I'm gonna tell you about a strange day of fishing. However, as any fisherman or especially a fish story teller will verify, strange fishing days are not that strange. I mean to say the fact that they happen often isn't that strange. Which I do find strange. Anyway, this next telling is about one of those strange fishing days.

  To start off, I had decided to head up to my secret fishing spot downstream from the Isaac Walton League's property there on the mighty Sandusky River.

  Yeah, yeah, I know. A lot of you are saying stuff like, "See, I told you a feller can't believe a word this guy says. How can you head up to a downstream spot?" and so on. Well, Pilgrim let me 'splain that one.

  Apparently, you don't know that the mighty Sandusky is one of only three major rivers in the Northern Hemisphere that flows north. Yep, only the Nile and the Ural share that distinction with the Sandusky. So there, nit-pickers, is how one can head up downstream. After all you wouldn't say, "I'm going down north."

  On my way there, I had to cross the Chester A. Arthur Memorial bridge over Rock Creek. Now you may not know this but Chester A. Arthur died way back in the late 1800's and the bridge was erected in his honor just a couple of years later. Another thing you may not know is the county didn't have a big bridge building budget so this one isn't what one might call a well-built bridge. As a matter of fact, it's in pretty bad shape and I was afraid it couldn't take the weight of my vehicle.

  Due to circumstances beyond my control, poverty, I was driving a bright orange 1975 Gremlin which in itself wasn't that heavy but with the spare transmission I always carried, it was too much for that bridge. Just a few yards upstream I spotted a place where the water was very shallow and the creek not too wide. For you nit-pickers, since this creek flowed mostly west to east, upstream was out west so to speak.

  I decided that even the overloaded Gremlin could ford this shallow spot and dropped the lever down into "L" and began to creep across the stream. Now, I know all of you folks reading this, think you know what happens next. You think I'm gonna tell you about how the Gremlin got stuck or how it began to drift downstream or some such unfortunate happenstance. Well guess what? You're wrong! That's right, wrong.

  The Gremlin had a lot going against it - bald tires, no power, rusted out floor pans and that blue cloud that always followed, but she was as dependable as a Zebco 22 except of course for that lousy transmission.

  We easily made it to the far bank in spite of the fact there was a fairly deep hole about half way across that threatened to swamp the Gremlin. Yeah it was a bit touchy there for a spell. Water rose inside the car till it was nearly in my lap, but we quickly left that deep spot behind.

  After a couple of difficult off-road miles I finally made it to the secret bass hole just there north of the lodge and at the bottom of what locals call 'High Banks'.

  I was pretty disappointed when I looked for my favorite lure, my lucky green and yellow rooster tail. It was nowhere to be found. Oh well, I had a tackle box full of others.

  After several hours of trying every lure I had in the box and even a couple of bugs I caught along the bank, I decided the bass must have taken the day off, and trudged back to the car.

  Until we got back onto River Road, I couldn't get that AMC up past six or seven miles per, but as soon as those slick tires hit pavement we were off! Fifteen, twenty, twenty-five, even approaching thirty miles per hour! But, as I rounded a curve, I felt the rear tires kinda break loose a bit and the car seemed to swerve toward the outside arc accompanied by what I thought was a sloshing sound. Hmm, I thought, then cranked up my Hank Williams 8-track. My thinking has always been if you can't hear bad stuff, it ain't real. Just in case, however, I slowed the Gremlin down a tad and cautiously made my way on home.

  As I twisted the screwdriver to pop open the hatch back, I was met with a rush of brown water. The rear of the car had filled up when we hit that deep spot.

  I patiently stood there while the water ran out and lo and behold, what do you reckon was left laying there on the floor of that Gremlin?

  Once again, wrong!

  Nope, wern't a mess of fish, not even a minnow. Just a thick layer of mud and my missing rooster tail! Ha ha! You all thought I was gonna tell you about those four or five trophy size bass that had been trapped in the back of that Gremlin. Admit it, you did!

  Ha, that my friends would be a lie. I'd rather eat a whole pecan pie than tell you a lie. I always carry that rooster tail. So if you still need proof this is a true story, next time you see me ask and I'll show it to ya!

  The summer season means more time spent outdoors camping, fishing, exercising and hiking. A little extra consideration for your feet can help make sure your outside doesn’t turn into an agonizingly painful ordeal.

  A blister occurs when a small area of the skin is repeatedly rubbed with enough force to injure underlying cells. These injured cells secrete clear fluid or blood under the skin creating a tender vesicle. If the force and friction continues the vesicle will often break to form a painful erosion. Blisters can be prevented. The main points to consider in blister prevention include: reduce pressure points, minimize friction, and keep skin dry.

  One of the easiest ways to reduce pressure points is to wear properly fitting shoes. The right size and the right width is essential. Consider the thickness of sock you plan to wear with the shoes/boots before you make your purchase. You’ll need more room for thick wool hunting socks than you would with thin dress socks. Take some time to “break-in” your shoes or boots by wearing them around the house. This will give you a chance to discover any pressure points on your feet that you may need to pad when you actually hike or walk in the shoes or boots.

  There are several ways to minimize friction and the resulting damage to tissue. Coating feet with petroleum jelly or A & D before applying socks lubricates the skin and helps to reduce friction and the chance of blister formation. Although cotton socks were long thought the best footwear, it’s been found that cotton fibers swell from sweat, becoming more binding, and in fact contribute to friction blisters. Synthetic socks like acrylic and polypropylene and wool socks are more resilient than cotton. The extra bounce these fibers have help to diminish friction. Placing moleskin, a bandage, or sports tape on popular blister spots can help reduce friction and pressure to tissues. Double layer socks, with the inner layer of a wicking fabric, can also help to prevent friction on the foot itself.

  Prolonged moisture against skin softens the outer layer and reduces the ability to protect against injury. Thus, wet feet injure more quickly. Once again, cotton socks are not the best choice since they absorb foot seat and result in constant moisture exposure. Synthetic socks made of acrylic, polypropylene, or wool actually wick moisture away from the skin. If your feet sweat heavily, plan on a complete sock change. The wet socks can be hung from your pack to dry while finishing your hike.

  You might try a dusting of corn starch in your socks and shoes to help keep feet dry. Some claim that soaking the feet in Epsom salts reduces the amount of sweating. There are also numerous products, powders and sprays, available over the counter to help with foot care. Some just help to keep feet dry while others are anti-fungal in addition to help keeping your feet dry. Take the time to experiment to find out what works best for you. Prevention is always the least painful and least expensive medicine.

  If you do happen to get a blister, treatment depends on its size and location. Small blisters usually heal with minor treatment. Stop the forceful friction and/or cushion the site and do not open the blister. The epidermal (skin) roof acts as a natural barrier to infection. Larger blisters, more than 1 cm in diameter, may create additional pressure and skin injury, so consider draining them.

  The following guidelines should help you safely drain a blister while minimizing the risk of infection. Keep in mind that any time you puncture or open the skin you open a path for bacteria to enter.

  * Swab the blister area rubbing alcohol and let it air dry.

  * Sterilize a needle (sewing needle works) for 10 seconds in a flame.

  * Puncture the edge not the middle of the blister near the skin. The smaller the hole the better.

  * Apply gentle pressure to squeeze out the fluid.

  * Do not remove or rub off the top of the blister.

  * Apply antibiotic ointment to the area. Avoid alcohol or iodine.

  * Cover with sterile gauze or bandage.

  * Discard the needle into a sturdy plastic or metal container.

  * Wash the area with soap and water at least once a day and apply new ointment and bandage.

  * If pus or redness develops, seek medical attention.

  Although blistered feet can turn a leisurely stroll into a limping nightmare, you have the power to avoid or at least minimize this agony. Planning ahead with proper footwear, quality socks, and adequate moisture protection can all the difference.

  If it hadn’t have happened to me I wouldn’t believe the following true fable I mean story myself but as they say "It’s my lie and I’ll tell it anyway I want". Here’s what happened.

  A couple of weeks ago I was fishing Kentucky Lake pursuing the elusive bluegill. They were on their beds and the action was fast and furious. We were fishing one of our favorite spots we call the Honey Hole and were catching some nice gillies when I started having a problem casting my ultra-light reel. The line was kind of sticking together and not coming off the spool smoothly so I got out the ol’ Reel Magic and sprayed the line and guides.

  Stepping to the front of the boat I cast out the line and reeled it in. It worked better but I felt it needed more so I repeated the process. Twice wasn’t enough so one more time just to make sure.

  As the bobber skimmed across the surface on its way back to the boat I was thinking about the state record gillie I was sure to catch once I put another cricket on the hook. Suddenly and without warning the water boiled up as something struck at the bobber! Instinctively I set the hook and the fight was on!

  After a brief fight the boys netted the fish for me. Reaching into the net and unhooking the fish I proudly held up a 2 pound largemouth bass!

  "That’s way you do it boys!" I said. "Don’t need no stinkin’ bait when you’re as good as me!"

  My brother-in-law Kenny, who had been sitting in one of the front seats the whole time, said "I’ve never seen anything like that before in my life. If I hadn’t seen it I wouldn’t believe it!"

  I wouldn’t either!

  True story from Captain Duffy.