Every time a group of Pond Boss faithful gather, I go away amazed at a variety of things. This time, at King Fisher Society's Richmond Mill Lake, 12 guys drawn by a common bond collected to enjoy two days of fellowship and fishing. There was lots of planning and I got to follow that process through a private message thread that numbered almost 1,000 posts during the last three months. I have to chuckle about that. 12 different guys, 12 different personalities coming together like a well-oiled machine. Catmandoo took charge of the food..as those of us who know him...expected he would do. ewest helped coordinate logistics and rendered organization. Teehjaeh57 handled the negotiations to set up the trip...that's what business developers do. FireIsHot and DaveDavidson made the road trip from Texas, collecting supplies along the 1,200 mile, two day drive. Todd3138 and Victor had never met most of these guys and they were excited to actually meet people with whom they have been friends for several years. It was like a family reunion with people they'd actually never met. Victor continually had a mile-wide smile, simply happy to be there, as he continually cleaned and quietly took care of the "little things" that he does. Omaha joined forces to help make sure tasks were done. Yolk Sac's thoughtful ways helped with simple things as courtesy and a refrigerator drawer of sandwiches that saved lots of time at lunch. Sunil was the welcoming party the entire time. His quick wit and ease with everyone gave rise to many chuckles and good memories. Bruce Condello was giving of his talents, too. rmedgar fit the mold as a team player, but was struggling to catch fish. Bruce picked up on it, joined the fray and put Randy on several personal bests. Around the fire pit at night, the group gathered, shared stories and nursed their favorite beverages. I think most were amazed at the majesty of the place, the uniqueness of the fishery and the time spent together. They'd heard the stories, now they have the experience. They all have knowledge about fish and pond management, but most were intrigued at the way this lake behaves. It's not "normal" as one said. Two other guys said, "This lake is an enigma."
They are correct.
But, the most interesting part is one which repeats itself every time a group of Pond Boss people come together. There's an energy and a bond that defies description. The chemistry works, everyone chips in and does what's needed for the good of the entire group.
The photo at the top of this post was shot by ewest and shows a peaceful sunrise...a fair description of this entire time together with these guys. Two from Pennsylvania, two from West Virginia, one from Georgia, one from Tennessee, one from Mississippi, two from Texas and three from Nebraska...different guys from different parts of the United States, together to do what all of them love to do.
