Cougar Bass, Roanoke Farmhouse, Elmwood Show...

Cougar Bass, yep you heard right...nope its not the new strain of bass we are currently developing, rather its a new fishing club that I bet will be of interest to many college age and soon to be college age fisherman..(we are developing a new hybrid strain of bass that is a mix between smallmouth and largemouth though, but thats for another story at another time).


ICC has started a bass fishing team that you can find more information about online at http://cougarbass.webs.com/. They will be fishing the B.A.S.S. College Series along with the Boat US collegiate fishing series! These college tournaments are held at big lakes all over the midwest and beyond....

The fishing club at ICC is open for college students, check the website for more details...I also plan on putting these guys to work removing unwanted fish from certain clients lakes. Beyond that, the club could use any help or ideas that you could have in regards to sponsors,  members, etc...

Saturday morning I headed to Roanoke with my grandpa, uncle, and brother to help my great aunt Winnie move into town....She is 86 years old and finally sold the family farmhouse where my grandma grew up, the house was built in 1908.


This is the door going into my grandma's bedroom upstairs:



Then from Roanoke, I swung into pick up my kids and niece late afternoon and we were off to the Elmwood All Outdoors Show! Wildlife Prairie Park had some animals there:


The Hunzikers also had some deer there too that the kids loved!!


They each got $1 to spend on a fishing lure, but Paul Clay generously gave them each a jig of their choice so they were able to spend their dollar on chips... Pauls lures and hook upgrades are awesome, here is more info on him: Paul Clay Article

Also at the show I was impressed with a new product called Fizards. Here is their website: http://fizards.com/. I think this will be dynamite for ice fishing! I bought a bunch of it to play with in some open water situations, but I really think it will be sweet for ice fishing!

So also I have found myself being drawn to ART way more so now than ever before in my life...crazy, but at least its all wildlife and outdoor related art..Miller Wildlife Art Gallery is retiring and selling off all his stuff at half price, call him up 309-347-7571. He had some awesome paintings at the show...

Also art related at the show was http://newlifeartstudios.com/ They make all kinds of cool stuff out of Antlers!

Last item about the elmwood show was the cooking seminars! My timing was perfect to catch up with both Matt Cheever and Chef Todd finishing up in the kitchen:


So they had crappie alfredo, venison stuff, and what not that I tried not looking at to avoid any further temptation...You see I am now officially on the strictest diet known to man. I joined a special rehabilitation/fitness class with my brothers and parents at a little gym in downtown Hanna City. We all have abused our bodies and need to get em healthy...so anyhow along with excercise 3 times a week, our natural detox diet for the next 3 months consists of no salt, no sugar, no processed food, and just water and almond milk to drink.....Let me just say it sure isnt easy, but this is the first time in my life I actually am making an effort towards a healthier lifestyle.

So Im ready for spring, but the kids sure are having fun in the snow...We have been doing alot of sledding and snowman making.. The kids are playing outside in the snow just about everyday:


Basically until the weather changes and the lakes open up, I'm out of stuff to write about! If you have anything outdoor related interesting or informative send it on over and I'll throw it up online...On Saturday morning March 23rd we will be up at a burn clinic being put on by the Peoria County SWCD in Kickapoo at 8 am...should be fun, come on up, its free!