Spearfishing Tourney Results

Forty-three divers entered the spearfishing tournament yesterday. The weather was perfect. Here are the results:





1st Place Catfish: Jason Copeland (38 lbs, 7 oz) - $330
2nd Place Catfish: Ricky Clark (29 lbs, 5 oz) - $165
3rd Place Catfish: Randy Boeddeker (16 lbs, 4 oz) - $55

1st Place Rough Fish: Jeff Jeter (8 lbs, 2 oz carp) - $220
2nd Place Rough Fish: Bob Benson (7 lbs, 12 oz drum) - $110
3rd Place Rough Fish: Roger Johnson (7 lbs, 1 oz carp) - $55

Big Walleye: Mike Rees (6 lbs, 12 oz) - $165

We also gave away about 20 prizes... the big one was a Cressi-Sub pneumatic spear gun from Scuba Doo Dive Shop in Mtn. Home, Ark. It went to Pontiac resident Skip Dechau.

(Jason Copeland is pictured above with the winning catfish.)

Click here to view more pictures from the spearfishing tournament.

The Lake's Arisin'

Hey all. FYI, the water is over the lower road... again. So we have it roped off. Please be mindful of this. The current lake level is 657.6, and according to the Corps of Engineers website it's supposed to go up another tenth of a foot by tomorrow. Who knows after that. So far it's really not a big deal. It isn't much higher than it has been the past month... just high enough that it has spilled over the road and made things slightly difficult for us here at the main walkway. :)

This will make you chuckle... The last time the lake was over the road a bit, a certain young lady innocently asked if we could pump the extra water "somewhere" ... I won't tell you who said this, as I'm sure she would be a little embarrassed. But it gave me a good laugh anyway! Yes, that would be handy... but unfortunately... not possible. :)

Looks like this weekend is going to be beautiful! Warm and sunny. FINALLY!! If you're not entering the spearfishing tournament, you should still come on down to Hollingsworth Cove to see the weigh-in from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday.

Anything for a cure...

The second annual Ozark County Relay for Life was Friday night, and the folks from Pontiac represented nicely. Recognize that guy, er gal, in the picture at left? Yep, that's Pontiac's favorite hula girl, Skip Dechau. "Skippy Lou" took the stage Friday night for the Lake Bums in the Queen of the Relay contest. Skip's wife, Angie, helped him prepare for the contest... she even polished his toe nails. Below: Team members Sue Klayman, Karen Eubank, Jessica and Gabe Blackburn watched.

The Pontiac Lake Bums sold raffle tickets for a custom-built 5-by-10-foot utility trailer, the materials and labor for which were donated by the employees of E-Z Loader in Mountain Home, Ark. Norman Eubank is a Lake Bums team member, he works at E-Z Loader, and he was responsible for the trailer idea. The team raised about $3,000 for the American Cancer Society with the raffle, bringing their total to nearly $5,000!! Woo-hoo! LeAnn Kinscherff won the raffle -- she's a dock customer. Congrats LeAnn! The total for the Ozark County Relay was about $114,000 -- the goal was $90,000 -- and that is incredible!

Norman was also recognized for completing the most laps—168 to be exact, or 42 miles. This is the second year he received that honor. Thanks to Norman and other dedicated walkers on the team, the Pontiac Lake Bums also won for the most team laps for the second year in a row. Way to go team!

Saturday was a beautiful day in Pontiac, and the lake was hopping. Sunday, however, wasn’t so pretty—well, I guess that depends on who you ask. It wasn’t a very nice day for sunbathing, but it was perfect for a Sunday afternoon nap or getting a line wet. We had our A/C off and opened the windows, which was very pleasant. It started out overcast, and when the rain started to fall a little after noon it seemed like it would never end (it finally did around 5 p.m.) When we checked it that evening our rain gauge showed that we got only one inch of rain, which we are certain is inaccurate. Maybe there’s a pin hole in the bottom of it. Maybe it’s time for a new rain gauge.

...more on the gas tax refund...

Here is some info from the BoatU.S. Government Affairs website:

Missouri: Recreational boaters can apply for a $0.17 per-gallon refund of state sales tax on either gasoline or diesel fuel purchased for use in their boat. An application form must be on file with the Missouri Department of Revenue before a refund claim may be filed. Original invoices and receipts must accompany the claim, and can be filed no later than one year after purchasing the fuel, or on April 15th - whichever date is sooner.

The application form, 4924, claim form, 4923, and Schedule A, Marine Fuel Purchases by County form, 4925, are all necessary for the tax refund and can all be downloaded from the Internet at: www.dor.mo.gov/tax/business/fuel/forms/. For more information, call (573) 751-7671.

REMEMBER: We have all these forms at the dock, too.

Pain at the Pump

Hey all. I think a lot of you already know this... but in case you do not... you can get $0.17 per gallon back from the state of Missouri for the fuel you buy for your boat. We have the forms at the marina. We try to remember to tell people about them. But sometimes we forget. So just ask us. It is a little bit of paperwork... and you need to save your dock bills (they show gallons, price per gallon, and total)... but it's worth it when you get that little bonus check in the mail! Just think... if you go through 1,000 gallons of gasoline this summer (maybe that's stretching it for some of you) you could get $170 back!! Not too shabby. So... keep that in mind as you cringe at your total when you fill your tank next time. We truly feel for ya. Cheers! :)

Meet your Pontiac Park attendants!

Have you noticed new faces in the gate house this summer? John and Guyla Roberts are from Mountain Home, Arkansas. They've been here since April, but perhaps you haven't met them yet. They're really nice people, and they're with us until early fall. It's looking like today is going to be a beautiful day! Get out and enjoy it!

A Few of Our Favorite Things (Part 1)

(Above left) Cool Bags: We now carry Caribbean Soul beach bags! They are great. Brightly colored works of art, these bags are big enough for all your lake gear, including big fluffy beach towels, and they are waterproof on the inside! So your stuff won't get wet, even if the outside of the bag does. They are selling fast, so get one now!

(Above right) Quaint Little T-shirts: People have been requesting these shirts, so we bought them in more colors and more sizes, including men's and women's. Hey, if the shoe fits...

Q: Why did the snake cross the road?

A: To get to the other side... which happens to be right by my mailbox.

Oh yes, this "little" fella was lying on the edge of the road by my mailbox yesterday afternoon! When I pull up to get the mail or drop off outgoing mail I have to get out of the driver's side and walk around to the mailbox, because I can't reach out the passenger window... Luckily I saw this thing before I got out of the car, or else you probably would have heard me scream from 50 miles away. :) I thought it was dead, because it didn't move an inch when I pulled up beside it and leaned out my car window to take this picture. However... it wasn't there this morning. Yikes.

The Calm

Well, the first holiday weekend of summer 2007 has come and gone. Historically Memorial weekend can be a wash if the weather doesn't cooperate... This Memorial weekend weather was no exception, although the off-and-on rain and cloud cover didn't seem to stop too many folks from heading out on the lake. PCM was hopping all weekend, as I'm sure you noticed if you were here. Naturally, yesterday was gorgeous -- sunny and warm. I know some people got to enjoy a little of that before packing up and heading home. So, thank you to everyone who spent your Memorial weekend with us in Pontiac. I hope everyone had safe travels home.

We are open from 7am to 9pm every day from now till Labor Day, and Just Jackie's is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day as well.

The next event on the PCM calendar is the Pontiac Spearfishing Tournament June 16. Even if you don't scuba, you might enjoy coming down to Hollingsworth Cove that afternoon for the weigh-in. It's from 1 to 3 pm.

Cheers!

Good Morning Pontiac!

It's Saturday morning of Memorial weekend... I'm sure most of you are still sleeping! But a few are starting to stir. We had a nice dose of scattered showers yesterday... enough that I didn't have to water my flowers this morning. :) The campground appears to be full, and if last night is any indication... there are lots of people in town this weekend, hoping to enjoy the unofficial first weekend of summer. Puhleeeeaaase let us have long periods of sun today. Cheers!

So... is it going to rain this weekend?

Who knows. But let's hope not! The temp is supposed to be in the 80s this weekend. But the forecast has been calling for a chance of rain pretty much every day. But it's only a chance! The lake is still high. But it's starting to go down. If we're lucky it will go down a liiiiiiiiiiiittle bit more, and we can re-open the lower road. That would be handy. Sorry... nothing else really to report. That's it for now.

A Few Brave Men

Heard from Mike today (that's him in the center). He sent me some pictures and the following e-mail:

"We are inside the compound at the Sadat police station. It is in the city of Al Qaim. The Marines with me are Bennett, to my left, and Bader, to my right. Top gunner on the 240 is Hernandes. They are my body guards. I usually ride with them. What I am wearing is a ballistic vest. The coveralls we wear are made of Nomex, a fire retardant material. We are equipped with either m-16s or in my case, an m-4. Our pistols are Barrettes. Nomex gloves and special vented Wiley Glasses, etc. The Humvee to our rear has a 50 cal. We travel in usually a convoy of six."

He also called today, and he sounded well! I know he reads this blog, so if you would like to leave him a message you can leave a comment and he will see it!

No Thru Traffic!

Thought I'd let you know the lower road is temporarily blocked off. You can still park on the lower road, you just can't drive through. The lake is not over the road, but because of the current lake level the cable that runs across that road and attaches to the dock has some slack in it -- a gust of wind can pick it up off the ground a good foot. So we can't have anyone driving over it. Just be aware that there is a rope across the road. Hopefully the lake will go down a bit, and we can re-open the road. Thanks for your cooperation.

Blessing pics

Here are a couple of pics from the 2007 Blessing of the Fleet. The Stieren family (below) was pictured in last week's Ozark County Times! Yep, that's right. PCM got a blurb in the paper about our event, and this picture was printed along with it. Chris Geroff and his daughter, Valerie (left), won for best costumes. Click here for more pics from the event. Remember, all you have to do (if you don't already use snapfish) is create a user name and password to view the photos. It's easy.

A Little Catching Up

Sorry, sorry, sorry... that there has been such a lapse since I last updated the blog. Lots of catching up to do here.

First of all, I have some very sad news to report... Glenn McGee, of Ava, passed away early Sunday morning. He and his wife, Iva, keep a houseboat at the dock, and they spent many, many weekends here. They were here over this past weekend, and from what I have been told he suffered a heart attack on his boat early Sunday morning, and he died. The PCM community is deeply saddened. There is a visitation tonight from 7 to 8 at Clinkingbeard Funeral Home in Ava. The funeral is tomorrow (Wednesday) at 10 a.m., also at Clinkingbeard's.

On a much lighter note, the Blessing of the Fleet on April 28 was a wonderful success thanks to the many people involved. More than 40 boats were blessed by Fr. Paul. Thank you to those who participated. Also, prizes were awarded to the Yeager clan, a.k.a. "The Vikings" for Best in Show; Chris and Valerie Geroff for Most Original Theme; and Skip and Angie Dechau for Best Costumes.

The Pontiac Relay for Life team sold OUT of food, which included several dozen pounds of fried fish, plus a pig roast, sides and desserts. Several people came up to me and said the food was awesome. So... way to go team! Also, the Original Uncivil Servants performed, and they rocked the park. This was the first event they have played for PCM, and it won't be the last. :) We sold out of all Blessing t-shirts. As of now I am not planning to do a re-order. If you really, really, really want one, let me know. It's not too late to do a re-order. I just need to hear from you asap. And finally, a whopping $3,000 was raised that night for the Pontiac fireworks. THAT IS AWESOME!! Bill Bauer worked the crowd, and sold seven tickets to his infamous "One Minute Club" -- a donation of $300 will get you in the club, and you can brag to your friends that you bought a whole minute of the fireworks display, coming up on Sunday, July 1. Plus he sold several raffle tickets to the big drawing coming up the night of the fireworks -- it's for a $500 gift certificate to PCM. Many other prizes are given away that night as well. If you haven't bought your raffle ticket yet for the $500 drawing, DO IT! It's only $10 for one ticket or $25 for 3 tickets. See Bill or me.

What else... well, it seems we had quite a bit of rain last week, so the lake has gone up a bit. Not over the lower road by any means, but it's getting up there. Other than that the weather has been beautiful. Maybe summer is here to stay. Let's hope so.

I'll post pictures from the Blessing soon.

Cheers!

A little BLESSING reminder...

Hey all! I hope you're having a good week and planning to spend your weekend with us at the Blessing of the Fleet this Saturday! The Blessing ceremony begins at 2 p.m., which means you should be in your boat outside the breakwater by 2 p.m. When the ceremony begins you will pass single file by the end of the new dock, where Father Paul will douse you in holy water. Just kidding... it's just a sprinkle. :)

A happy hour/blessing celebration will follow on the dock for a bit, where we'll be selling Blessing tees for $10 each - proceeds benefiting the Pontiac Firework Fund. Then we'll make our way up to the Pontiac Park pavilion, where the Pontiac Relay for Life team (the "Pontiac Lake Bums") will start selling food at 5:30 -- it's a pig roast/fish fry, and they'll have hot dogs too. Plus sides, desserts and beverages. They're also selling plastic souvenir cups - $2 each. And PCM is providing beer... hopefully it will last all night, but in case it runs out, you should have a back-up in mind. :)

And finally, for your listening (and dancing) pleasure, we are so excited to announce the Original Uncivil Servants Reunion are playing from 6 to 10 p.m. at the park.

It isn't too late to RSVP! Remember, it isn't mandatory to RSVP. It just gives us a better idea of what to expect. Thanks.

Let's just hope we are blessed with nice weather this year! Looking good so far... See you Saturday!

Nice Fish

Zack Lawrence, Florissant, caught these fish a couple weeks ago... The largemouth on the left weighed 4 pounds, 4 ounces.

Beautification

These two have been working away today to make the dock look nicer. Angie has applied a sealer to the whole building, and she's working on the deck around it. Roger is tacking a rubber bumper around all the gas dock slips. It is a beautiful day!

Mike's New 'Do

Mike shared this photo with us. Apparently he just got a haircut! Looks pretty good...

Remembering David Relyea

On Monday David Relyea (pictured left at the Pontiac Lake Cleanup last fall), of Mountain Grove, was killed in a plane crash south of Ava. Dave and his wife, LouDonna, are long-time customers and friends of Pontiac Cove Marina. I looked back at some old records today and found that they have been stall customers at least since 1985, if not earlier than that. So you probably know his face, and you've surely heard his voice come across your marine radio on behalf of the Goldfire, the sailboat they keep at the boat dock.

The best way I know to describe Dave is as an always cheerful, fun-loving world traveler who truly lived his life to the fullest. And he was a great storyteller. Among many other things, he really loved Bull Shoals Lake. He enjoyed flying, and anytime he was in the area he liked to "buzz" the boat dock. In fact, I had been meaning to ask him to take a new aerial photo of the marina. The one we have is so old, it doesn't even show the new dock... I never got the chance.

Based on what was reported on KY3 (click here) and what I have heard from other people, Dave and a friend were on their way back from lunch at Gaston's on Monday when the plane crashed into a ravine in a heavily wooded area south of Ava. The passenger was able to walk away from the accident and call for help. Details about the cause of the crash are unknown at this time.

David is survived by his wife, LouDonna, a daughter, Heather, and a granddaughter, Savannah. And many, many friends. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 21, at the Mountain Grove YMCA. Call 417-926-6737 for directions. Also, the family has requested that any donations should be made to the Mountain Grove YMCA.

In other sad news... Judy Kirgan, a Pontiac resident and long-time customer of Pontiac Cove Marina, died on Monday at the Baxter County Regional Medical Center in Mountain Home. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, April 19, at Clinkingbeard's Funeral Home in Gainesville. A dinner at the Pontiac firehouse will follow.

And finally, I'd also like to mention we lost another dear friend and boat dock customer last month, Helen Beard. Helen and her husband, Ron, have lived in Pontiac for many years. Helen is the sister of Pontiac resident Chris Geroff.

Our condolences to the families and friends of David, Judy and Helen.

Fishing Tourney Results

Sixteen teams fished the Verne D. Cubbage Memorial Buddy Bass Tournament Saturday out of Pontiac , despite the cold and morning drizzle. And fishing was pretty good. Twelve teams weighed a total of 72 fish—a total weight of about 160 pounds. James Henning and Richard Taber (pictured above), both of Theodosia, placed first (a payout of $530) with 27 pounds, 3 ounces. Mark Sanders and Randy Lawrence, both of Ava, placed second (a payout of $300) with 25 pounds, 13 ounces. Bobby Comstock and Tommy Skinner, both of Protem, placed third (a payout of $200) with 21 pounds, 14 ounces. Ray Richardson, Hardenville, and Jerry Coleman, Mountain Home, placed fourth (a payout of $150) with 20 pounds, 14 ounces. Mike Guidorzi, Fenton, and Matt Wade, Pontiac , placed fifth (a payout of $100) with 19 pounds, 14 ounces. Mark Sanders and Randy Lawrence also weighed the big bass and won $160. Several door prizes were handed out. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. There is already talk of the tournament becoming an annual event. We'll keep you posted.

Howdy Paul!

In addition to Mike Cochran... another friend and neighbor is currently working as a civilian in Iraq. Paul Sturgeon headed over a couple weeks ago, and he'll be there for about three months doing telecommunications for the United States government. I received an e-mail from him last week, and it went something like this...


"i am doing fine... been working too many hours.... as far as being in the desert it is not hot here should have brought my coat. had to buy a sweat shirt to keep warm in the am. i think it is going to get hot real soon though. anyway have to go take care be home soon.
paul"

Paul and his wife, Carol, are currently developing Lost Cove Resort about a mile from the marina up Highway W. We'll keep you posted on their progress, and what Paul is up to as well.

Ohhh... just tie it back together...

This walkway was also dangling in the water after the wind gust yesterday. So there were actually two breaking points... here... and the one in the pic in the previous post. There are a few broken boards, as you can see in the top left corner of the pic... Repair work under way today.

Bye-bye dock...

This is the uncovered dock situated in the back of the cove... don't worry... it's attached now. :) There are a couple pontoons on the dock, and they are fine, as far as we can tell.

This was spooky...

That's an ominous sky... wow. We had a little wind today. One of the docks broke loose... the one situated in the back of the cove. It's going to need a little repair work, but nothing major. Craig Mincke and Frank Mellenger were on the dock at the time, and when it broke loose they were stuck! They were nice enough to stay and help Tim, Josh, Matt and Angie patch things up for the evening. As far as we can tell there was no damage to any boats. Here are a couple sky pics.

Happy Easter!

It was a cold one. A few folks went fishing, and the good news is fish are still being caught, despite the cold. Crappie, bass and even a walleye or two.

Another call from Mike...

Mike Cochran called today. He is doing well. The weather report from Iraq is that it has been cool enough in the evenings that he has been wearing a jacket. It must be cooler there than it has been here! That's hard to believe.

This week he saw ruins of a structure that was built by Alexander the Great sometime between 400 and 300 B.C., which he thought was pretty cool. I asked him to e-mail me some pictures so I can post them on the blog. He said he's waiting for his digital camera to arrive. Hopefully in a couple weeks I'll be receiving pics from him and can share them with you.

Also, he said to let Jackie (Just Jackie's restaurant on the hill above the marina) know he would be calling to order another pizza, but he would appreciate it if the jalapenos weren't cold this time.

:)

Still feels like summer in Pontiac... but for how long?

It's been a beautiful couple of days here in Pontiac. Yesterday the temp hit about 85, and it sure did feel like summertime. Today is about as warm, but the wind seems to be picking up, and everyone keeps saying we're going to get storms. Let's hope not. The temp is supposed to drop, so Easter weekend probably won't be quite as warm as we might like, but it may still be close to 60 degrees and the sun will (hopefully) be shining, according to weather.com. That's not so bad, huh? For you out-of-towners, you can always check out the local radar at ky3.com. Or just click here for the latest forecast from Springfield station KY3.

Longer hours...

Sorry it's been so long since I've posted anything... There hasn't been much to report really. We have changed our hours just slightly. We're open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Last Saturday was super busy, so we decided it was time to stay open a little later. We've been ordering drinks and snacks and candy, trying to fill the shelves. If you have ANY requests, just let me know, and I'll do my best to get it in here. For example, last year a customer asked me to get some sugar free ice cream. Well... did you know Schwans does not carry any completely sugar free ice cream??? They have some "fat free" popsicles and stuff made with artificial sweetener. BUT... on the nutrition info on the back it still says it has "sugar" in it. Hmm. Well, I tried anyway! Also, another big one... TACKLE. Attention fishermen and women... if there is something you've been using to catch fish that we don't carry... please let me know! I order tackle on Mondays and it's here the very next day.

Happy First Day of Spring!

It's official. Spring is here. It sure felt like it this morning with the warm rain we had. Spring newsletters went out last week. Sorry for the opus... Don't forget to RSVP for the Blessing of the Fleet! If you don't RSVP, it doesn't mean you can't come. It just helps us to know how many people/boats to expect so we can prepare an awesome party for you! If you don't get around to mailing in your response... shoot me an e-mail or call.

Cheers!

Spring Has Sprung!

These blooms just came up out of nowhere! So pretty. And sooooo springy! I've been seeing them in everyone's yards. Not to mention our grass is already growing like crazy. I tell you... I think everyone has cabin fever (like me) because these past couple days (70+ degrees) have brought out the fishermen (and women). It's so nice to see the lower road full of cars! We are open all day every day. So if you need to pick up some fishing supplies, stop on by! We just got crappie and bass minnows in today. And we also have nightcrawlers. We've picked up a few bits of tackle. But hey... if there is anything you want or need for fishing that we do not have... PLEASE let me know. I would be more than happy to order it for you (if I can). Have a nice week everyone.

Mike Says Hello

Good morning! I got a surprise phone call this morning from Mike Cochran... all the way from Iraq! (He's pictured at left at our Lake Cleanup picnic last October.) Formerly of the Missouri Water Patrol, Mike is spending the next year in Iraq teaching Iraqi police officers "how to be police" and "how to shoot guns," to put it in simple terms, he says. Other than the one-second delay during our phone conversation, he sounded like he was calling from his house in Pontiac. He is doing great. And he feels safe -- he says when he goes anywhere he is escorted by a group of marines, and he travels in an armored Humvee with a 50-caliber machine gun on top. He said he has his own office and his own living space, with heating and air conditioning. The current temp in Iraq, he said, reaches about 70 to 80 degrees during the day and about 50 degrees at night. He is currently stationed about 20 miles from the Syrian border at Al Qaim. He says his only problem right now is that he has a lot of downtime, and he gets bored: "Yesterday I taught a 30-minute class and rode around in a convoy for eight and a half hours."

He sends his best!

Tim the Builder

A little sidenote to my post about Lake Harbour Village... I forgot to mention that Tim Morgan is building the second house that is currently under construction. I just thought that was an interesting tidbit that you might enjoy knowing.

Um... where did THIS come from?

This morning I walked outside to head to the dock, and there was this white stuff floating in the air. I put my hand over my cup of hot tea, because I didn't want this "debris" to get in my ginger peach/green tea concoction. I thought it was something blowing off the trees! But I soon realized it was SNOW. Whaaaaa? Are ya kiddin' me? So I snapped this pic this morning to show you how miserable this day started. The snow didn't stick to anything, and it has stopped. The sun even came out. But it's still cold. And it's still very windy. Not a very good day for fishing, as Matt and his friend, Paxton, quickly figured out. Oh yes, they braved the white caps this morning. But they were off the lake by 10:00, both of them frozen through from the ride back in. And I was just SURE this would be a nice weekend, despite what the forecasters were saying. After all... it's March! What a disappointment. Oh well. Maybe spring will come tomorrow.

Welcome to Lake Harbour Village

If you're wondering what's going on down County Road 609... here's the scoop. Tim and Johnna Morgan are developing Lake Harbour Village, a residential community about one mile from Pontiac Cove Marina. Plans include six houses, each situated on approximately 1 1/2 acres. House No. 1 is finished and is currently on the market. House No. 2 is under construction, as you can see, and Johnna says it should be finished by mid-summer.

Each house will include a full basement -- and in addition some will have the living and sleeping space all on the main level, while others will also feature a loft. The first finished house has living space on three levels -- the loft has a bedroom and bathroom, plus a small living space and office nook; the master bedroom and bath are on the main level, as well as the kitchen, living and dining spaces; and the basement is full and unfinished. The second house, currently under construction, will have living and sleeping space all on one level.

If you're interested in hearing more about Lake Harbour Village, stop in or call the marina (417-679-3676) to get in touch with Tim or Johnna. Or e-mail them at morgan@pontiaccove.com. If you're curious, feel free to drive down and take a look. You might even catch a glimpse of the baby ducks that have been hanging out on the pond.

Happy Friday!

It's March 1st people!

Okay, so I have NOT been very good about writing updates lately. Sorry about that. I haven't had much to report. But I do now! Our hours have changed: We are now open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. I'll keep you posted, as that will change again in the coming months.

It's March! Which means spring is almost here! There have been so many more people around just in the past couple weeks since the temp warmed up a bit. It's exciting! PEOPLE! Hopefully fishing will pick up soon. There is a tournament going on this week/weekend out of Bull Shoals Boat Dock. But I hear the fishing is terrible. So hopefully that will soon change. If I hear any good reports, I'll definitely let you know. :)

Oh, and I'm sure you've noticed how EMPTY our shelves were this winter. Well, we're stocking up again! The ice man is here delivering bags of ice as I write. And we have beer, soda, chips and other snacks on the way. And fishing supplies. And our 2007 hats and T-shirts will be here in a month or so. Woo-hoo! So when you drop by in the coming weeks, you'll notice the shelves are getting full again. A good sign.

I suppose that's it for now. Have a lovely day.

Cheers!

One year ago today...

...what we refer to as "the storm" hit Pontiac Cove Marina. It's hard to believe it has been a year. Even more difficult to believe it was 78 degrees that day, as this morning in Pontiac we are somewhere in the teens! But sure enough, one year ago today it was pushing 80 in Pontiac. Unseasonably warm, yes, but no one was complaining. That is until a cold front came crashing in, dropping the temp about 40 degrees in a matter of minutes and bringing with it a storm that would wreak havoc on the place. The only witnesses were Jackie Klineline (owner of Just Jackie's restaurant on the hill) and Mary Cline. The two were at the restaurant, and when they saw tin flying through the air, they ran in the walk-in cooler for safety until it was over. When they emerged from their hiding place, what they saw below them at the marina was devastation.

As most of you know, the damage has all been repaired; and a brand new dock was built in place of the one that was totally destroyed. Some boats suffered minor damage; a few boats had more major damage. But in reality, it could have been much worse -- remember the ice storm that hit Lake of the Ozarks at the end of last year... we don't even want to think about that kind of devastation.

"The storm" on Feb. 16, 2006 was arguably one of the worst storms, in terms of damage, this dock has ever seen. At the time it seemed like the worst thing in the world. But we know better than that. There are many worse tragedies that have occurred in this world that affected a thousand times more people. But in our little piece of paradise, it was pretty scary.

While this day doesn't exactly call for any "happy" anniversary salutes, for us it serves as a reminder how lucky we are to have bounced back the way we did. We were open for business during the repairs and rebuilding, and we were back in the full swing of business by Memorial weekend.

I'll admit it -- I'm secretly wishing it were pushing 80 in Pontiac today, as I sit here in my layers upon layers of clothing. I'm ready for summer! But you know, I'm leery of those unseasonably warm winter days now. It just isn't normal to be wearing shorts and flip-flops before March. So I'll take 18 degrees in February any day.

Cheers!

Click here to view more pics of the storm damage from Feb. 16, 2006.

Verne D. Cubbage Memorial Fishing Tournament

Mark your calendars for April 14... Pontiac Cove Marina is hosting a buddy bass tournament in memory of Verne Cubbage. For those of you who knew Verne, you know he was a very well-liked man, who knew a lot of people and touched a lot of people's lives. He passed away about a year ago. Many of us were deeply saddened and continue to miss him dearly. I personally have known the Cubbage family for many years. Verne's wife, Verla, was my fourth grade teacher. She and Verne were good friends with my grandparents, and Verla still is. Verne was very active in his community. One thing I will always remember is that Verne drove the school bus for our high school FBLA trips. Each year we went to Columbia for state competition, and a group of us would plan to catch Verne in the lobby of the hotel where the conference was held, and we'd sing "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin" to him in front of everyone. Keep in mind there were hundreds of students and teachers and sponsors at these conferences, and so the lobby was always brimming with people. We sang it at the top of our lungs, and he just smiled the whole time. He was a good sport. He was fun to be around. And so he had many friends.

And so it is with great honor that we are hosting this tournament in his honor. So, here are the details. It's a buddy tournament, which means two people per boat, and the cost is $100 per boat ($50 per person). At least the top 5 places will receive cash prizes, and 20% of the entry fees will benefit the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. You may also get in a Big Bass pot by paying an additional $10, which covers both fishermen/women in the boat. The Big Bass pot is 100% payback. It is preferable that you pre-register by April 12; however, you may register up to 6:30 a.m. the morning of the tournament. Numbers will be assigned in the order in which entry forms are received. Take-off begins at 7 a.m. Weigh-in begins at 3:30 p.m. After the weigh-in, Just Jackie's will host a pizza buffet for $7.95 per person. Everyone is invited to stay for dinner and drinks.

You may pick up entry forms and a copy of the rules and regulations at Pontiac Cove Marina. If you are interested in sponsoring the tournament, or if you have any questions, you may contact me at the marina: 417-679-3676. Or you may contact Jerry Cubbage at 636-273-9082.

Cheers!

Stateline Marine

I've had two people call this morning looking for Roger Lee's phone number. He owns Stateline Marine. He lives in Pontiac, and he works on boats! So I thought I'd just post it here in case you need it too!

417-839-3084

Coming soon to the Pontiac area!

Lost Cove Resort.

Some very exciting news to report... A new resort is under construction in Pontiac -- well, ground-breaking should be taking place any day now. It's called Lost Cove Resort, and it's owned by Paul and Carol Sturgeon, of Pontiac. Lost Cove Resort will feature four cedar log cabins with 2 bedrooms each, plus sleeper sofas. They'll have fully equipped kitchens, plus central heat and air, satellite TV, BBQ pits outside and much more. Click here to check out their website (also still under construction). According to the website, they hope to be open for business by Memorial weekend. Check back often for updates.

Also keep in mind three places to stay in Pontiac (already in operation) when making your arrangements for fishing weekends this spring, and of course, the Blessing of the Fleet!

Pontiac Lodge
417-679-4169

Roo B Doo Resort
417-679-4174

Cactus Ridge Resort
417-679-2391

The date is set for the 2007 Blessing of the Fleet!

Good afternoon all! Several people have asked me about the 2007 Blessing of the Fleet, so get out your calendar... 'cause we've set the date. It will be Saturday, April 28, at the marina.

Last year we had a blast! The weather was awful... rainy and cold and grey. BUT... that didn't dampen anyone's spirits. It was a great turnout, with close to 200 people, I'd say. How it worked: All boats participating in the Blessing motored outside the breakwater and waited. A local priest spoke for a few moments from the very end of the new dock, and then he sprinkled holy water on each boat as it passed back through the breakwater and parked. It was such a cool ceremony. Very moving, if I do say so myself. And afterward we partied on the boat dock for a couple hours -- we had beads for everyone and food and drinks. And we sold 10 dozen t-shirts!!! (Proceeds went to the Pontiac Fireworks.) Then we made our way up to Just Jackie's for a pizza buffet and live entertainment by Allen Ross.

This year the activities will be similar, although final details will be announced at a later date. One thing to start thinking about now, though, is your theme!! Last year we suggested that each boat have a theme, and they were judged on originality, best in show and best costumes. Despite the nasty weather, several boaters did dress up and decorate their boats... and we hope even more will participate in this part of the event this year. (Remember, you don't have to dress up to have your boat blesssed. All are welcome!) We'll keep you posted on the details!!

Happy Monday!

Oh, and enjoy these two pics from last year: The Peterson clan had a good time as Pontiac Cove's Redneck Yacht Club. Chris Geroff and Jimmy Lofink won Best Costumes.

Snow Day

This was the scene at the dock late this afternoon. Currently it is still snowing in Pontiac. We may have close to 3 inches. At least 2 for sure. It's kind of pretty. But it can stop anytime now.

Sorry it's been a while...

Hey all. Sorry it has been a couple weeks since I've written an update. Nothing much happening around here. That is until today! It's snowing! It's really coming down now, and I'm going to take some pics and post them later. Stay tuned...

Bye Bye Lower Road

Bull Shoals is currently at 657.59 -- normal pool is 654. The forecast is that it will go up about another foot, and then start emptying on Sunday, January 21. Please do not try to drive through the water over the lower road, but rather drive down from the other side. Thank you.

CSI: Pontiac

Well folks, I sure hate to report this kind of news...

We had a break-in last night. Not the store. But a couple of boats. This morning when we arrived at the marina we found some fishing tackle and poles strewn down the dock, as if someone left in a big hurry and dropped stuff along the way. The trail led right to someone's boat. And we discovered a couple boats, actually, had been tampered with. We contacted the boat owners, and they came down this morning. We also contacted the sheriff's department -- and they dispatched a Missouri Water Patrol officer. A report has been made, and an investigation is under way.

The good news is that we caught the perpetrators on camera! Sure enough. And we thought we'd never need to use that security system. It's sad that these petty thieves are trying to ruin our lifestyle of boating and fishing by stealing from us -- several rods and reels and other fishing gear was stolen. The tape has been turned over for enhancing, so we can get a better look at their faces.

And believe me... We will find out who did this.

Oops! It happened again...

Well, once again we really got lucky and only saw a sprinkling of frozen precipitation from the big winter storm that swept across the Midwest this weekend. We did, however, get quite a lot of rain, and so the lake has come up a couple feet. It's almost even with the lower road, and we anticipate that it will be over the lower road, possibly by tomorrow morning. We have roped off the lower road, so please be mindful of this. I took these pictures this morning: the courtesy ramp was practically under water; the new nightly dock was temporarily inaccessible; and you now have to step up a little to get on the main walkway. No damage was done. This was really a minor thing, but I thought you might like to see how much the lake has come up. I hope you all have electricity (we do) and are warm and well, where ever you are.

Cheers!

Winter storm hits north & west of Pontiac

Another winter storm hit the Ozarks yesterday, this one bringing lots of ice, up to 2 inches in some places. Luckily Pontiac hasn't seen a frozen drop of precipitation yet. Just rain. I wanted to let you out-of-towners know in case you're hearing about this on your local news this morning. Yep, 2 inches of ice could cause some major problems at the boat dock, but again, we've only seen rain so far. And hopefully, that's all we'll see.

The Springfield area wasn't so lucky. Apparently 60 to 70 percent of Springfield is waking up without power this morning. Trees are down everywhere. And some small towns outside Springfield are completely out of power. It has been declared a disaster by local officials.

Anyway, I hope it's warm and sunny where ever you are! Have a good weekend!

Another Striper!

Bill Allen (Pontiac) brought this striper in yesterday, shortly after Doc brought his in... this one weighed 28 pounds, 4 ounces. Something in the water? Yes! Fish!

Fishing is GOOD

Norman (Doc) Klayman caught these two stripers on Bull Shoals Lake today. The one on the left (your left, not his) weighed in at 21 pounds. The one on the right weighed in at 32 pounds, 8 ounces. Wow!

Welcome Marshall Simpson

If you haven't already heard... Bobby and Nancy Simpson of Pontiac became new parents on December 20, 2006. Bobby has worked at the marina for many years. To see pictures of their new baby, click the link below:

http://www.baxterregional.org/body.cfm?id=307

Search December 20, 2006. And click on Marshall. He was actually born prematurely, and so he is a little guy. The last I heard he was actually still in the hospital, but doing well.

Congrats to Mom and Dad!

Cheers!

More pics of the New Year's Day swim!

Happy New Year!

This is the first post of 2007! Yippee! I hope you all had a safe New Year's Eve and are enjoying a day off... the last of this holiday season. Back to work tomorrow. Well hey, just think, we're that much closer to summer '07. Enjoy the cool winter temps now. It will be 90+ degrees before we know it. And we'll be sitting neck deep in the lake trying to keep cool...

Speaking of swimming...

Two Pontiac locals started the year off with a brisk swim this morning. Skip and Angie Dechau started a new tradition in Pontiac today... they jumped in the lake! The 50-degree, very cold lake, I should say. They used to live in Illinois, and every New Year's day they, along with many others, would jump in the Kaskaskia River.

So... you have one year to get the nerve... because on January 1, 2008, we're all doing it!

Just Another Day in Paradise

Gosh I wish I had something to report. But alas, it is very quiet around the boat dock these days. The temp has been fairly mild, although it looks like it's going to get a little cooler as we go into the weekend. We got a little rain on Christmas day. No snow. A few flurries would have been okay. :)

Be safe and have fun this Sunday as you ring in 2007!

Cheers!

6 Days and Counting

Christmas is in less than a week. Where the heck did December go?? I hope you're all ready for the holiday weekend. And I hope you get to take some time off to hang out with your friends and fam. I really do not have anything to report. We'll be closed this Sunday and Monday. So if you need anything, try to catch us Saturday morning. Thanks!

Hello again!

Sorry it has been so long since I've written. I just haven't had any big news to report. I still do not, really. But I thought I'd write something anyway...

Beautiful weather this week. Today we're supposed to hit near 70 degrees. And same for tomorrow and Sunday. Of course by the end of next week the temp is supposed to be in the 40s and 50s again, rainy and cold. It's a wonder everyone around here doesn't stay sick ALL the time.

This week Tim and I went to the annual meeting of M.A.M.A. -- Missouri-Arkansas Marina Owners Association. You've seen the signs posted around the dock that say: "No Fishing within 50 Feet"... and they have M.A.M.A. on them... well, that's what it stands for. We met with other marina owners from Bull Shoals, Table Rock, Norfork, Beaver, Clearwater and Greer's Ferry lakes. It was interesting to hear some of the issues these other marina owners deal with, and how we can relate. We also heard from Colonel Wally Walters from the Corps of Engineers Little Rock district office. There are a couple issues on the table right now that have to do with lake levels and fishing regulations in commercial marina areas... I'll keep you posted as I hear more about these things.

Our hours will remain 8am to 10am through the winter. Often someone is here past 10, but don't count on it. I hope you are planning an outdoor activity for this weekend... gotta soak up the warm December weather when we get it. I think we might go four-wheeling. :)

Happy Friday!

Halloween in December?

So this morning... for just a second... I really thought someone might have played a trick on us... by spraying Silly String all over the dock! I have never seen anything like it. The cobwebs were covered in such a thick coating of frost that they looked like thick white strings hanging everywhere! And I thought the spiders were long gone. Well, they surely are now. I hated to knock them down because they looked so cool!

Oopsie!

Well, we did not get very much ice and snow -- maybe an inch -- but we did get about 5 inches of rain, which caused the lake to rise very rapidly overnight. Doesn't that water look cold? Brrrrrr!