over the island nation, one thing remained constant, “The Bounty” cafe,where I would regularly get my lunch. That is where I met her, the most extraordinary woman I've seen. After finishing my service with the Peace Corps, I remained in country for another year. During this time, I courted my future wife.

I frequented her house for some of the best home cooked meals ever created. As time went on, a little face popped through the open front door on a regular basis. Little two year old Amanda, a girl who lived in the village, took a liking to me, and started climbing me like a tree while hootin' and carrying on full of laughs and giggles. The bond was instant, though the road ahead was long. Amanda's mother abandoned her and soon passed away. My courtship turned to marriage and sweet Amanda became a family addition.


We moved to the States and it took quite some time for Amanda to adjust. We went through lots of good times and a fair share of rough patches. Last year, the recipe came together. I turned to fishing as a new hobby to help relieve my stress from work. To help with the learning curve, eager Amanda has been by my side ever since – encouraging me on our successes and making me laugh on our less than productive outings. Our future looks brighter than ever these days!


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How dare that bass steal the minnow from Mr. Crappie!

them some good stores guys. I wish I was a story writer

My wife's grandad spent his entire life fishing, he even tells stories of fishing off the Navy boat during his time of service. Well as you can imagine, at mid 80's people start to think that they might be too old to go out on thier own fishing, so now he invites me on guided fishing trips with him and my father in law. They are pretty fun trips.

Last spring Nimrod had a neighbor that was in hospice and was trying to figure out how to help out Ms. Fern with her medical bills and came up with the idea of having an auction for fishing trips. The winning bidder would pay thier bill to Ms Fern, or make a donation to the local hospice organization or caner treatment facility in her name. As you can imagine several of the Arkansas boys stepped up and volunteered thier boats and time also. Well, I won one of the trips, and I am taking my granddad-in-law on a fishing trip Saturday morning that was organized by a couple of great Crappie.com members.

Thanks Nimrod and ArkansasBowHunter for organizing and donating time and effort.

Well after working 3 12 hour midnights, my son wanted to go to home depot to get a few bags of dirt for his small scale gold operation...he saw this and wanted to build it with me. We pulled it off in about 8 hours...best part was taking down the old siwngset, i was charging up my saw zaw he grabbed his little shovel and started banging on the old swinset trying to crash it down.Attachment 133679Attachment 133680Attachment 133681

Four years ago I was sitting on a 5-gallon bucket next to my fishing buddy Wallace at Barren River Lake waiting for my bobber to go down when my phone rang, it was my son, "What are you doing dad?" I said crappie fishing, what else. He asked if I could meet up with him at McDonalds in Scottsville in about an hour and I told him sure. When I saw his red pick-up in the lot he'd already waved for me to come get in, and I did. As we left I asked him what was up and he said he'd seen a boat that had just come up for sale on craig's list that we needed to look at. Down the road we went and met up with the fella that he'd called and that Panfish Pro was in his yard, waiting our approval. With the water muffs on he fired up that ole Johnson and it was smooth, depth finder, livewell, 2-batteries, and everything to be able to fish except the bait. My son asked me what i'd thought, I turned looked the seller in the eye and asked how much? He said $2,500.......I replied, will ya take $2,000 and 8 crappie? He smiled at me and said, well you keep the crappie and give me $2100. With that, my son counted out 21, $100.00 bills and told me to count them again, and I did. Then I gave to the fella and he said he hoped I'd have as much fun with it as he did. On our way home, I told my son it will take me some time to pay him back and he replied, don't worry about it dad. I know this isn't what you were asking for but this is what came to my mind while reading the other stories. Please don't give me the prize, I just wanted yall to know how much God has blessed me in my life. I don't live in a gated community, but i'm the richest man in Kentucky.Attachment 133964

Well I just want to share how the time I spend on the water with my dad (pop) are good for both of us. My pop severed in Vietnam and when I was a young kid I would ask him about it and would not have much to say about it. My pop and me were fishing one day in late Dec. and duck season was in full swing on Reelfoot lake and we were the only boat on the lake fishing. We were catching some good fish and just out of the blue my pop opened up and told me a lot about the war and how he did not sleep much and he still dreams about the war today. He had been carrying this load of bricks on him for a long time. On trips now we still talk about things on the water and it is just good medicine for him and me. I spend a lot of time on the water with him now and I tell you it is a blessing. We liked to lost him with that heart attack back a year and 1/2 ago and I want to thank all of my crappie.com family for the prayers back on the day. I don't care if it is a friend, kid or family member just take them fishing and before long you will be sharing stories about good times or bad times. This could help them or you more than you will ever know. Jesus called us all to be Fisher Of Men. >>}}}}'>

My pop today healthy and he enjoys our time on the water. Just look at how happy he is because he was wearing me out back a couple of weeks ago.Attachment 134039

One might ask, what is considered a virtuous or good thing to do for a loved one? There are many answers to fit this question that is for sure. What comes to mind for myself is simply this, What do we as parents pass along to our children? What values do I instill? The term "Family Tradition" is becoming a scarce and rare thing in this modern day and age with the new generation and our dependency on technology. Many family traditions are left by the wayside or simply forgotten. As I thumb through my photos seeking a source for an article to enter into this contest, a series of pictures triggered this thought above. I decided to write my story about tradition or you might even call it sentimentalism, and how I feel this is something that my kids will reflect upon in years to come and maybe just maybe they will continue the cycle.

My Father, Grandfather, and Great Grandfather were all great outdoorsmen. Hunting and Fishing was just a way of life, and everyday activities revolved around these traditions that provided food for the family. Now I'm talking way back in about 1913 when this sort of all begun. My Great Grandfather purchased a new Excel 20 gauge single barrel shot gun for "Hog Killin Time". If not mistaken it cost $7 dollars. Well this little shotgun was now a family firearm that would be passed from generation to generation. My Great Grandfather only had one son, and of course he was given this gun upon becoming a young man. My Grandfather later only had one son (my father) whom this gun was also passed along to. In addition it became the gun my father killed his first squirrel with, probably around 1947. Now, my father also only had one son (me), which also followed the same suit and it is this same gun that I killed my first squirrel with as well in about 1979.

It is really amazing to think of the history and family struggles that this gun has made it past, the Great Depression, World Wars, theft, poverty and tough times. Yet it is still a treasured heirloom that is dear to my heart and will never leave this family circle.

Now back to my point. Well here I am and guess what? I don't have Son to pass it along to but I do have two adorable daughters. I made a point to keep this tradition alive! Both of my daughters love to hunt and fish and I try to give them as much opportunity as I can. So I thought it was very special that I was able to take each of them when they were ready to kill that first squirrel, and even more special is the fact that this old shotgun is still making memories. I made certain to tell them this old story so that they might pass it along to my grandchildren when that day comes, who knows maybe I can take them on that first hunt when that time comes.

So, I guess my point here is that I believe the great things that I can do for my loved ones is to keep tradition and family values alive and strong. I know the feelings that come back to me every time I pick that old gun up. I want my children to experience that same feeling and know that someone loved them enough to share those memories with them.

The pics below are from some years past and I really can't believe how much they have grown since this time. Thanks for getting this far along in my story and allowing me to share my thoughts.
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well after the trip I took my inlaws on this past weekend, I thought I would show you guys how much the old man enjoyed the day. You can see ALL the pics at http://www.crappie.com/crappie/arkan...fulfilled.html


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Thanks Ed for starting this contest. This is the kind of thread I really enjoy and, like someone mentioned earlier, it's not for the prize it's the enjoyment we get from sharing. Thanks again for making this possible.

October 2012 my wife and I decided to embark on a family trip with my parents. The purpose of the trip was a pilgrimage to Aldhart, Tennessee for my parents to see my brother's farm. My brother and his wife retired a few years back and moved there from Florida. I knew my parents were anxious to see his place and basically had no way to get there since they don't drive. Mom is 86 and dad is 88 and she gets around with a walker and dad uses a cane. In addition, dad is legally blind.

After carefully considering all the challenges there would be to take the trip, we decided the best way would be to take them in our motorhome. We made it a two day trip driving up there and everyone was fairly comfortable and the trip was off to a good start. On the second day, I had a mishap with the motorhome. While stopping for fuel, I turned too sharp and the rear of the coach struck a concrete pole! Needless to say that put a damper on things for the rest of the day, but once we arrived at my brother's place the mishap was mostly forgotten.

We all had a great time with the sightseeing, cookouts, and fishing. We even timed it right for a local pumpkin festival. After a few days with my brother we headed to the Townsend/Gatlinburg area for a few more days before heading home. My mom and dad, in their younger years, always vacationed in the Smokey Mountains. When we were kids we camped throughout the area also so they were excited to see the sites again.

After arriving in Townsend and setting up at the RV park we drove my son's Jeep, which we had borrowed because it was a 4 door, to Gatlinburg. On the way there the transmission began jerking and making noises. After a telephone call to the Jeep dealer and, a stop at the Smokey Mountain Knife Works, we drove back to Townsend and the vacation was over.

The next morning we headed back to Florida with a damaged motorhome and a blown transmission.

Even though we experienced some bad luck, we had a great time and accomplished what we set out to do even though we cut our site seeing a little short. Mom and dad still, almost one year later, talk about the trip. So, I'm sure it meant more to them than I realized at the time.

Oh yea....the motorhome's fixed and the jeep has a rebuilt transmission $$$$$

Mom and dad already for their trip
Attachment 134185
OOPS! My bad...........
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My brother's place....mule stalls
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Camping in my brother's yard
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Mom out fished everybody in my brother's farm pond
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Dad held his own fishing
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Me, mom, dad, and my brother...coolest old store ever!
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sorghum mill... brought back memories for mom and dad
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Luckiest woman in the world at the pumpkin festival
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Hot apple cobbler and ice cream
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After a long hard day
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The long drive home
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My dad's family grew up in a small town in north central Louisiana. My grandmother was almost 50 when she had my dad. My grandmother had a little brother, Uncle Lewis, that never had any kids. So my dad was kind of like his son. Well before my dad was born, my Great Uncle Lewis ran track at Louisiana tech (called Louisiana Poly-Tech at the time). He ran track from 1922-1925. I graduated from high school in 1987, and received a track and cross country scholarship to, you guessed it, Louisiana Tech. I had a very competitive freshman campaign, but the only major award I won was a college letter. My Great Uncle Lewis actually retired from Standard Oil and moved to Ruston, Louisiana, the home of Louisiana tech. The summer after my freshman year at Tech, I grew very close to Uncle Lewis. He taught me how to play golf and we became best friends, although he was in his late 80s at the time. My sophomore year at Tech, I won the high point award on the Tech track team. Uncle Lewis won this same award in 1923. My coach knew how much Uncle Lewis meant to me and he invited Uncle Lewis to our track banquet to present me with this award. It was truly one of the most special moments in my life. Uncle Lewis always told me that the one race he never won that he always wanted to win was the mile at the conference meet. I happen to win the mile at our conference meet in the spring of my sophomore year. Uncle Lewis was not able to travel to the track meet, but the first place I went when I got back to Tech was to his house to show him my gold medal. He was so proud of me. It made me feel good to see him smile. The summer after my sophomore year, Uncle Lewis died in his sleep. I was asked to speak at his funeral. I was so honored. After I barely got through my speech about how close we had become and how many memories we had shared on the golf course and how many track and field stories we had told, I stepped down from the podium and reached into my suit pocket and pulled out my gold medal from the conference mile, and softly placed it in his hands. I gathered my composure and then the last thing I said to Uncle Lewis was "Don’t worry, I’ll get another one!!" I actually won two more gold medals in the mile at our next two conference meets. I know Uncle Lewis was looking down and cheering me on every step of the way.

This is a pic of me right after I won that first gold medal in the conference mile. I don't miss the medal, but I sure do miss Uncle Lewis, every day.

docwaldo

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I went to Tampa and picked up billbob when he was stranded!

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In late January of this year one of our northeast fisherman Fred Janiec died in a tragic auto accident. Fred was a humble man that resided in Maryland, but spent most of his time working and fishing in PA. Fred was known by many tournament fishermen, mostly icefishing events, as being a great angler as well as a person with a heart of gold. He also went by the user name of "The Spud" on many fishing forums. Shortly after the news swept our area of the accident, one of our local men rallied the troops to hold a special icefishing event and to donate the the entry money to the MD conservation organization. This event was named "The Spud Memorial" and a spud bar was given away to the angler that brought in the biggest fish. This year we will hold the 2nd annual The Spud Memorial, but it will be bigger and better than the previous. I myself being founder and president of the newly formed Northeast Panfish League just this year, and the gentleman that pulled this first event together is my tournament director. We have decided to make this an annual event and donate the proceeds towards a children's fund dedicated to getting kids involved in fishing for the future. We are so excited to have plenty of time to prepare for this seasons event and we expect it to be a huge success. I know Fred is smiling down on us every time we hit the water! Attachment 134790

Great stories & thread. Really enjoyed reading them.

Great stories. Thank you for sharing. A winner will be announced shortly. I have to get the family together to vote.

Wait for it.... I got one more vote to count. Sorry for the delays, and thank you for your patience. It's a tough decision. There are so many good stories.

The winner will be announced on the home page tomorrow morning at 6am CST. Yes, you'll have to wait a little longer, but we got a winner.

Here's a direct link to the announcement:
http://www.crappie.com/crappie/conte...-aug-2013.html


Thank you everyone that participated. Like I said, it was a very difficult decision with a lot of great entries.