March Weather, Big Bass, and Deer Bushes

Flash Back one year ago today to March 17, 2012:





Yep, exactly one year ago today we were fishing like it was summer outside. Last March we had alot of 70's, 80's, and even 90's.... This March alot of 20's, 30's, and 40's....I guess thats how you get averages in the 50's...

So anyhow I am a fair weather open water fisherman. I will ice fish in the coldest blizzard, but come spring I dont enjoy fishing unless I'm relaxed and comfortable. Kinda crazy, but there is one aspect to my fishing addiction that doesnt go to the extreme.

My friend Bruce Condello on the other hand, he enjoys fishing the coldest, windiest days of March. He fishes big public lakes in Nebraska  mainly with waders from the shore.. Talk about extreme in 40 degree water and 25 mph winds...Yep, the windier the better for him and his spots.



Even though he catches insanely large largemouth bass, cold weather open water fishing still not appealing to me in the least. In the last two weeks he has caught more 6-9 lb largemouth bass than most avid Illinois anglers will catch in their lifetime.

So then there is my fried Shawn in Missouri. He caught a few rainbow trout and smallmouth bass from his pond before catching himself last week:


So anyhow this hook hurt him very badly, therefore all treble hooks are bad and I think we need much tighter hook laws and restrictions and regulations....

This summer, Chef Todd has a new buddy in the kitchen. Drake is obsessed with food prep of any kind- mixing, stirring, and cutting...


I had a birthday last week and the kids spent all week making cards and this banner. They were super excited and we spent the evening playing card games and board games. Noah's pink card on the bottom right was by far the funniest. He did it in pink to remind me of my beautiful wife....he was so proud of the symbolism and such that he though of all on his own...


This Saturday we spent working at our Ellisville farm. The list of projects we want to do there is a mile long and time sensitive, so we set a calendar of events to make sure we stay on task and dont miss any steps or work on things out of order. We are transforming that farm into whitetail paradise and enjoying every step of the process.

This Saturday we built a 350' fence to separate one of our food plots from the farmers field:


We also made cages for our various deer berry and strawberry plant bushes that will be strategically planted all along the edges of the timber. The cages stay on the plants forever, otherwise the deer will eat them down to the ground. The parts of the plants that grow outside the cages are what the deer get to nibble on...


We made 6 different prototype cages, A-frames, cylinders, cones, and hybrids between em all..So far this one is our favorite, but we will see what works best out in the field...everything is always an experiment....


Next Saturday we will be planting fruit trees and taking soil samples for all the food plot areas. Then from there on down the list of projects of hybrid willow plantings, food plot prepping, TSI and hinge cutting, native grass plantings, food plot plantings and screens, tree stand and tower locations, access trails and shooting lanes, water holes, rubbing posts, road improvements, fall food plot clearings, trail camera placements, etc etc.

We have a 5 year plan all marked out on a 4' aerial map. Basically after 5 years, every square foot of this farm will be manipulated for the purpose of wildlife habitat and strategically getting in and out of stands and towers.

What was very cool to see was that our living fence we made earlier this winter has already changed the predominant deer trail in that area. Any deer crossing from the bedding out to the fields has no choice but to walk by one stand or the other....

No Saturday is complete without a little mud on the tires: