Cermele: This Bluegill Property of Hank Williams, Jr.

If you happened to catch my post yesterday, I mentioned that I was in Paris, Tennessee, on non-fishing business. The non-fishing part is true, but where there is a will, there is a way, and the force is strong with me. I caught the bluegill in this photo earlier today, and it will surely become one of my most memorable catches of all time. Not because it was particularly large or feisty, but because this bluegill belongs to country music legend Hank Williams, Jr.

And how did I come to land a personal fish of Old Bocephus himself? By fishing his private pond, of course. I’m actually filming some hunting/ATV/shooting videos with his son, country-rocker Hank III, on the 600-acre family ranch. Between takes, I could not stand by idly as Hank III’s son, drummer, and cousin slayed ‘gills and crappie.

Let me just tell you that this pond is art. Meticulously manicured, crystal clear, lights stationed around the perimeter for night fishing…if you’re the kind that gets all huffy over people fishing your favorite spots, take a lesson from Hank, Jr. and just build your own pond. I plan to do it when I grow up, though my vision is slightly different.

One lake stocked with bass, pickerel and crappie on the higher elevation of my property will drain off into a, let’s say, a three-mile private length of trout stream I’ve designed. The stream will then empty into a second lake loaded with nothing but trout and smallmouth. An underground pump will then move the water from that lake back to the top lake to start the cycle again. Yeah, that sounds about right.

So let’s day dream, shall we? Tell me your vision if you could construct your own private body of water. – JC