Here's a story for you all. I grew up in Natchez, Ms. were the soil in the area is Loess Bluff soil. It washes really badly and creates these huge bayous or canyons by sloughing off vertically. So, many soil conversation works where completed in the 60's by the Corp of Eng. The result was a number of good size private lakes. A buddy of mine has an older brother (Mickey) who made it big in the oil services industry, which allowed him to buy an 800 acres parcel with one of these soil conservation lakes on it. It's a great lake, approx 50 surface acres, depths to 30 ft., a big 6ft x 6ft concrete overflow pipe and one damn big dam. The lake snakes back into the property (all hardwoods); but, unfortunately the dam is adjacent to a county road. It does have a chain link fence, but you can still cut through the woods and sneak in on the back of the property.
Anyway, when Mickey bought the place he decided to make it a trophy bass lake. He hired a Professor from Auburn U. to shock/survey the lake. As a result, Mickey started a significant stocking program of 8in bass, bass fingerlings, adult coppernoses, bluegill fingerlings, and threadfin shad. The first year (1995), I recall him stocking 25,000 2in bluegills. Anyway, the point is Mickey has a huge investment in this project. In the summer 2002, an 11lb 7oz sow is the biggest fish caught and released.
Unfortunely, the previous owner was not a fisherman and all sorts of folks had access or invited themselves. Mickey has been fighting to keep people off the place ever since he bought it. The place has several oil wells therefore different operating companies have keys to the gate. He even caught one guy dumping crappie in the lake.
Like I said, I'm his brother friend and Tommy lives close by this lake. So one day, we where sipping whisky drinks at the deck by the boat launch when two democrats with cane poles and 5 gallon plastic buckets came down the power line on the other side of the lake looking to catch a mess of big bluegills and catfish. So Tommy (cursing loudly) jumps up and grabs his 30.06 out of the truck intending to use the scope to see if he knows them so he can call the game warden. When Tommy shoulders his rifle, they stop dead in their tracks, drop their poles and buckets, and took off like OJ in the airport. That was five years ago but people are still trying to sneak in and steal fish.
So, Mickey has hired a gamekeeper to manage this property and another 1,300 acres near by. People are always trying to use his place like it was their own. Of course, I can understand wanting to use the place, as I was able to enjoy the fishing and hunting, but I was in the circle and worked the 3 to 4 workdays every year, moving stands, planting food plots, fertlizing the lake etc.
Just a story. I really enjoyed recalling it as I've left Natchez and now live in Maine to far to be involved except by chats on the phone.
