Team Agape Chronicles

Team Agape Gallery

Team Agape traveled to Lake Washington for 3 days of fun and fellowship.

We arrived on Wednesday, March 2, 2005 to find the cabin and other eminities prepared beyond our expectations.

The accomodations furnished by Pam Hammond and her daughter Carrie, of Roy's Store and Fish Camp in Chatham, MS. were the perfect setting for our ministry event.

Our thanks go to Pam and Carrie for the outstanding welcome and hospitality!

Upon our arrival, the weather held an overcast sky with temperatures around 38 degrees and water temp at 51 degrees.

The extended forecast was much more to our liking, clearing and warmer with highs around 60% and SW wind 5-10 mph.

We unpacked all our gear, (enough to fill a freight train) and began the task of preparing boats, fishing gear and our attitudes for a wonderful time of fellowship along with much fishing...

Those present on the first night were, Rodney, Leighton and Ethan Makamson, Matt Deason, and myself. Carrie Hammond, who is Leighton Makamson's girlfriend was our dayguest.

Everyone pitched in and helped prepare supper, grilled burgers, french fries and chips (a meal for true outdoor enthusiasts)!

We previously had delivered Leighton's newly purchased bass boat to the marine shop in Greenville, MS. for repairs to the Mercury outboard, to include replacing the water pump and gasket on the head correcting a water leak around the spark plug.

On Thursday, we anticipated these repairs to present us with a community project boat unrivaled on the immense waters of Lake Washington.

The mid morning arrival of our beloved pastor Bennie Vance and his bodyguard Kip Profit, proved to be a blessing as they caught enough fish for our supper that day.

Precariously Rodney and I proceeded to attack the bass with every conceivable lure combination known to man. Thus our harvest was not to be more than 2 bass and 1 large crappie.

Along with Ethan's catfish and the meriad of tales of the ones that got away or of the fish that were released because they were too large to filet since all of us forgot to bring our filet knives.

Thankfully, Bennie brought his filet knife, how positive is that, him thinking that he would be the only one to trick the fish into biting!!!!

So here we are, 1 boat in the shop, my boat with fresh visits from the resident cats and our pastors boat with a borrowed outboard (carrying the equivalent of the entire defensive line of a professional football team in a 16ft yacht), 1 plastic two man boat and Otto. What a sight for the yearlong preparation, only to be part of a replay of last years outcome.

Later that day, Leighton managed to bring the boat back from the shop with the repairs partially completed. Now the stator must be replaced to correct the problem with acceleration. It seemed that everything was going just as we had planned!

Otto Makamson arrived mid-afternoon with just about every type of fish cooker made, anticipating an abundant catch from a bunch of seasoned anglers.

Our idea to set out dozens of YoYo's never materialized, mainly because NOBODY bought any AND NOBODY else on the lake were using YoYo's either---unlike last year when you could not fish around the trees for elemmteen of 'em dangling from every limb like a dipnet lying in wait to snag every lure cast near their tentacles.

Andre Crowder also came to Lake Washington to enjoy the catfish and drum tournament that we all had registered for, (somebody got the paperwork mixed up)....

So the afternoon was not a total loss, as Kip and Bennie DID catch our supper... (there, you have the outcome, DON'T use pink jigs, they are a sure thing for super-duper oversize drum!!!)

Maybe if we had followed Ethan's advice(check every trotline), we could have provided more catfish for the fishfry!!!

Matt did catch a nice 5lb bass on the his new rod and reel combo from BassPro!

He could have made a visit to Hill Lake and probably found several combos to choose from-----Oh well, they will still be there waiting for someone to find them and thinking, W-O-W, look what somebody forgot to take back home when they loaded up to leave NOT to mention a tacklebox or three!!!

After a looooong day of fishing, the team pulled together to prepare a superb feast, while I managed to wrestle with the couch. (Watching 20 year old Championship Wrestling matches prepared me in the most weary way!)

After graciously gulping down the fish and fries, the ensuing Domino championship turned out to be once again a hilarious switch from the more serious challenge that the fishing presented.

Ever wonder how to keep score in domino's when 6-different people decide to play,,,, it is a tag team sport you know!!!!

With our 1st day slowly coming to an end, our pastor Bennie, gathered us into a discussion on several topics that covered about as much water as we had previously fished that day.

For men with increasingly difficult schedules and a shortage of time to establish healthy relationships with others, we cast our nets into a sea full of promise with hopes of an ever increasing harvest for the kingdom.

We did not solve all the problems of the world, but we did attack some of the issues that each of us face daily.

We were reminded of our ultimate calling to be fishers of men, seeking to cast our burdens on Christ, believing that HIS WORD is the true source of life sustaining nourishment that is available to all, which requires us to persistenly pitch and flip the Gospel of Christ to the lost and drowning. Desiring to bring them into the safety of HIS salvation and promise of a great harvest for the Kingdom of God!

Upon the conclusion of our day, sleeping arrangements consisted of 4 bunk beds, 2 full beds, 1 couch and recliner and a very large air mattress flopped in the middle of the cabin's living room floor.

Amazing how well we adapt to this style of luxury, choosing carefully our sleeping arrangements, knowing that some will chop a little firewood, some saw a few sticks of pulpwood, and there will be one who cuts timber, jarring even the dishes in the sink with his snoring!!!

Some of us thought an earthquake was the reason. But yet all slept with visions of extreme crappie and bass ripping and jumping to our delight with the arrival of a new day on the lake.

Friday morning proved itself to be a spectacular blue bird day.... Many of you right now are understanding the connection between seemingly beautiful weather and uncooperative fish!

Each partnering loaded every imaginable piece of gear we owned into our already cramped boats with high hopes of a productive morning on the water.

Leighton and Matt slept in, for a better word in wavering expectation of more expensive repairs yet to come for the project boat.

Midday weighin brought more disallusionment to the retreating visions of overflowing stringers and dashed hopes of the big'un caught in the frenzy of an early spring spawn.

After lunch, and the decision to depart with a revived attitude, Alan Hansen and Lee Makamson arrived in time for the return of Leighton and Matt dragging, oops,, I mean returning once again with the (MONEY PIT) project boat, with excitement sparkling in their eyes.

Alan, as we all know is determined to put a whoopin' on some trappies with a vengence. Nevermind eating, resting or conversation, fishing extreme to a higher level without taking breaks-----

A short run across the lake with Lee, Matt and Rodney proved that the marine mechanic knew just how to make new life appear in a tired 20 year old Mercury.

I had the honor of tromping on it out across the smooth water, peeling only the 1st layer of flesh from our faces, and realizing that our future fishing expeditions will never be the same.

The seemingly less than adequate (overweight) marine batteries with every engineered combination of trolling motor connection will never compare to screaming across the water at 45 mph draining a 16 gallon gas tank on a desparate mission for bass or anything that bites.

Take 3 men and 1 young lady, in a souped up fiberglass water rocket, put them together in this BOAT, and you have the potential for a trainwreck waiting to happen.

Only by watching fishermen in otherwise less equipped boats catching fish on nearly every cast, culling and keeping 2 lb and bigger crappie, can you envision the disappointment and feel the love of 3 weeks of preparation and hundreds of dollars worth of tackle and repairs, are you then able to understand the mind of a true fishermen.

It will be grilled burgers, smoked sausage and fries for supper, , , again...Otto HAS been voted the better cook!!!!! Thanks Otto.

Oh well, at least the domino game later tonight should be fun.

Maybe even the thought of catching 45 lb salmon or 11 lb largemouth on Ethan's video game would calm our nerves after another day of less than perfect blue bird day expedition.

Leaving us were Andre, Alan, Lee, Matt, Bennie and Kip for the 2 hr. drive back home, all of us wishing we had just stayed at home and planned a trip to Skullmore instead.

Back to REALITY, we load up as much gear as possible without risking the theft of precious tackle, we tuck in for the night knowing Saturday morning we will be leaving for the trip home with a brief stopover at Matthews Brake in Sidon, MS.

Stashing, stuffing and cramming every nook and cranny with things brought that were neither needed nor used, we gather together our freight train convoy and head out to more productive waters.

Who would have thought, catfish ponds in the MS. delta????

Seems like 30 miles levee to levee would be enough catfish for the entire galaxy-------and then some!!!!

Our homeward bound detour to Matthews Brake NWR lake proved to be our undoing, as 20 mph wind and our relentless search for bass, crappie, gar, buffalo, drum------anything that would bite, produced only 2 bass and 6 weary and frazzled travelers.

Unload Leighton's project boat, wrestle with the 2 man boat for Otto, launch my boat and again unload all the necessary tackle, fighting fatigue as well as gnats, the wind and innumerable sunken cypress logs to fish 2 hours in a lily pad and watergrass nightmare.

Try fishing alongside a federal management area that remains CLOSED for 2 more weeks, KNOWING that the fish can read that marker sign and KNOW which side of the line to stay on!!!!

Haul everything back to the ramp, load it all back into the truck, kiss the babies goodbye, we strike out AGAIN for the 45 minute ride home.

It is only with a passion for fellowship and the irresistable desire to fish unconquered waters that we continue to enjoy (meaning, PUNISH in laymen terms) ourselves on adventurous trips to these and many other exotic locations, where each day brings fulfillment and boundless memories to be cherished for a lifetime!!!