The following pictures all came from CJ Brown in March of 2003 right after the ice melted off the lake, we were finally able to launch the boat, water temperature is 46 degrees and we are fishing in 1 foot of water with cut Shad. Pop is on board the boat with me, we caught a total of 15 fish on 3-25-2003

Doc with a 9.0# Channel cat

Pop with a 7.0# Channel cat

Doc with a 9.6# Channel cat

Here's the belly of an 8# Channel Cat, gorging on Shad

Another view of same fish

Last fish of the day was a 10# Channel, it takes lots of wind on this lake to get the fish going never have done well except when the wind is howling.

CJ Brown 3-27-2003 with Chuck P

Chuck started the day with a good fish 10.3# Channel, the wind did not start on the lake till 1pm in the afternoon and we had been on the water since 9am in the morning as soon as the wind started it turned the fish on.

He followed it with a 7.8# Channel cat

This fish should have only been about three pounds at best but he topped the scales at 7.3 # I figured he ate 3-4# of Shad look at that belly!!

Chuck ended the day with a 6.0# Channel, we had a total of 10 fish for the day and Chuck had a great time.

My biggest for the day was a 7.6 # Channel Cat

All fish were taken on fresh cut Shad chunks and caught in 1 foot of water, the water temperature was up to 50 degrees on this day.

Cripple Creek Catfish Tournament

April 12th 2003

This was our first tournament for 2003 and Lynn and I started it out in a big way,

I took 1st place with this 27.6oz. Flathead

Lynn caught this 21.# Flathead 5 min. after we marked him holding to a major drop-off on the river.

Lynn was on a major roll and was letting the Doctor get plenty of net experience here is a 14# Flathead that she boated. we caught a total of 15 fish, I placed second in the Channel Cat tourney and Lynn placed third in the Channel cat tourney, so we are starting off the 2003 season with a win and very high hopes for this coming year. The current on the river was cookin hard and all fish were caught in or near drop-off and all on Cut Shad, had one small Flathead that jumped all over a live Chub, we ended the morning with a total of 15 fish 108.9#.

Doctor had 6 fish and my partner for life made me so proud with 9 fish to her credit, You go Girl!!

Ohio River, New Richmond Ramp

April 18, 2003

Lynn and myself and Larry and Stephanie decided to go and fish the Ohio River, we all had the day off and since we don't get together too often and fish, it was a prime time to go.

I had tried most of the day on Thursday to get Shad, no luck, when I got off work Larry and I went to CJ Brown at 12 midnight, normally this is a very good tactic as the Shad migrate into the marina with all the lights on, but we zeroed out again. On the way to the river we stopped at Grant Lake, this has always been a consistent producer of very nice Shad, again we bombed out. We had frozen bait on board the boats but wanted some fresh bait.

We launched the boats from New Richmond, with no dock it made it kind of tricky do to the current was running at a good pace. Lynn always backs the boat into the water and then I go and pick her up, had to beach it in the mud and help her get onboard. we decided to go down to Beckjord power plant and see if any bait was there. Larry slinging his net me doing mine and our wives maneuvering the boats, but we did not get any.

We set-up side by side on the tubes, this is a good place to fish, Larry he still was determined to get Shad so he is still throwing while Stephanie watches the poles. we caught nothing here and we kind of separated by going to different spots to see if we could get on fish. cellphone are great on the river to stay in touch.

Larry did manage to get one nice Shad on the river and it was looking like it was going to be the only fish for all of us.

We were consistently catching spinach every 15 minute's on the lines.Lynn and I decided to head towards a bend in the river going towards the dam but we helped a guy that was broke down and towed him back to New Richmond, so we headed for the spot and still no fish, Larry rolled up and asked us if we had caught anything, still nothing so he said they were headed for the dam.

After awhile Lynn and I decided to head back down to the tubes.

Finally we boated a fish I had caught a 8# Channel cat, look pretty strung out in this picture and should be smiling cause I'm on the board with one.

Wind kept blowing the back of the boat around so we put out our Driftbucket and locked it in place, this works great when there is current on the river and is much safer than dropping a rear anchor down.

After several hours Larry and Stephanie roll up, the kid has a smile on his face and I know he has a good fish, Dad brings out the camera and snaps a shot.

Very nice 14# Channel from the dam area at Meldhal, they said they caught four fish all back to back right after anchoring down,

They anchored down beside us and fished with us for a bit but with no bites.

So the totals for the trip were Larry and Stephanie with four fish and taking big fish honors with a 14# Channel and Lynn and I with an 8# Channel, it was a great trip, the fishing wasn't the best but being on the river with your family and enjoying the river, hey it doesn't get any better than this.

Doc, Lynn, Larry, Stephanie Lange

July 5th 2003 Tanners creek, Lawrenceburg, Indiana

No tournament this weekend so we went fishing with some very good friends of ours Lee and Melissa.

Here they are anchored up beside us on the Big O, right after this picture was taken we decided to move at which time I forgot to raise a brand new Minn Kota trolling motor, and watched it disappear into the depths of the Ohio when the bracket broke as we started to move, major mistake on my part, the fishing was tough most of the night but we did manage to put fish in both our boats and had a great time.

While we were anchored down the American Queen out of New Orleans rolled by us headed back down river this boat is 418 foot in length has a 436 passenger capacity and has 222 staterooms and 2 elevators, it carries a crew of 161 people, largest paddle boat ever made.

Thanks Lee and Melissa

Doc and Lynn Lange

Kiser Lake State Park

August 20th, 2003

Met up with my best friend Madcatter at Kiser lake for some channel cat action or so we thought, Donnie said that they had been biting pretty good lately, well we got there one day to late, it was hot, 90 degrees lots of sunshine.

So we set up under the shade of the trees, Lynn's Dad kicked back taken it easy

Donnie seen here adjusting the alarms on his cat rigs, his friend Jim behind the tree.

We were fishing right on the edge of the lily pads, had a run on one pole but missed it as the fish got into the pads.

Donnie's son Greg in the orange shirt and his friend were fishing the pads for some Bass

When Greg's cat rod went off and the fish was headed for the pads

Greg wasn't about to let that fish get off so into the pads after him

Water almost to his chest and Greg is near the fish when it gets off

Well after all that excitement and Greg stirring up the pads we decided to move to the other side of the lake, wind was blowing into our face and more shade in this spot. Beecher  all relaxed, Donnie by the tree and Jim on the dock area.

This is real nice, rods all laid out but the fish just aren't biting.

Then we hear a chirp from the rod with the red flag on it, then the flag fly's up and the alarm is singing we got a fish on, Greg  grabs the rod and swings on the fish and he has a good one on the line.

Nice fish Greg 8# 2oz. fat Channel Cat took a cut shad body

Another shot of the same fish and this happened to be the only fish that was caught all day at Kiser Lake State park in St. Paris, Ohio

Doc Lange

T

The last fish for 2003 was caught by my best friend Donnie Shoopman down on the Cumberland river in Tennessee, this brute weighed in at 42#

Doc Lange