Ethan gets the BIG catch!

Our neighbor Mr. Ricky has been talking about the BIG fish in our lake for some time . . . However, Kip and the boys have never hooked anything very big, so we chalked it up to another fish tale. Today, Ethan proved there are still some big ones left in the lake--here's Ethan's version of the story:

Now for the extended version: Ethan baited his line with a live brim (caught by our little neighbor, Jarrett Jenkins--way to go Jarrett, it was great bait!) and Mr. Ricky helped him cast it WAY OUT. Just a bit later, something was tugging at Ethan's line. He started reeling it in and didn't feel too much on the line . . . however, as it got closer, he realized he had the BIG ONE! His rod was bowing, but he held on and reeled it in all by himself. Kip and I were inside eating lunch when Kip noticed Ethan's line out the window--we all raced outside just in time to see the huge large-mouth bass hanging from the line. WOW! Ethan was a little overwhelmed and afraid to hold it--her mouth was so huge! Finally Ethan calmed down a bit and he and Graham managed to hold it for a few pictures. He wasn't sure if he wanted to eat the bass or mount it (letting it go wasn't an option!), but he finally decided that he would like to mount it if Kip was willing to foot the bill, lol! So, it is probably a good thing I haven't started decorating Ethan's bedroom with the military airplane theme he had chosen. . . not sure how that would look with a real bass hanging over the headboard! By the way--the men were guessing it would weigh in around 7-8 pounds. However, we weren't able to weigh it until it had been dead for a bit and it weighed in at 6 pounds (probably would have been a little heavier when weighed right out of the water).

WAY TO GO, BIG "E"!