Thanks so much Ric. I know I can safely feel that other Pond Boss members are with me in spirit as I protect my dreams. I hope other forum members feel the same as they pursue their pond dreams.

I have some news that I've been dying to mention as it's a few days away from happening, but what better a group to share it with?

As most of you know, the '05 Bassmaster Classic is in Pittsburgh the weekend after next. I live just outside of Pittsburgh.

ESPN/Bassmaster is going to have a 1,000 gal. aquarium set up behind the commentators booth. As they feel that SMB will be a substantial component of each angler's creel, they want to have SMB in the aquarium.

ESPN has been working with the PA Fish Commission and naturally went to the PAFC when they wanted to stock the aquarium. One gentlemen from the Somerset, PA. office of the PAFC knew about a SMB hatchery in Southern IL. My pond is in Somerset, PA.

The hatchery told the PAFC man that they had cleared out their brood stock, and that the man who bought them was John Sproch of Keystone Aquaculture out of Harrisburg, PA.

The PAFC man contacted John about the SMB, and John told him that he had sold the majority of the fish to yours truly, and that my pond was in Somerset, PA.

So John called me.

Of course I said "Hell yes!" I said that I could loan the fish for the span of the tournament, and recollect them at the end. I told John that I did not need any compensation except for full VIP access for myself, my wife, my brother, and his wife (the collective owners of our pond).

ESPN said yes to my requests, although they did say that the whole event is free so there's really no true VIP treatments. They did give John and I full access to whole event wherever we want to go.

John is getting compensation as the whole effort will entail going to my pond with his full fish truck and fishing out 10-15 SMB as well as any larger LMB. We'll do this early in the week of the tournament and then John will have to maintain the fish until we put them in the tank. He'll be on stand-by with a few other fish in the sad case that one doesn't make it.

They said they would be crediting my family and Keystone Aquaculture numerous times during the event, but couldn't commit to my request for an "on-air" credit and/or personal interview. Oh well.

John will be bringing about (30) SMB in the 1 lb. each range that I will get to keep after the event. He also may arrange for about (5) LMB in the 5 lb. range in case they are needed for the display. I'll get to keep those also. The LMB in my pond have been scarce or out of sight ever since I put in those SMB.

And now I have this poaching issue. Every minute of the day, I feel like breaking out the camos, going to my pond, digging a hide, and busting some jerk(s). I'd like to say I'm not loosing sleep over it....well let's just say I'm not sleeping too well.

Sorry to highjack your post, Trapper.

Excerpt from Robert Crais' "The Monkey's Raincoat:"
"She took another microscopic bite of her sandwich, then pushed it away. Maybe she absorbed nutrients from her surroundings."