Meet Guest Blogger Derek M...

a friend of mine that I met recently when he won my "A Fishy Tale Contest" a couple of weeks ago!! You might also recall that he asked that I donate his prize to a local charity, and he and I have been working together to find just the right one!!! He is a wonderful, kind person that has become a great friend, as well!!!

A couple of days ago we were chatting, and he mentioned that he used to blog a little himself. So...I asked him if he would like to do a couple of posts for me here at "From The Fisherbabe" since he is a tournament fisherman himself...and he said YES!!!! So stay tuned and look for his series here every week or so and be sure to leave him lots of comments and encouragement!!!

You can find all his posts in one spot by clicking on the photo icon on the side bar entitled "Guest Blogs By Derek"!!! SOOOOO...without furthur ado, here is the first post in his series!!!!

Enjoy~

First Post...And A Little Introduction From Derek...

Job opening: wanted competitive angler, must be willing to fish for hours in all kinds of weather and willing to go fast.

My name is Derek, aka @UPSAngler (in case you want to follow me on twitter). You will find me on here posting some stuff about competitive fishing, mainly bass fishing, and all the general stuff that comes with competitive fishing, as well.

I will first start by saying that if you enjoy fishing and are looking to get more out of it, then fishing tournaments might be the answer for you.

I have been fishing tournaments since I was a little tike with my father in weekend team tournaments and youth derbies. I now fish the FLW Tours BFL Series, and I fish in Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (BASS) Club tournaments all around Indiana. Tournament fishing brings a whole new aspect to fishing that makes it so fun. You are put under a time constraint to catch fish along with decisions to either stay in a spot where you know fish are or run and gun to a few other spots in hopes to catch that school on a feeding frenzy.

So now you might be asking, Derek, dude, where can I go to find a tournament? A great starting point is go down to your local marina or bait shop and just ask about tournaments. A lot of information can be gained from local marinas or bait shops in general. Another great source for tournaments is to contact your state department of natural resources or department of fish and wildlife. If you are unsure who that might be in your state there is a link that will direct you to each state. Just go to http://www.realtree.com/resources/dnrs.php So now that I've put the bug in your ear, I will leave it at that until next time. In the mean time, while old man winter is starting to set in and you have more free time, you can do some research on different tournaments that could be in your area. If you have questions about tournament fishing or fishing in general feel free to shoot me an e-mail at derek.masters@gmail.com. Tight Lines, D

BOO!!!!

Here is hoping every single one of you have a SPOOKTACULAR, FRIGHTRAGEOUS super fun filled HALLOWEEN!!! Remember to be safe out there with all those ghosts and ghouls running around...and watch your back for extra scary goblins!!!

I, myself, am going out for my own fabulous, fantastic spooky fun night with my fisherhubby who is...get this...dressing up as a fisherman!!! LOL :)

I am dressing as a sweet little lamb and spent countless hours sewing up my own SUPER lamb-y like outfit!! Okay...so that is not true...LOL!! I actually only spent an hour on it (and only $15.00) but it is super fun and super fluffy, and I just can't wait to wear it!!

This is my lamb mask that I made to go with my costume. I think it turned out quite well for my first attempt at mask making :) Thank goodness for Miss Martha Stewart!!!

Now...I must brag about one aspect of my outfit...and all my girls will appreciate this...and that is THE SHOES!!!! I took a pair of old lucite heels (aka clear plastic high heels for all you guys out there...) and made them into furry little "hooves" with a little creativity, some fun furry trim, and ALOT of hot glue...LOL :) Aren't they just the cutest things... ;)

Perhaps I will post a little photo later when I am all fully dressed and totally in lamb-y character for you all to see...I just CAN'T wait!!! Hope your night are filled with all sweet treats and not too many tricks!!! Happy Fright Night ~ LIZZY aka The Fisherbabe

This Fisherbabe Is Looking For A Few Good Men...

and of course...a few good women to guest blog here on "From The Fisherbabe". I am usually the only person who blogs on my blog (except for the occasional post by my super cool fishin' sister in law, Miss Rikki) so I thought it would be pretty cool to feature some points of view from other outdoor bloggers every once in a while, as well!!

If you are interested in writing something fishy, or even outdoorsy, for my little blog here, just shoot me an email at fisherbabestaff@fisherbabe.com. I won't promise that I will accept every offer to blog it up here on my site...but I do promise to give everybody a chance to pitch me a great idea for a guest blog!! I really hope to hear from you all soon, and I hope that we can bring some fresh new stuff to all of you through listening to the awesome tales and stories of my readers 'cause let me tell ya...I have some great ones!!!!

Happy Blogging ~

LIZZY aka The Fisherbabe

The New Adventures Of An Old Fisherbabe...

Ok so... I am not that old. But today I went to the hairdresser...and to the mall...and thought to myself... "Boy this is going to be a freakin' long winter..."!!! I am pretty depressed right now that my season has come to an end, but my hair looks FABULOUS!!!

The more I thought about the long winter ahead, however, the more I started thinking that I am in need of a couple of new adventures...LIKE ICE FISHING!!!! I always get so moody during the winter...I mean Rapala's PS3 fishing adventures can only hold a person over so long...ya know??? I gotta have me something real and weighty on the end of my ugly stik (thats right B...I LOVE my ugly stik :p) to keep me satisfied.

So...a couple of days ago, I got a comment from my friend Joe over at http://www.wolfwaters.blogspot.com/ and he said that I should quit my whining and start ice fishing. HOW AWESOME WOULD THAT BE!!! I could fish during the winter!!!!! I mean...ok so yeah...it is going to be colder than most anything I have experienced before, but thats okay...I am a tough fisherbabe. Plus...it will probably involve some extensive research since I have never ice fished before in my life! This will probably be one of those adventures where I should video tape it so you can all laugh at my expense...perhaps I will this time ;)

So here is your (and my) homework...Leave me a comment telling me about any experiences you have had ice fishing, whether you have been ice fishing or want to go ice fishing in the future, and what tools or websites will serve me in my adventure.

Can't wait to hear from you all!!!!

HAPPY EDUCATING ~

LIZZY aka The Fisherbabe

Underneath My Waders, I am Wearing Victoria's Secret...Deal With It...

Today, I was chatting with a friend over MSN, and the subject of women fishing competitively came up. Now...most of you know that I do not fish competitively. I do, however, think of myself as a pretty adept fisherwoman in some areas of fishing...Pike Fishing, for example. I feel as though a person can be taken seriously even if they fish only because of a true passion for the sport.

However, my friend and I started chatting about the sport of competitive fishing, and fishing in general, and why it was so hard for women to be successful or taken seriously. He said that to be respected women feel the need to behave in a manly way and to be "butch" so to speak. That men respect them more for behaving in this manner and they get more press and attention doing this but still not as much as the men. Another friend of mine also noted that women do not get as much press in the sport and wondered why.

We chatted and chatted about this subject until I finally said..."if a man will only give me respect because I conform to what he thinks I should behave like...or look like...then I do not want his respect"...and that is that.

I thought about my lovely friend Sondra Rankin (http://www.sondrarankin.com/) who is a professional fisherwoman, and she is beautiful. She is also a girl...and she is one when she fishes. She is adorable. Does she gets as much press as I think she deserves...Hell NO!!!! There are so many lovely women in this world that need to be open to the idea that fishing is no longer a man's sport. Sondra embodies this. However, there are so many lovely men in this world that also need to be opened up to this idea, as well. Women like Sondra are slowly making their way in the industry...but I have to ask, how long will it take?

Is this truly a phenomenon that we are combating? Are women still conforming to gain the respect of the men in the industry? Are they hiking up their waders and hiding behind their hats for fear of getting made fun of or standing out for being a woman in a man's world? Do we live in 1950?

I feel that getting women into the sport is something that needs to occur regardless of whether it is in the competitive arena or just out at their local lake. Women do not need to be scared of fishing...you do not have to baby us. We are strong, and we are capable. My theory is...women just do not understand the sport. They do not understand that you can be pretty and dirty, and concerned about your hair all while reeling in a fish bigger than your boyfriends. Introduce more women to the sport of fishing in a way that is relatable to who we really are as women and more women will realize that they love it!!! Simple right???

Girls we have a mission!!! We need to stand up and let down our hair and not be afraid to be who we are while we are casting that rod. We need to stand up and tell young girls that you can out fish your brothers and still be the apple of your daddy's eye. We need to send the message to the next generation of fisherbabes that it is okay to net a monster fish one second...then turn around and ask if your eye makeup is running and if your hair looks fabulous for the photo...and we need to know that it is OKAY to talk about lipstick in the boat. Fishing does not have to be a MAN's sport any longer...you can bet your ass that its okay to talk about beer and sex in the boat...so therefore, I declare that it is okay to talk about makeup and sex and the city in the boat.

There have been times when I have stepped off the boat and into my stilettos ladies...So I am here to say...

UNDERNEATH MY WADERS, I WEAR VICTORIA'S SECRET LINGERIE...DEAL WITH IT!!! It is who I am...It is who I will always be...and you know what...that is just fine!! :)

Happy Fishing...and Shopping ~

LIZZY aka The Fisherbabe

Just A Short One...

to share my new favorite photos of my dog child...otherwise known as Moo Moo Chicken :) The purple heart she wears on her collar was given to her by our veterinarian for surviving cancer. She was diagnosed with Stage 4 Lymphoma at age 6 (with a tumor in her spinal column), and yes...we went through chemotherapy...but she is still with us 2 years later!!! She was so brave and so happy throughout it all...I think there is a lot to be learned from our lovely puppy children!!!!

I would take her fishing 'cept I am pretty sure I couldn't ever keep her in the boat...or from barking at the fishies... :)

Happy Fall~~

LIZZY aka The Fisherbabe

A Lovely Little Contest From A Fellow Blogger...

SMOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCH!!!!

First of all, I tried to give my girl some puppy sugar but she was having none of it. Second of all...this is my awesome shirt I won on twitter from the folks over at Campbells Outdoor challenge. FUN!!!

And LAST BUT NOT LEAST (AND DEFINITELY MOST IMPORTANT) ~

...just wanted to let you know that my friend Ben over at http://www.beng-outdoors.blogspot.com/ is having a reader appreciation contest!!! Head over there and see all the great prizes that he is giving away and check out his blog while you are there. It is a great read, and he is a super nice guy!!!! What are you waiting for???? GO GO GO!!!!! Happy Blog Reading ~ LIZZY aka The Fisherbabe

Gettin' Back To It...

Ok guys...I am finally sitting down and blogging...LOL...FINALLY!!! Although, I can't promise anything profound tonight. I am sitting on my bed...and I have clean sheets and blankets because I did all my laundry today while the Fisherhubby stained our deck. Ahhhhh...the joys of adulthood... I know that I owe you all 2 Fisherbabe's Guide To Gettin' Away posts, because I haven't done Friday posts in a few weeks...so I'm going to make those up this week...I think...LOL :) The fall weather always brings a bit of sadness as it means most of my fishing is done for the year. But a good friend told me to "snap out of it" and "get out your awesome photos from your awesome trips" and I think he is right. So I am snapping out of it and you can all expect more frequent posts from this Fisherbabe.... Here is to getting back to normal and having a happy fall!!! Happy Everything!!!! LIZZY aka The Fisherbabe

Funky Fisherbabes...

it snowed last week...SNOWED IN OCTOBER!!! Can you believe that?? I am glad I got a bit of fishing in the previous week!!! On Sunday of the week before it snowed, we went out to Wagon Train Lake in Nebraska to do some fishing...

This is what I caught...LOL...

I called the trip a success...I always say something is better than nothing and this tiny little bluegill made my day!!!!

I must apologize for the lack of posts lately...it is that time of year where the seasons are changing and the football is occuring and the holidays are sneaking up on us. I have been in a funky mood these past few weeks...and I always get this way this time of year. I have been keeping my self busy with fall cleaning projects and holiday decorating. I am certain that this mood will pass, and soon I will be back to my fun-loving, kick-a** fisherbabin' self before you know it!!!

Until then...

Happy Fall Ya'll ~

LIZZY aka The Fisherbabe

WE NEED YOUR HELP...

to do something absolutely FABULOUS!!! As you all know, the "A Fishy Tale Contest" was a GREAT success with 35 of you awesome fisherguys and gals leaving comments filled with fishing adventures and memories. The winner of the grand prize package was a fisherguy from Indiana named Derek...and what an amazing guy he is!!!! His story was absolutely beautiful, and I suggest you all head over to the contest post to read it!! The comment was left under his screen name InBassAngler.

Now...HERE IS SOMETHING TRULY AMAZING...Derek was actually my 10,000th VISITOR!! Can you believe the odds of that happening? The reason I know this is because I was chatting with him on twitter when he told me that he had just refreshed my page and that the bottom of his screen said 10000!!! He offered me congratulations, and I offered him thanks for being a reader!!! Isn't that just something!!!

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING EVEN MORE AMAZING...Derek, being such a great guy and kind spirit, has RE-DONATED the majority of his prize back to me in the hopes that we here at http://www.fisherbabe.com/ can find a person or a charity organization that could put the gear to good use.

So...HERE IS WHERE YOU COME IN...do you know of a person or charity that could use this great, brand new gear??? If so, then PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE leave me a comment that includes your suggestion for where these great items should be donated. In a couple of weeks, Derek and I will take a look at all the suggestions that you guys have given and choose one to receive the donation.

I hope that I will hear from every reader that knows of anyone that could use a little help. We cannot donate the items without help from you...SO PLEASE...all suggestions are welcome!!! This a great opportunity for all of us to touch someone's life and to give something back. The donation will be made on behalf of Derek, myself, and ALL the http://www.fisherbabe.com/ readers!!!

Happy Suggesting ~

LIZZY aka The Fisherbabe

The Fishy Tale Contest Winner IS...

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE GRAND PRIZE WINNER:

INBASSANGLER!!!

Yes...that is right!!! The person who commented under the screenname INBASSANGLER is our LUCKY GRAND PRIZE WINNER, and he/she will receive all of the prizes listed on the original post "A Fishy Tale Contest"!!!!!

BUT THAT IS NOT ALL...because there were so many GREAT entries, I DECIDED TO GIVE OUT A 2ND PRIZE WHICH IS A PLANO STOWAWAY BOX FILLED WITH FISHING GOODIES!!!

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE SECOND PRIZE WINNER:

MIKEYT1STL

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2 WINNERS and thanks to everyone who participated and told us your GREAT FISHING MEMORIES!!!

NOW...FOR SOME IMPORTANT INFORMATION...if you have won a prize during this contest, YOU MUST SEND AN EMAIL TO FISHERBABESTAFF@FISHERBABE.COM to claim your prize WITHIN THE NEXT 48 HOURS!!! IF I DO NOT HAVE AN EMAIL FROM YOU BY 6:30PM CST ON WEDNESDAY OCTOBER, 7 2009, another winner will be chosen randomly from the remaining contest entrants.

Thanks again to everyone who participated and THANKS SO MUCH to all my readers who helped me reach such a great milestone!!

Happy Fishing ~

LIZZY aka The Fisherbabe

** The winners can expect to receive their prizes in the next 4-6 weeks.

Only 1 More Day To Win Over $150.00 In Free Gear...

from really great companies like Plano Molding Company, http://www.fishcraze.com/, FLW Outdoors Magazine, Rapala, and More!!!! I just wanted to remind ALL my readers to post your stories before 5:00 PM CST TOMORROW (Monday October 5th, 2009) to be entered to win great prizes from the companies mentioned above!!! ONE lucky WINNER will receive ALL of the prizes (see the original post "A Fishy Tale Contest) so its well worth your time to leave a me a tale!! To save you guys some trouble, you MAY LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS ON THIS POST or visit the original posting. I will combine all of the comments from this post, the original "A Fishy Tale Contest" post, and the posts from http://www.getreeled.com/ and http://www.random.org/ will choose the winner. DON'T FORGET also that you have TWO chances to ENTER by leaving a comment on this blog and by CLICKING HERE to leave a comment at my Ultimate Fishing Directory Blog. I will announce the winner RIGHT HERE on this blog so BE SURE TO CHECK BACK TOMORROW EVENING AFTER 6:00 PM CST TO FIND OUT IF YOU WIN!!! The winner will only have a short time to respond, so DON'T FORGET!!! As for me...I AM NOW FINALLY OFF TO CATCH ME SOME BASS!!! So have a good day all...and I will post pictures of my cute little bassy fish :) Happy Sunday ~ LIZZY aka The Fisherbabe

The Fisherbabe's Guide To Gettin' Away Featuring...

SHOWALTERS FLY-IN FISHING...

To Canadian Wilderness Outposts!!!

Showalters Fly-In Fishing is the camp I chose to feature first in this series for a reason. A couple of years back, the fisherhubby, myself, the fisherdaddy, and fishersister were frozen off of the camp we had booked for our yearly May pike fishing trip. With only 2 days to plan another trip...were we FREAKING OUT!!! I was calling every camp I had written in my fishin' notebook trying to find a spot for us to fish. Every camp had the same response...a resounding NO!!! Most...even if they had the space...would not allow us to come because they just did not want to deal with the trouble of a last minute booking.

Showalters was totally different. Eddie, the owner of the camp, was extremely gracious and really worked to try and find us a spot! We did not end up going on a trip at that time, but the kindness that I received from them really stuck out in my mind!!! So here they are now...featured as the first lodge of choice for The Fisherbabe's Guide To Gettin' Away!!

Showalters offers a fly-in fishing experience to 11 different lakes in Northwestern Ontario. Booking a trip with them gives you a choice between Action Lake, Apps Lake, Carroll Lake, Cochrane Lake, Crooked Lake, Hammerhead Lake, Irwin Lake, Pine Needle Lake, Sand Point Lake, Severn Lake, and South Shore Rapids. Having your choice between this many bodies of water can really prove to be beneficial for an angler. The types of fish that you can catch at Showalters are Walleye, Northern Pike, and they also offer 3 Lake Trout Lakes.

Showalters provides such great, reasonable prices that I could hardly believe it when I clicked on their rates page!! I had to call the camp to confirm that they were correct!! The rates are as follows and are all in USD:

3 day trip - $720.00 per person

4 day trip - $820.00 per person

5 day trip - $920.00 per person

These prices include your cabin, a full sized gas range, refrigerator, freezers, cooking utensils, and kitchen utensils. PLUS...and you all know how GREAT I think THIS is...they have running water WITH SHOWERS in all their cabins.

Also included in the price are boats with swivel seats and 8-9 horse powered motors, fishing licenses, and life jackets. ALSO...and this is VERY IMPORTANT...they provide UNLIMITED FUEL...which is a rare luxury from camps these days!!!!!

Before starting this post, I called up to the Showalters Offices to confirm my information and chat a little with the owner, Eddie Showalter. Eddie has been the owner of the camp for 3 years now, but he purchased the camp from his father who had owned and operated the camp since 1958. That's right...this is a family camp and has been for many years. Eddie, himself, has 35 years experience working this camp under his belt, and believe me...its great to have that kind of knowledge and experience on your side!

You know...camp owners and managers can really make or break a fishing trip. Getting a great one can make even a small trip feel like the time of your life...and getting a bad one can make the biggest dream trip quickly turn into a nightmare. Two years ago, Eddie was a helpful and super nice guy to deal with, and he has not changed a bit!!! It was great to talk to him on the phone again this time, and he even remembered meeting me at the All Canada Show in Omaha, Nebraska last year. That is a great memory, right there, and even though I am certain he is a super busy guy, he answered all my questions without hesitation. That is definitely the kind of person that makes me wanna fish their camp!!

AND IT GETS EVEN BETTER...Eddie informed me that they are starting up a new branch of their business called Fly-In Camping!!! He and "his people" are working on getting the website up and running right now. It should be ready to view by mid-November!! The rates for these "fly-in camping" trips are considerably lower than the rates for the cabins and will most likely be in the $550.00 a person range FOR A WEEK!!!! PLUS, there will be FIVE different lakes to choose from!

For this type of trip, Showalters will provide boats, motors, and gas along with an emergency radio to keep you as safe and secure as possible. The camper/angler will be responsible for providing his/her fishing and camping gear. WHAT AN EXCITING ADVENTURE!!!!

To contact Showalters Fly-In Fishing Outposts you can use one of the following methods:

Call (807)484-2412 (winter) OR (807)222-2332 (summer)

OR

Go to http://www.fly-incanada.com/

I encourage you to check out this SUPER camp, and give 'em a call if you have any questions!!! I am certain that Eddie will be happy to answer any question or address any concern you might have!!!

Happy Planning ~

LIZZY aka The Fisherbabe

**Photo courtesy of Eddie Showalter and taken from www.fly-incanada.com

***Disclaimer - Please Note that the Fisherbabe does not nor does any person affiliated with the Fisherbabe guarantee any prices, amenities, or services listed in the above posting. Also, The Fisherbabe cannot nor can any person affiliated with the Fisherbabe be held responsible for any dissatisfaction that comes from visiting this camp or any other camp reviewed on this site upon our recommendation. The Fisherbabe recommends that any person booking any trip be very thorough in their own research and investigation of any camp that he or she may choose to visit.

The Fisherbabe's Guide To Gettin' Away...

is something that I am SO SUPER EXCITED to tell you all about!!! Its a brand new addition to my blog, and I cannot wait to get started. Let me tell you how it all began:

Everyday I get correspondence and comments on how LUCKY I am to experience all of my wonderful and amazing Canadian Fishing Adventures. People tell me, "Oh my gosh...that is something I have always dreamed of doing," or "Wow...that looks like a trip of a lifetime!!" Well...let me tell ya...it is!! If you love to pull in monster fish as much as I do, fishing in Canada is something you should definitely experience!!

More often than not, when I ask why these folks do not go on a Dream Canadian Fishing Trip, they all reply with the same answer..."It is just too expensive for me and my buddies to pull off." So...I reply to them, "PSHHHHHHHHHHHTTTTT. That is a lame excuse."

There is a common misconception that fishing in Canada has to be expensive to be good, and this is just not true. Granted...there are A LOT of lodges and camps that ARE quite expensive AND offer great fishing opportunities. BUT...there are also MANY, MANY less expensive alternatives that also offer great chances at catching that fish of a lifetime. I mean...honestly...just by wetting your line in one of Canada's many lakes, rivers, or streams you up your chance of catching a monster by 1000%!!!

So...in honor of all you folks out there that want that dream vacation and just do not know quite how to get it, this series is for YOU!!! Every Friday, I will feature a new camp that offers great fishing and great lodging for under $1000.00 per person. Now...I know that $1000.00 is still pretty high...but no worries. There will be camps featured at all price ranges under that $1000.00 mark with most falling in the mid-range!!

I want you to see that that dream vacation is well within your reach. All it takes is a little bit of research and a Fisherbabe that totally Rocks Out for leading you all in the right direction!!!

PLEASE NOTE: All the labels to my posts are listed at the bottom of this blog. However, for your convenience, I have linked all the posts that fall under the label "The Fisherbabe's Guide To Gettin' Away" to an icon (of the picture shown with this post) on the top of the side bar..

DON'T FORGET to enter the "A Fishy Tale" contest by CLICKING HERE!!! Leave me a comment under that post telling me your favorite fishing memory to be entered to win OVER $150.00 in FREE GEAR!!!

Happy Travels ~

LIZZY aka The Fisherbabe