Two great people phoned me this week. Two folks that I have known and liked and loved for many years.

Mrs. Cathy Cox, president of Young Harris College, called to let me know that Chandler White and Brad Rutherford would be fishen in the National Guard College Fishen Tournament on Saturday, May 1. They finished 11th out of 40 contestants.

Then, same day, Roland Martin called to touch base with me and set up a trip to fish here on Lake Seminole with Bill Allen or Alan Carter, whichever is available at the time. He was in Springfield, Mo., calling up turkeys for clients to see or to shoot. That’s an interesting job I would imagine.

Then a third call from my daughter, Peggy and Mac McDonald, who were in Helen, Ga., for a four-day stay to rest up a bit. They had not been off a day since last September when I was honored and given my 50-year apron as a Mason. They were fishen, when he took three cigar-type rainbows and she took a 4-pounder using the same bait. That is not good for family relations.

We had the pleasure of showing the kids from Outreach from Grace Christian Academy some relics in the dining room at Wingate’s, including Ice Age muscle shells and oyster shells, a Japanese sniper rifle, cotton scales and old fishen rods and reels. A nice group of kids, all well behaved.

With the big FLW and Stren Series going on, we mite better tell what I can about them beginning with the National Guard College of Fishen Southeast. Forty teams fished with Ryan Wakenigg and Torre Pike of LaGrange College winning the event with 24.4 pounds of bass. Clint Brown was guiding. They took a check for $10,000.

Second place went to Matthew Wercinski and Jake Gipson of the University of Florida and took a check for $5,000. Then third went to Kennesaw State University and Thomas Frink and Jake Akin to receive $4,000.

Then we go to the Co-Angler Day 3 of the FLW Series. Alan Carter, of Recovery, Ga., won first place with a three-day total of 37 pounds of very nice Seminole bass. Second place went to Jamie Bladow of Houston, Ala., with a three-day total of 34.8 pounds. Third place went to Howard Poitivent of Bainbridge, Ga., with a three-day total of 31.10 pounds.

Then we look to the pro side of the FLW Series.

First-place was Frank “River” Jordan of Bainbridge, Ga., with a three-day total of 56.3 pounds of bass. Second place went to Mason Brock of Marianna, Fla., with 49.5 pounds, and third place went to Donny Bass of Fort Myers, Fla., with 49.0 pounds of bass. As I understand it, Dr. Cochran saved the day for him.

The Madison County Bass Club’s results were as follows: First place went to Davy and Andy with 25.62 pounds. They also had the Big Fish with a 7.46-pounder. Second place went to Josh A. and Butch with 24.36 pounds. Third place went to Chops and Jeremy with 16.85 pounds. This was a day and a half weigh-in.

The Rose City Bass Clubs fund-raiser had the following winners: First place, Reynolds and Reynolds with 24.2 pounds; second place, Steve Bushore and Sean Neel with 17.3 pounds, and third place, Hardy and Durbin with 16.75 pounds. Father and son team, Troy and Bryson Arthur, had the Big Fish with a 6.05 pounder. That was a purty site, seeing Troy take his young son fishen.

Wingate’s Fishing Report

May 2, 2010

Lake surface temp: 72

Lake level: Down 10 inches

Clarity: Fairly clear

Flint: Cloudy some

Chattahoochee: Clearing and fast

Spring Creek: Fairly clear

Report provided by: Jack Wingate