Fourth of July 2020

H appy birthday America!

This is the time of year we celebrate the birth of the greatest nation in History.

There are a few people that constantly say bad things and try to put our country down and some even try to physically destroy the best nation in the world.

We do have problems that need to be reformed, but there is no perfect nation. These people, if they managed to get to Heaven, would find something to complain about such as the Pearly Gates are too narrow and the streets of gold hurt their eyes and make their feet sore. I am sure there are some people that our country would gladly give a ONE WAY ticket to Russia, China, or especially the Arab countries. Foreign citizens beg and die to get into America.

I can’t think of any group willing to die to get into these other countries.

There will be no fireworks display at Tilden Rodgers this year. Fortunately, there is the Horseshoe Lake 50 Year Celebration. There will not be the Run and Ride races this year nor the fishing rodeo and family events at the Surf Club, but there are plenty of other events to enjoy. 11:00am is the start of the Small Engine Parade showing off side by sides, lawnmowers, 4-wheelers, and almost anything on wheels. 5:30 pm will be the Pier Decorating Contest.

6:30 pm will be the Boat Parade show casing fancy boats and barges that come by the piers and wave at the folks on the docks. The grand finale is the FREE Fireworks display starting about dark thirty or about 9:30pm. The folks at the Horseshoe area are very friendly and invite you to help celebrate this important day. For more information Facebook@ horseshoelake4thofJuly.

If you enjoy great BBQ but not into doing your own, Bonds Store will have a limited amount of butts, ribs, chicken, slaw, and beans, but reservations must be made.

Call 870-339-2464 This is old fashion hickory slow cooked BBQ that can be picked up at the store about noon on Saturday.

Fishing has remained consistent in spite of the summer time heat and some violent storms. Shooting the piers at Horseshoe is the best way for crappie. This time of year the crappie tend to go to deeper water and shade. Bream are best in the woods and lily pads around Happy Jack. It seems catfish are always biting using what ever bait the fisherman likes. Horseshoe will be very busy this weekend with the July 4th celebration. Better fishing will be at other lakes. Wampanocca is starting to moss over, but there are many good bream being caught in the woods and pads. The bass catching depends on the expertise of the fisherman but catfish are easy to catch. Midway Lake is the hot bass lake with limits of black bass and white or striped bass taken. Bream are good but not in the size and quality that was enjoyed before the last river rise. Bear Creek is about the same with low water levels. Be cautious at the boat ramp. Burnt Cane offers good bream and bass but they tend to be small.

Almost any shady area will produce bream. The city lakes, Tilden Rodgers and Marion Rec always have a good number of fishermen catching catfish and bream. It seems that the regular fishermen are always in the same spots and that is beneath a nice shade tree.

Many catfish suppers come from these lakes. For people that like to fish off the bank, the two city lakes, the observation deck at Wampanocca, and the piers at Midway are available. Midway charges $5 to launch a boat or fish off a pier.

A note of warning: There are quite a few small ponds and bar pits that can be very good, but often the grass and weeds around them are tall.

This is Chigger and Tick time of year so make sure you spray down with bug dope when you leave the truck. Prevention is much better than treatment.

Schools are out and there is no reason to not take that young sportsman with you.

You will both learn some good things and have fun together. This is the slow time for Lakeside Taxidermy and we can mount your trophy quickly at a reasonable price.

When you hear our National Anthem, stand up, place your hand over your heart, and sing along. It is a beautiful song and it represents the best nation in the world.

Remember: THIS IS OUR COUNTRY. BE PROUD OF IT!

Papa Duck Lakeside Taxidermy 901-482-3430 jhcriner@hotmail.com

Lashanony, Sharon, & L.E. Lewis at Horseshoe fishing at Bonds’s ramp.

Photos by John Criner

Randy, Cary, & Coby Newsom – three generations of fishermen at Midway.

John Criner

Outdoors Columnist