She Magazine June 2014 | Page 37

W hen the days are too hot or too cold, Charles practices with his rod, reel, and a five gallon bucket in his front yard. “I think of the bucket as a stump because when you are fishing, you have to have a target, and fish love coverage (low limbs or stumpy areas). You have to be able to cast into those accurately so you don’t get hung up. I practice about 30 minutes at a time. What I enjoy most about this is the grandkids watching me hit the bucket. My grandson Charlie thinks it is amazing.” Practice makes perfect, as he has truly caught some big ones over the years. “My favorite memory was when I was out on a pond in a two man boat, and I caught a 13-lb largemouth bass. I caught another one as well, a 12-lb, both