Unexpected fishing trip visitors

One day this week my good friend George and I went fishing.  It was a beautiful day. We enjoy fishing together. I had just gotten a new boat and we were at one of George’s favorite fishing spots to break it in. We actually got there about 2 p.m., an hour before the Solunar Tables pegged Mr. Bass to put on his best bite of the day around 3 p.m.

We had stopped short of the ramp near an old oak tree. I was at the back of the boat taking off the tie-down straps. George was at the front of the boat, untying the boat from the winch. All of a sudden he started hollering (it was something like  eeeeeiiiii — oooorrggghhh – yaaaaeeeeee), flailing his arms up in the air and running in a tight circle.

Now, I must point out that it is not unusual for George to exhibit unexplainable behavior and go a little bit crazy when we are fishing together. But it’s usually when something happens like him saying, “I’ve already fished that top good” and then I throw in there and catch a three pounder.  Or when he loses a big one at the boat and I say, “I didn’t see it. Did you have one?” But I digress.

As George grabbed one ear, then the next, I noticed about a dozen yellow jackets buzzing around him. Now, I don’t know why God put yellow jackets on this earth. I “Googled” it to try and find an answer, but still have none. I did find out that yellow jackets’ closest relatives are hornets and they closely resemble each other, but apparently hornets have more distance from the eyes to the back of the head. In my book, If you are close enough to be able to see that, you are in deep trouble.

In a matter of seconds, George and I were both about 20 yards from the boat and we noticed a whirlwind of yellow jackets coming out of a hole not too far from place we had parked the truck. One of us had stirred them up somehow and, had George not been stung already on both ears, it would have been a sight to see. I must take some blame here. I parked the truck. But I stopped where he told me to. We were

A couple of these can put a full grown man into a full blown run for his life. This is a common time for run-ins with yellow jackets. Be on guard!

fortunate there was another fisherman at the ramp smoking a cigarette. We borrowed one, took out the tobacco and moistened it and George put it on his ear – a poltice I think you call it. He would not let me take pictures of this.  In a minute, this old home remedy helped some, the yellow jackets settled back to their regular territory and we went on fishing.

I add modestly that I actually caught a bass on my first cast.  George had a little tougher time getting started. He was obviously hurting and a bit nervous. Once we started fishing, every time he got a bite, instead of setting the hook, he got all jumpy and started swatting around. It’s hard to set the hook that way. He denied that and being somewhat of a bugologist, informed me curtly that yellow jackets don’t bite anyway — they sting.  Point taken.  Literally.
Duck Dynasty quote of the day (5 days and counting until Season Two):
“The Robertson family and bad ideas go together like biscuits and jam.” — Willie