# Sad Saugeye Sight



## Saugeyeaddict (Oct 22, 2011)

Went out yesterday to try and find a few Saugeye for the freezer. Haven’t had much luck yet except for a few 15-16 small ones. While fishing I kept smelling rotten fish and chalked up to dead carp when I looked down shore and saw this. Damn sad and a waste. Sure it wasn’t intentional but we all need to be more careful with our fish- can’t imagine leaving a limit behind


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## Gottagofishn (Nov 18, 2009)

Wow, there must be more to this story. Forget to take my fish.... or cooler. I don't think so.


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## Saugeyeaddict (Oct 22, 2011)

Gottagofishn said:


> Wow, there must be more to this story. Forget to take my fish.... or cooler. I don't think so.


Yeah I’d have to be drunk, having a heart attack, or dead! SMH


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## meisjedog (Oct 4, 2010)

This is why I will rarely set foot on any shallow sewage-filled lake(s) east of Columbus, Alum Creek, Indian, spillways included, and a host of other places where I can see other fishermen. I would estimate 60% of these folks could care less about our resources and are absolute idiots who I can almost guarantee were drunk! I wish Ohio would take a "North Wood Law" approach to this type of offense, investigate, and then institute a policy of public flogging for these $#%@*!

One strike, you are out - take their licenses for life as well!

Grammarly Pro says my text sounds very angry btw!


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

meisjedog said:


> This is why I will rarely set foot on any shallow sewage-filled lake(s) east of Columbus, Alum Creek, Indian, spillways included, and a host of other places where I can see other fishermen. I would estimate 60% of these folks could care less about our resources and are absolute idiots who I can almost guarantee were drunk! I wish Ohio would take a "North Wood Law" approach to this type of offense, investigate, and then institute a policy of public flogging for these $#%@*!
> 
> One strike, you are out - take their licenses for life as well!
> 
> Grammarly Pro says my text sounds very angry btw!


You have absolutely no idea what happened.
That's the biggest ass-umption i have ever heard about people in general.


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## Workingman (Jan 21, 2016)

I think I saw that same cooler on friday, figured someone had just forgotten it while leaving. I never looked inside though. I would just assume they forgot it while packing up. As many left tackle bags as I've read about, seems easier to forget a cooler with fish in it that 100s of dollars of tackle.


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## meisjedog (Oct 4, 2010)

9Left said:


> You have absolutely no idea what happened.
> That's the biggest ass-umption i have ever heard about people in general.


It was absolutely not about people in general, only 60% of them. Considering all the crap I have seen dumped at local fishing holes, I'd say it's a fair "ass-umption." as you put it. Trash cans are there in some cases but rarely used - not acceptable! It's not the lakes or flows themselves, it's the people. And to leave a *BIG BLUE* cooler stacked with fish - without, "putting a few back as being the cause" - I don't see it. I would expect this person would have the Moral fortitude to come back and clean up the mess as I am sure it has been noticed by now. To see this sitting there as well and leave it - hopefully, someone in authority was contacted at the very minimum. Although I would be cursing the entire time we all have the duty of documenting with photos, contacting the authorities and then cleaning it up.


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## ErieIslander (Jul 12, 2012)

I’m not familiar with the area, but maybe someone was fishing without a license and had to leave abruptly after seen law enforcement/game enforcement. I can’t imagine someone forgetting a cooler full of good eating fish.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

Saugeyeaddict said:


> View attachment 329821
> Went out yesterday to try and find a few Saugeye for the freezer. Haven’t had much luck yet except for a few 15-16 small ones. While fishing I kept smelling rotten fish and chalked up to dead carp when I looked down shore and saw this. Damn sad and a waste. Sure it wasn’t intentional but we all need to be more careful with our fish- can’t imagine leaving a limit behind


yes people do forget fish. it can happen to the best of us. 2 friends came up from tn to go fishing on erie. we cleaned what we caught and put the fillets in a cooler. but the friends had a little to much to drank on the way home and was arguing. I gave them all the fish to take home. one guy was gone in the car so the other guy sits them by a tree in my yard. the guy brings the car back and they continue to argue. so they decide they were heading home. I told them not to forget the fish. about an hour later they leave. about 3 weeks later I was walking down to the pole barn and something stunk bad. I looked around for something dead. then I see the cooler and know what was stinking. I picked up the cooler at arms length and dropped cooler in trash can. they had got distracted by the arguing and forgot the fish. so the cooler full of walleye fillets went to waste. along with all the gas and effort to catch them. plus I lost a great cooler.

the morel of this story is to not judge until you have all the facts. it could have come a downpour sending then running to the car. who known what happened. but I don't think they would have went to the trouble of putting them in a cooler then just leave them.
sherman


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## Saugeyeaddict (Oct 22, 2011)

Good points- had it been below freezing, I would have salvaged those fish and fried them up.


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## loomis82 (Nov 27, 2012)

Do you think taking licenses away will stop so called poachers?? A poacher will poach with or without a license drunk or sober. Why would someone waste time to put fish in a cooler to waste. Doesnt add up. Chalking up as a mistake.


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## Shad Rap (Nov 10, 2010)

I find it hard to believe someone forgot their fish and their cooler and never came back for either...maybe they drove from far away to fish and didn't realize til they were home...and it may have been at night so it wasn't in plain view like it would be during the day...


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## Bluegillin' (Jan 28, 2009)

The real story:
A guy had been fishing Salt Fork and around 2:00 a.m. he had finally caught is 6th fish to complete his limit. Just as he is about to leave, he hears a thundering yell like he has never heard before. Shaking, he turns on his flashlight only to see an 8 foot bigfoot within only 50 yards of him. The man takes of running and doesn't return for the cooler of fish. He doesn't dare mention it on this site for fear of being harassed for not only wasting fish but for not practicing catch and release of large fish and also for claiming he saw a bigfoot. In the end, bigfoot went to eat the fish but he was pissed because he prefers to eat 20" smallmouth instead.

So let's hear everyone else's best made up story on this cooler of fish. LOL


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## catfishjustin (Dec 2, 2012)

I thought it was weird seeing that cooler left there. Never messed with it. Another spot at that lake i fish is piled with trash again. Had it all picked up last year. Bag and a half and looks like i did nothing.


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## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

Here’s my best made up story. The fish in the cooler was their first limit. They continued to keep fish but kept them on a stringer. Dnr of someone else shows up and they bounced with the fish that they had and never came back to get the cooler. That would be my best guess.


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## polebender (Oct 29, 2011)

The “main” purpose of going fishing is to catch fish! When you’re done fishing and you know you have a limit of fish it’s not likely you’re going to forget them. Especially on a cold day or night!
I believe someone probably stole the cooler hoping to get some food or drinks! When they saw it was filled with fish they just tossed it. 
Just a guess?


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

catfishjustin said:


> I thought it was weird seeing that cooler left there. Never messed with it. Another spot at that lake i fish is piled with trash again. Had it all picked up last year. Bag and a half and looks like i did nothing.
> View attachment 329885
> View attachment 329887


That point gets REDICULOUS!!! especially the last few years


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## catfishjustin (Dec 2, 2012)

I havent been coming out here for more then a couple years now and its amazes me how much trash gets left behind. I think if there was trash cans at least at the parking lot it woldnt be so bad.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

catfishjustin said:


> I thought it was weird seeing that cooler left there. Never messed with it. Another spot at that lake i fish is piled with trash again. Had it all picked up last year. Bag and a half and looks like i did nothing.
> View attachment 329885
> View attachment 329887


to make any real progress you have to get people involved. we was riding out atv's at black house mountain in tn. it was looking bad. signs went up either the trash stopped or the riding would. my friend started picking up cans in a garbage bag. I would pick up a garbage bag of trash every time we went riding. people started asking what we was doing. we would say cleaning up trash. then we started seeing others doing it. when we stopped riding it looked good. we would find maybe 12 to 24 aluminum cans and very little new trash. but 1 person picking up just don't get it done.
sherman


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## reyangelo (May 28, 2014)

I am going to think it was probably someone either without a license or already had some on a stringer. Again, just an assumption. I say this because I have literally watched some people (particularly a group of origin) keep undersized or beyond limits. Happened again TWICE last night. I hit one spot late night, the only person in this area (older person particular group of origin) fishing. I kept my distance and while I just got my first cast he reeled one in. It was about a 12 inch Saugeye - I watched him put it in a rope. He took a glance at me and started to bring his stringer in. He had 7 Saugeyes and most undersized. He packed and walked to his car so fast, wouldn't had mattered if I called #ODNR. 

I fished a couple hours - was alone the whole night which was awesome with nice moon. Caught one keeper at 19 inches and lost several at the banks (bad reaction on my part). Decided to pack it up. On my way to the car there is a second fishing area (I park a good distance away to keep my car in well lighted safe area) and I saw someone reel in a fish. He saw me and we almost cross paths. He asked me about size limit and told him its the same (think he knew but asked because he observed I saw him holding the fish). He kept the fish anyways, placed it in a grass area away from him (assuming in case ODNR comes he can claim its not his), and went back to fishing for more. I walked the area away from him and light up my headlamp with the brightest setting to view the water clarity (and potentially fish holding). I was able to view it had many Saugeyes but almost none were above 12 inches (most between 8 to 12 inches).

I used to call #ODNR but you'd be surprised as most times I never saw anyone come near to check the area. They are very low on resources for the amount of areas they cover. I did not reach out last night as the first person was already on fast tracking to his car. And the second person already had a "plausible deniability " claim since he was distancing himself from the under sized fish. Both were from similar groups which would overcrowd an area by calling their peers if they see fish being caught. ODNR is aware since I spoke to them past couple years on this, but these guys will keep at it - they don't care (i know some were ticketed in the Spring - from what i heard). Just wish we had more ODNR resources per park before using ODNR taxpayer funds for other programs.


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

meisjedog said:


> It was absolutely not about people in general, only 60% of them. Considering all the crap I have seen dumped at local fishing holes, I'd say it's a fair "ass-umption." as you put it. Trash cans are there in some cases but rarely used - not acceptable! It's not the lakes or flows themselves, it's the people. And to leave a *BIG BLUE* cooler stacked with fish - without, "putting a few back as being the cause" - I don't see it. I would expect this person would have the Moral fortitude to come back and clean up the mess as I am sure it has been noticed by now. To see this sitting there as well and leave it - hopefully, someone in authority was contacted at the very minimum. Although I would be cursing the entire time we all have the duty of documenting with photos, contacting the authorities and then cleaning it up.


Well i guess yer right, sounds like you are the perfect person to take a trip down to the police station and have a talk with them about your assumptions...Should be a quick trip, your transportation is ready for you ....


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Ya I have a hard time imagining 60% of the people out there this time of year,are as described in the posts above. 
The fact is all we can do is speculate. Either some one was "double dipping",or fishing with out a lisence an took off,or had a few beers and forgot. Or it was simply left behind on complete accident. Ya I'd go back for it but I only live 20 min away. I know alot of other guys out there are an hour plus away. I wouldn't drive back at that point,more then likely.
I also would be hesitant to mess with it if I found it. Once I obtain the 6 fish from that cooler,it goes against my limit,so if I have other fish and am done.......... the fact is we dont know.


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## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

meisjedog said:


> This is why I will rarely set foot on any shallow sewage-filled lake(s) east of Columbus, Alum Creek, Indian, spillways included, and a host of other places where I can see other fishermen. I would estimate 60% of these folks could care less about our resources and are absolute idiots who I can almost guarantee were drunk! I wish Ohio would take a "North Wood Law" approach to this type of offense, investigate, and then institute a policy of public flogging for these $#%@*!
> 
> One strike, you are out - take their licenses for life as well!
> 
> Grammarly Pro says my text sounds very angry btw!


Ordinarily, I would tend to agree with you. But this time of year? Most of the "Yahoo's" (as I call them) start to disappear around Sept 1st. By Nov 1st they're nearly all gone. All that remains, for the most part, is the serious, die-hard anglers (and a few scumbag poachers). Sure, there might be a Yahoo or two out there, but for the most part, you won't see them again until May of next year.

No idea what happened with the cooler. I live an hour away from Indian, and 40 minutes away from Buckeye. Typically, I'm dead tired, and bitterly cold by the end of the night at either one of those lakes. I can't say 100% that I would turn around for a (forgotten) cooler/limit of eyes after 25min on the highway headed home.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

with all the people that leaves tackle bags/boxes rod and reels why is it so hard to just believe it was left by accident. the slobs or as I call them sh*t birds are closer to 10% than 60%. well dale got the cooler of fish, no bill got the fish, or ron got the fish, when in reality no one got the fish.

we carried everything up to the van. prentice was loading so we just got in the van. when we got home 360 miles down the road I was missing my tackle box. I pitched a bit** but it did no good. prentice said he didnt see it when he was loading. and about 350.00 to 450.00 was gone. so don't tell me nobody cant just miss getting the fish.
sherman


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## Lil Crappie (Jun 17, 2013)

Phycologist would have afield day with thread!


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## Southernsaug (May 23, 2019)

I will enter the fray and speculate. Even most slobs would not leave a good cooler behind...they'd have simply dumped the fish out. I see one of two scenarios.....totally forgot (drinking may have been involved or a sudden urgent phone call) or was over bagging and someone made them uncomfortable and afraid of being caught. Since the cooler only had 6 I would put my money on forgot. Say you left the cooler to work around to another spot and suddenly had a reason to leave and took off forgetting to go get cooler, or you hit more fish and finished a second limit you just said the heck with it and left them....yeah a true slob. It doesn't matter the fish were wasted and any responsible person would at least return and try to salvage something. Unless of course it was a long way. For me it'd have to be out of state or I would go back. My final word is only a slob leaves this cooler and fish behind, if nothing else call someone at the park and give them a tip to go get it.....it's a slob in most all cases. The only excusable scenario is an emergency pulled the angler away that was severe enough to prevent a return trip.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

either way accident or on purpose it was a waste of fish. I just don't believe someone went to all the trouble to put them in a cooler then just leave them on purpose.

but all any of us can do is make conjectures of what happened. unless they happen to be on this sight and read this thread and give us the answer we'll never know.
sherman


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## Southernsaug (May 23, 2019)

I agree to some extent Sherman, yet some part of this is intentional. It would have been simple to go back or at least make a phone call to someone to go get it. The fact they were left to rot is in most cases intentional. The only scenario that is not is only one person knew it was there and suffered such a catastrophic event they never told anyone or was unable.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

Southernsaug said:


> I will enter the fray and speculate. Even most slobs would not leave a good cooler behind...they'd have simply dumped the fish out. I see one of two scenarios.....totally forgot (drinking may have been involved or a sudden urgent phone call) or was over bagging and someone made them uncomfortable and afraid of being caught. Since the cooler only had 6 I would put my money on forgot. Say you left the cooler to work around to another spot and suddenly had a reason to leave and took off forgetting to go get cooler, or you hit more fish and finished a second limit you just said the heck with it and left them....yeah a true slob. It doesn't matter the fish were wasted and any responsible person would at least return and try to salvage something. Unless of course it was a long way. For me it'd have to be out of state or I would go back. My final word is only a slob leaves this cooler and fish behind, if nothing else call someone at the park and give them a tip to go get it.....it's a slob in most all cases. The only excusable scenario is an emergency pulled the angler away that was severe enough to prevent a return trip.


there is a 1001 reasons the fish was left and the fisherman never returned. they could have been to far away to reasonably return when they missed the fish. they could have been injured or got a hook deep in the hand and left the fish going for medical treatment. after getting treatment just headed for home. not missed fish until they got home. and had to go to work then it was just to far to go for the cooler. and yes its possible they was in a hurry and missed cooler. rain storm, late for work, is just a couple of things that rushed them. then they COULD have just decided not to clean them and left. but NOT likely. everybody has a right to a opinion and mine is they were left by accident for whatever reason.

we came home from salmon fishing and everyone gave me there fish. I had a large cooler full of fillets. put ice on them to keep them till the next day. got called in to work at 3:00 am. didnt think about the fish and accepted the overtime. got home after work at 3:00pm. opened the lid and was knocked down with the smell of bad fish. the old cooler sitting in the son all day with little room for ice let the fish go bad. I was going to replace the ice before going to work. but when work called me early I didnt even think about fish.
sherman
sherman


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## Smitty82 (Mar 13, 2011)

Just a fair warning, if you do see someones trash or a cooler with no one near by, be very careful if you choose to clean it up or look inside. There are a good amount of drug users in this state, and some of them like to hang out by the water. I have seen syringes and other paraphernalia shore fishing. Don't touch anything with out gloves and be careful what you touch you could be seriously injured, catch a disease, or even killed by being in contact with some of the stuff that is out there.


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## catfishjustin (Dec 2, 2012)

Update. Cool was still there yesterday. Tried calling a phone number for the state park with no answer. Just left a message for the officer in that county.


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## Draggin along (Nov 8, 2012)

I hate to admit it, but was fishing in Canada a while back with my brother in law. We had to get transported by boat off of the island and to our vehicle. When we stopped to get gas, we realized that we were missing something. Our cooler and the walleye fillets that were in it. We were sick about it. I know we were traveling with our gear and bags of clothing, but sometimes people do dumb things, and not intentionally. So, I am not too quick to pass judgment. I know that some people travel distances to fish Alum, and they may be kicking themselves now.


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## meisjedog (Oct 4, 2010)

catfishjustin said:


> Update. Cool was still there yesterday. Tried calling a phone number for the state park with no answer. Just left a message for the officer in that county.


It takes a good man to care enough about his resources to make an effort - perhaps it will catch on.


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## Saugeye Tom (Oct 6, 2010)

Hers what REALLY HAPPENED this guy was fishing and a mysterious blond walked up and said...WOW you got alot of fish..the said fisherman says...yes mam.....she said fisherman excite me....will you come have breakfast? ..he went with her and a spaceship sucked him up in a beam of light for testing. She went back to mound wood to get another victim


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## Southernsaug (May 23, 2019)

wow I never thought of the blond alien scenario.....I bet it's because we were all nuerolized by Fishermen In Black (F.M.I.B.). How'd you escape Saugeye Tom?


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## EE1 (Dec 30, 2018)

Wow where are u fishing Tom I wanna see this blonde sure would make the night go better.


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## polebender (Oct 29, 2011)

Saugeye Tom said:


> Hers what REALLY HAPPENED this guy was fishing and a mysterious blond walked up and said...WOW you got alot of fish..the said fisherman says...yes mam.....she said fisherman excite me....will you come have breakfast? ..he went with her and a spaceship sucked him up in a beam of light for testing. She went back to mound wood to get another victim


I’ll have some of what you’re drinking! Or smoking! Gotta be some good stuff!


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## Jeffrey Kirkby (Oct 18, 2019)

Bluegillin' said:


> The real story:
> A guy had been fishing Salt Fork and around 2:00 a.m. he had finally caught is 6th fish to complete his limit. Just as he is about to leave, he hears a thundering yell like he has never heard before. Shaking, he turns on his flashlight only to see an 8 foot bigfoot within only 50 yards of him. The man takes of running and doesn't return for the cooler of fish. He doesn't dare mention it on this site for fear of being harassed for not only wasting fish but for not practicing catch and release of large fish and also for claiming he saw a bigfoot. In the end, bigfoot went to eat the fish but he was pissed because he prefers to eat 20" smallmouth instead.
> 
> So let's hear everyone else's best made up story on this cooler of fish. LOL


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## odell daniel (Nov 5, 2015)

I heard a beam of light came from the sky, I bet the owner was abducted and is now 10 million miles away, still thinking about that cooler and the big one that got away.


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## carp (Oct 31, 2011)

If this is where i think it is, I'm guessing its private property and the local authorities or GW came to check out the fisherman who had permission vs those who didnt. While checking some fisherman, the owner of this cooler had a chance to make a get away, leaving cooler behind! 
Just a guess , I've left a lot of tackle over the years but not sure I've ever left fish? LOL


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## Gottagofishn (Nov 18, 2009)

I can't believe this thread is still alive. It's not even cold yet....


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## Southernsaug (May 23, 2019)

It's the Russians and aliens in a conspiracy. we are all just unwitting fools in a game of mind control .....in other words, yep it's cold and we're bored


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Gottagofishn said:


> I can't believe this thread is still alive. It's not even cold yet....


Lol I'm with you..... life goes on,fish to be caught.....


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

Saugeye Tom said:


> Hers what REALLY HAPPENED this guy was fishing and a mysterious blond walked up and said...WOW you got alot of fish..the said fisherman says...yes mam.....she said fisherman excite me....will you come have breakfast? ..he went with her and a spaceship sucked him up in a beam of light for testing. She went back to mound wood to get another victim


you've got my vote tom!!!!!!



EE1 said:


> Wow where are u fishing Tom I wanna see this blonde sure would make the night go better.


yeah it would be grand until they beamed you up and started probing you.
sherman


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