Page 22 - 2021 Okatibbee Tournament Issue
P. 22
Magnolia Crappie Clubia Crappie Club AdventuresAdventures MagazineMagazine
Magnol
The Smart Mule and the Dumb Mule
By Bernard Williams, Magnolia Crappie Club
If you guys didn’t know it, I grew up on a Grenada Lake one morning for a club tour-
farm. We had all the animals associated with nament. I’d been trying to get Don to switch
a small farm. We raised everything to eat places in the boat with me. It was not my as-
except for flour, sugar, and a few other things. sumption that I could work the 4 poles in the
We also had a mule for plowing the garden back better than Don; I just wanted to catch
and a tractor for the fields. I was too young more fish. I know that was kind of selfish.
to do anything during the mule plowing days I set in the center of the boat and run the
other than play in the fields during those trolling motor with an iPilot remote, tie on
times. The reason I’m jigs, spool rods with line, monitor the
electronics, change jig sizes and colors,
net fish and whatever else comes up.
Problem is, I can only fish with 2 poles.
Don catches lots more fish than I do. I
made the statement that morning that we
needed to switch places. I just thought
we need to switch duties, me at the back
and he should learn how to do what I
did.
Well Don didn’t feel the same, which did
not set well with him; he was adamant-
ly against my idea. I mean he was irate
to the point of changing the pitch of his
voice. First of all, you need to get that
bass out of your voice, Mr. Terry.
giving you this information is to prep you for I’m somewhat of a reasonable person. If
what’s to come. you can prove to me with a genuine and
legitimate response then I will listen. So Don
My partner Don Terry of Jackson, MS by says, “You can’t put the smart mule in the
way of Crystal Springs, MS grew up in similar back and the dumb mule in the front that just
a situation. Don however, had to plow the won’t work.” I said Don what in world are
fields with a team of mules. His dad raised you talking about? Don says, “Let me give
vegetables for the market. Crystal Springs you this synopsis, my dad had two mules
was the tomato capital of the country at one when we plowing; one smart mule and one
time. Don’s dad had acres and acres of veg- dumb mule. The smart mule is the leader
etables, also cotton and corn. We both grew and the dumb mule is the follower. The dumb
up with farming backgrounds.
mule pulls most of the load when plowing;
Don and I have fished together for over 12 but when he gets to the end of the row he’s
years. We are primarily long-line trollers; we too dumb to turn around. The smart mule
troll out of the side and back of the boat. Don must turn the entire rig around and get back
sits in the back with 4 poles while I set in the in the field. You need both mules to get the
center with 2 poles. Our club and lake rules job done and both were very important to my
limited us to 6 poles. dad.”
We’ve never had anything to cause a con- Continued on Page 24.......
flict except for one time. We were headed to
22 - Adventures Magazine - Okatibbee Lake 2021 Issue
