var switchTo5x=true;

Category Archives: Travel News

Enough Species of Freshwater Fish Keeps Anglers Coming To the Sunshine State Year-around.

Barb loves to fish when she has an edge and doesn't have the whole day to hopefully hook a neighbor with shoulders enough for us to spar with! She has become an Al's lover too!
Barb loves to fish and she is showing a largemouth 7-pounder, caught in one of the thousands of retention ponds in Florida. This rain-catcher pond behind our home is chock-full of threadfin shad and all manner of bass, including invasive Peacock bass too!

APtravelnews-November 29th,-Bob and Barb On The Road Again-PSL, Florida. With about 5,444 lakes and innumerable ponds and waterways, retention ponds, etc. there are many species of rod-bending fish in Florida fresh and brackish waters.  The primary species are Largemouth Bass, Peacock Bass, Crappie-Speck, Asian Snakehead, Sunshine Bass, Suwannee Bass, as well as so many sunfish and brim varieties as well, not to mention the hundreds of species of foreign invaders released by people, tired of their aquariums and releasing all manner of Amazonian critters into the Everglades water shed. These invasive species find their way into waterways all across and up and down the state.  Given the fact that there are more than 34-species of freshwater fish that can be caught on rod and reel, there is no wonder fishing is one of the primary pursuits of visitors who visit the Sunshine State.

The largest Lake in Florida; Lake Okeechobee has more Largemouth bass and Crappie (Specs) than any other lake in Florida, and has active sport fishing guide services as well. The neophyte angler believes that Largemouth Bass are an easy hookup and catch, but bass being living creatures, are cold blooded fish affected by a whole range of variables that can often make them seem to have a strong case of “lock-jaw.” The power a savvy angler has over these big mouth predators is understanding how to match the hatch. This is similar to a fly fisherman picking a fly that as closely as possible mimics what they are feeding on at that time-frame. Believe me, bass can change their feeding pattern almost in an instant. If you can find out what they are feeding on (as I did this morning when my Al’s Goldfish treble hook snagged a silver threadfin shad about 3-inches long) I realized why my gold Al’s Lure wasn’t getting strikes, so I changed to a silver Al’s 2.5 inch and took strike after strike, with the resultant jump and dodge again and again. I had successfully matched the hatch! The important thing I’ve learned whether I trout fish with fly’s or bass fish with lures is taking the time to scope out where the fish are biting, what they are biting on and just taking the time to think out a plan of action before I go and  blow my shots by being too hasty trying to get my lure into the water!

wounded warrior heath crappie
Crappie (Specs) are not very difficult to catch. You just need to know when and on what they are biting on. These fish are a few we caught on Lake Norris in TN.

 

Football and Winter Outdoor Sports Opportunities Safer and More Comfortable With Click-It Hot

 

P1030920
The morning is for fishing in our back yard pond and the evening is for wearing our Dolphin hat while we cheer for our Florida team;the Miami Dolphins!
Barb is wearing a shoulder model that also has a neck flap. This item can last more than 2-hours in heat mode and can be activated fully in mere seconds as all the other models are.
Barb is wearing a shoulder model that also has a neck flap. This item can last more than 2-hours in heat mode and can be activated fully in mere seconds as all the other models are.

APtravelnews-November 27th, “Bob and Barb on the Road Again”- The day after T.G. Day, we are getting ready for the football season again. With the latest cold-front kicking in, Barb and I got out our Click-It Hot heating and warming units to pack for our trip to a Miami Dolphins game. Look, if Barb is wearing a shoulder model that also has a neck flap she is going to be comfortable in blowing wind, and evenings dropping temperatures. This item can last more than 2-hours in heat mode and can be activated fully in mere seconds, as all the other models are. If you’re going to be seated on a metal or stark wooden seat this time of year, you’ll want to be warm enough to be comfortable. Nowhere is warmth and comfort more important than in Ice fishing. The season is slowly building as waters have begun to freeze in thousands of lakes and ponds of the north country. Imagine sitting on a seat out on the ice jigging for pike, perch and trout. Often temperatures reach down to double digit below freezing conditions. The near instant 130-degrees temperatures generated by the various sizes of Click-It Hot can be much more than offering a comfort level to the user, it also can and is a life-saver. Just ask anyone who has had an instance of frozen extremities, and skirted, or felt the onset of Hypothermia how valuable a near- instant heat source in their pockets has been, or could be and without a doubt, their reaction would be surprise even that this question was asked. We know that keeping a few Click-It Hot hand warmers inside our glove compartment and stored, on or in our outdoor vehicles, back packs, boats, and a few stored in our sleeping bags can be a whole lot more than a convenience. For direct ordering, or finding out about the many shows you can obtain Click-It Hot products at in your area and to get more information go: www.clickIt Hot.com

NOTE* If you think Click-It Hot is only for warmth, you’d be forgetting that they can also be used cold. The same units can be refrigerated and if soothing cold is needed as in a head-bump or abrasions these units can be the beswt way to keep down the swelling in these areas!

A representation of some of the Click-It Hot products you'll see at the show! These are for medical and sports use!
A representation of some of the Click-It Hot products you’ll see at the various shows and on-line! These are for medical and sports use!

Pictures In Remembrance of the “Bird.” Fall is the Time for Upland Bird Hunting!

Pheasant for T.G. Day a few years ago!
Also Pheasant for T.G. Day a few years ago!
Very motivated! See next shot!
Very motivated “point” this dogs nose “ruled.”
Very hard shot to get; a dog just before "lift-off."
Very hard shot to get; a dog just before “lift-off.”
Dogs just love bird hunting! All dogs!
Dogs just love bird hunting! All dogs!
She's laughing so hard, she is almost crying. We were trying to train our little Terry "the Terror" to be a hunting dog. He licked our chicken! Never became a hunting dog, just a great lover who is very loved! Same dog that saved my life when he grew up. Ask me about this in comments!
She’s laughing so hard, she is almost crying. We were trying to train our little Terry “the Terror” to be a hunting dog. He licked our chicken! Never became a hunting dog, just a great lover who is very loved! Same dog that saved my life when he grew up. Ask me about this in comments!

Our Night at the Museum At The Alabama Music Hall of Fame

 

At the Museum you will find a cornucopia of music history!
At the Museum you will find a cornucopia of music history!

APtravelnews-November 21st, Florence, AL.-Bob and Barb On The Road Again-We spent several days in Florence, and what we saw and enjoyed is available for every traveler to this magnificent part of Alabama. Hard on Pickwick Lake, off Muscle Shoals and the TN. River, lies more fine restaurants, music venues and museums. If you have already read our last week’s post about W.C. Handy, Handy is considered the “Father of the Blues.”  He was born in a simple log cabin in 1873, but with his love and single-mindedness to create music, he made a large impact on American Blues music now played, heard and enjoyed around the world.  The last evening before we left Florence, AL. we were treated to a “Night at the Museum.” The exhibits at the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in Tuscumbia came to life for us. Barbara and I enjoy live music, this night we had our wish, we are enthralled by the history of all music as we feel it is the best expression of mans highest endeavor, that of creation for sheer joy for them and everyone else to be shared. We did have a magical evening of fun, entertainment and non-stop music as we visited with some of the shining stars in the music industry. We met writers, musicians and performers. We mixed and mingled with great music legends such as Jimmy Johnson, Spooner Oldham, Donnie Fritts, Rick Hall, Secret Sisters, Gary Nichols, Travis Wammack, Jerry Philips, Harvey Thompson, Mickey Buckins, Mark Narmore, Foster Family, Mitch Mann, Roger Clark, Marty Raybon, Jim Seales, Mike McGuire and Walt Aldridge. Go: www.alamhof.org

Oh what a night! Music, music stars and hors douvres!
Oh what a night! Music, music stars and hors douvres!

P1030733

Outdoor Florida Magazine Editor Visited Cedar Lodge Docks! My favorite family picture. Yes, these children are being taught how great it is to go fishing!!
This could be Pickwick Lake too! Is it? Yes, these children are being taught how great it is to go fishing! Ask us where this is in the comment section below.
Broth, perfect and WOW tasty, dipped a bunch of great breads in this taste! Mussels terrific!
Great restaurants offer all manner of tasty dishes. The broth, perfect and WOW tasty. Dipped a bunch of great breads in this taste! Mussels terrific! 
barb and wurlistzer at museum
Songs of the Century can be found on this Wurlitzer!