Last bass of the year

I made what is likely my last bass outing of the season yesterday on the Minneapolis city lakes. It was a beautiful fall day -- about as good as it gets. My friend, Mark Lauer, joined me for what has become an annual fall event for the two of us.

I have struggled to catch fish in the fall, despite what I often read about it being a great time to catch fish, especially big ones. This time was no different -- that is, until about the last hour. Despite catching only one small bass and having a couple of muskies bite off our lures, we hung in there until later in the afternoon.

First, I caught a 19-inch bass that weighed 3 pounds, 12 ounces. Then, Mark caught one weighing 2 pounds, 11 ounces. We decided to head back to the landing and were going to stop at one last spot before calling it quits. At that spot, I caught a 20-inch bass that weighed 4 pounds, 11 ounces.

Once I landed the fish and had Mark take a few pictures, I put down the rod and we headed back to shore. It was a great way to end the season. Now, it's on to hunting. I'm going shooting with my son, Andy, this afternoon to get him ready for the Wisconsin youth deer hunt next weekend. If all goes well, he will harvest his first whitetail.

I'm praying God will bless him with that gift. There's something special about your first deer, regardless of whether it's a big buck or a small doe. I will always remember mine and will cherish that memory for the rest of my life.