| It's vacation time again and I don't want
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| | massive TVA reservoir to see how it
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| to go! I look forward each year to
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| | compares to Guntersville Lake down here
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| relaxing on the beach somewhere on the
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| | where I live in North Alabama. Both of
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| Gulf of Mexico. Our extended families all
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| | the lakes are huge, but the temperature
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| get together for a week and rent a couple
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| | in the mountains has to be lower than our
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| of houses, preferably close to the beach,
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| | mid-ninety's here.
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| where we can enjoy the sand and surf for
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| | In addition to fishing, there are over 40
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| a glorious sun filled week.
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| | hiking trails in the Great Smoky
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| Not so this year. Someone in the family
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| | Mountains National Park. Hiking is
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| decided that they'd had enough of 95
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| | definitely not for me unless it's to get
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| degree days, sun burns and sand spurs. In
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| | me to some remote fishing hole. I've
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| the planning stages of this year's
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| | never been able to understand why so many
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| reunion, a mutiny occurred and it was
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| | folks return from a hike, sweaty and
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| decided that we would go to the mountains
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| | exhausted from their trek, and swear that
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| this year. It's not all bad because we're
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| | the trip was the highlight of their
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| going to be spending the week on Douglas
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| | vacation. It doesn't make a lot of sense
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| Lake at the edge of the Great Smoky
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| | for me, but when I first saw Elvis on
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| Mountains National Park. Douglas Lake is
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| | Television for the first time, I
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| one of the top five crappie lakes in the
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| | predicted that he would never make it as
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| United States. God must have been smiling
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| | a singer. What do I know?
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| on me when the decision to move the clan
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| | Most of the hiking trails in the park
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| to the mountains was made. I guess He
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| | were converted from old roads or railroad
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| likes fishermen.
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| | beds. I'm sure I won't do any walking on
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| My brother-in-law, who is obviously a
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| | these trails, but I do love their names;
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| more dedicated angler than I, is towing
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| | Boogerman Loop, Cucumber Gap, Andrews
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| his boat from Orlando, Florida to Douglas
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| | Bald, Shuckstack Tower, Alum Cave, Hen
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| Lake in the Smokies. That is a commitment
| |
| | Wallow Falls and Rainbow Falls. The names
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| to the sport of fishing that I wouldn't
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| | themselves make you wonder about their
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| undertake for all the fish in the lake!
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| | origin.
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| Snug in the foothills of the Appalachian
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| | All this talk about hiking trails has
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| Mountains, Douglas Lake has 30,400 acres
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| | made me long for a comfortable seat on a
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| of water surface. There is over 550 miles
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| | boat fishing Douglas Lake. I especially
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| of shoreline in this pristine lake. Many
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| | want to try my luck up close to the dam
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| of those miles do not sport a house or a
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| | where the stripers roam. Some of these
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| boat dock so I won't have to worry about
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| | fish can grow up to 25 pounds and are
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| over crowded beaches and dodging
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| | tremendous fighters. I know because I
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| Frisbees.
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| | caught a 20 pound stripe at Weiss Dam in
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| In trying to figure out the location of
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| | northeast Alabama. These fish are
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| Douglas Dam, I learned a fascinating bit
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| | hybrids, using eggs from a striped bass
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| of trivia. The dam was built in 1942, a
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| | and sperm from a white bass. I say
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| rush project, with construction completed
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| | probably, because there are different
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| in 12 months and 17 days. Let someone try
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| | types of hybrids now, than they were when
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| that today. It would take that long just
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| | this experiment was begun in the '60's.
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| to get the paperwork and red tape out of
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| | It doesn't matter to me where they came
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| the way before the workers could get
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| | from; I know I'll enjoy catching them.
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| started.
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| | I'm starting to get excited about the
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| The lake itself is home to sauger,
| |
| | trip now that it is only a day away.
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| crappie, black bass, white bass and bream
| |
| | Maybe that excitement will grow to the
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| as well as a few other species that
| |
| | point that I want to make use of one of
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| haven't yet earned top billing. Actually
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| | those hiking trails since there's no surf
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| I'm looking forward to visiting this
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| | in the mountains.
|
