What kind of year did you have?

[jazzwannabe]

Personal: Lost my job (bad), lost 55 pounds (good), lost a beloved cat (bad).

Fishing: Disappointing year. Fishing locally is poor — few fish, and small, and I didn't have much luck finding open back seats. I'm hoping for a much better 2010.

How about you?

[ken burk]

Lost the will to live!

[macinckirk]

well when i think about it, and yes I have times when I think why me, I have to sit down and think about how bless that life right now is

when you sit down and really think about it anyone that still owns a boat and can fish 1 time a week is doing good right now

I get to fish whenever I like and were every I would like to go, so when I sit down and think my life is BAD, I have to also think about when I was 12 and got put out of my home and had to go to work full time

thats makes me come right back to were I could be in a min and were I'm at now

So all is good in my life

[Gumpa]

Work got really slow at a time when I least expected it to and I lost my truck. Only got to fish 2 time's this year and I miss it so much! But I have my health. I met a lady that has uplifted me like never before. And I get to see my Grandson's play sport's all the time.

I think about the friend's on this site that we have lost this year and I feel that everything "Bad" that has happend to me pale's in compairison to those's family's that have lost there loved one's. So I have nothing to complain about.

This life is a daily challenge. We take it as it come's. And we keep our chin's up and meet it head on. 2010? we will just have to see.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!!! Gumpa

[Turkeyman]

Well, my wife and I still have our jobs.
I caught my personal best at Pedro a 15-3, in Feb.
I netted a 9-1 for my 12 year old son at Pedro, his personal best in April.
My daughter got her drivers license.
My son got his first buck, and his second wild hog this year.
I won more money than I spent in entry fees.
I would say it's been good, and I count the blessings each day.

[TEAMDEADMONEY]

The good...

A dear friend of mine, (Guys wife) found out she is now Cancer free...

My Sister-in-law also beat Cancer and is now Cancer-free as well..

Ive watched my Baby girl grow and progress in her young life (she is 2 1/2 years old now)

I got settled into my new home and we have finally made it our own.

I got 4-5 2nd place finishes and about 3-4 3rd place finishes...

The bad....

Work is extremely slow.. If I wasnt a saver, we'd be in trouble.

Although I came close and let a few get away, I didnt win any tournaments in 2009...but theres always next year.

I still miss my dad who died a couple years ago...AND.. I still miss my stepdad who I lost last year.

So to sum it up..

Tournament wise... It was a good year but not my best.

Financially....this year was a really really tuff..

Emotionally... the stress from my work being slow is kicking my butt...although Im staying positive for the coming year. It has to get better right??

Relationship wise... My Marriage is great and my little one is healthy and growing like a weed. Those two things are the reasons I want to open my eyes in the morning.

I am welcoming the new year with open arms....because plain and simple...I WILL NOT QUIT!!

Pete

[BIG L]

I am going to have a great christmas this year, all 11 of my adopted kids are home and 2 of the other kids will be here along with 2 grand kids. Can't ask for much more than that. I do still have a job at 65 years old, and my wife and I are still healthy. I hope all of you have a merry christmas and if your year was bad look back a little and you will see someone who had one worse than yours. We all seem to bounce back from our problems if we just hang in there.

[kane-o]

where to start ? well late 2008, lost my airline job after 11 1/2 years... after that i got cancer, lost my left kidney... went to draw my construction pension.. 22 years as a glazier and glassworker... paid in extra for 12 years so i could retire with full monitary amount... suppose to be $2400. a month before taxes..... well the fund was insolvent.. went to the p.b.g.c..... first check $1400 before taxes and $1150 after.....got 3 checks, then REDUCED AGAIN... im looking at $650 BEFORE taxes.... now the airline pension... for 11 1/2 years of service, if i retired at 55 years old, my amount is $32. THATS RIGHT $32.... if i wait till im 67 it will go up to $450.... we almost lost our home.... thank god for my health insurance... kidney cancer bills have mounted to over $300,000...the last 2 years have been really bad... im hoping that 2010 will be a much better year for us HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND HAPPY NEW YEARS TO ALL MY FELLOW NUTCASES.... AND BE SAFE.

[Mike]

Lost the will to live!

[jsoregon]

Disappointing 2009 for me tournament wise...humbled. Made a lot of mental mistakes which took me out of tournaments completely.

Feel like I learned from those mistakes however and I'm excited for 2010 personally.

[elfish16]

Personally, got laid off from my very well paying job mid year but got a new job within 3 weeks(at a much lower salary)... so bad and good at the same time

Fishing wise 6 top 5's in tournaments and three 2nd place finishes. Caught my personal best(and 2nd biggest bass ever) SWIMBAIT fish of 14.25lbs in February on a Huddleston deluxe at Casitas.

All in all...an up and down year and derby wise not the best. Lost the win too many times to count! Other than that still working in a solid job and healthy! can't complain too much!

Eric

[Kevin]

Aside from my daughter being born, 2009 sucked donkey d!ck!

[hippie]

I like donkeys. kevin shoosh you have a sister. you should be smiling

[Dom]

Well I feel very blessed becuase I know what a bad year is but I have to say this year was pretty good.

Purchased another bass boat (stratos) older boat but a bass boat all the same. I got to spend alot of time with my Wife and kids this year fishing. We caught some real nice fish this year.

Found out my Son has the fishing bug and wants to fish some team events with the old man next year (we are fishing the FPT)


I have a great job with great hours (week-ends off) and my job is stable(they need me)

Wife's job is also stable and she got a healthy raise in pay this year.

Got some bills paid off (out of debt)

The family and I took a nice vacation this year

found alot of my old friends from back home in Texas on facebook that I had not seen or heard from in over 16-20 years.

Yea im fat and I still smoke like a chimney but we all have our health (and health insur. LOL)

Both my kids are honor roll students

So compared to some of the stories on this thread I have to say my year was GREAT! and looking forward to 2010 being even better. Thank You Lord

"Yes, Life is Good Today"

[midwesttransplant]

I have many things to be thankful for but I will keep it to fishing.

Finally made it a point to go fishing, spent three times the amount of time on the water this year. Financially I couldn't afford to take the boat out three times a week so I got really acquainted with my float tube.

I would use my boat on weekends when I could go with someone else but used what I learned during the week from my float tube. I am amazed how I fished better out of the float tube.

I found every time I found a spot in my boat I would always know where I was going next. Cutting out that luxury in the tube turned out to be my biggest reward. I really slowed things down and if it wasn't working I would change lures, presentation, weights, etc.

Sizewise it was a garbage year, best going maybe 5 pounds but I caught so many more fish. I missed a couple of big bites and had ones that were big up to the boat.

I finally feel confident that I will catch fish when I go.

Happy Holidays to all and to all a good night. I am off to catch a plane to MN for x-mas. Ice fishing here we come!

[texas john]

2009 has not been the greatest but my family and I are alive and well...

My job went away and then came back well kinda working a partial schedule which is better then nothing.
My wife still has her job and my kids are great so I am very happy about that.
Fishing I had the best year so far, finished 3rd in my first tournament as a boater, and won two tournaments fishing with Tom L.
I wish the economy was a little better right now so work would be better but this country that I have fought and bled for is being bled dry by corupt politicians. Hopefully things change soon for all of our sakes!!

I wish for a better new year for all of us!!!!

John

[biteme]

Lets see, My back is getting worse. Had to let buddies run the front of my boat when I still owned it. Its getting tougher to fish.
The good, we have been trying to have a baby for a long time and in August we had a little girl. While its tough for me to hold her its all smiles when I do.
Im thankful for many things. I hope 2010 will be good to all of us! Merry Christmas to everyone!

[Rick G]

Bring on 2010. Nuff said. Rick G.

[mark poulson]

Bring on 2010. Nuff said. Rick G.

Amen.

[L.Mickelson]

I was out of work all year. I sold my boat for cheap to pay the bills. Had to turn in my 1 ton dually. About to lose the house. Worst of all my Dad passed away in September. However since I wasn't working I was able to spend the last six months helping my Mom with my Dad, what a blessing. The financial strain has taken a huge toll on my marriage, looks like it's going to end. My family still has our health and best of all I start at the LA Sanitation District on January fourth. I barely got to fish at all due to lack of boat and money but I hope that will change this year.

[basshunter4u]

Worst year of my adult life. Had to put my dog down, Got Laid off work for 8 months, girlfriend broke up with me, Cracked my heel jumping off my boat in bare feet, hurt my back, only caught 2 double digit fish, lost more swimbaits than fish caught. and on and on. Not much good happened for me this year. The bright spot was my son got a 3.8 GPA in 7th grade and my dad didnt need another heart surgery. Like Rick G said. Bring on 2010 Please

Don O

[texas john]

Let us all pray that 2010 will be a dam site better than '09. May god have mercy on us all in the comming year!!!!!!!!!!

[Greg_Cornish]

Two great fishing trips to Minnesota, fair at Clear Lake, expensive all around.

[TomAtkeson]

Well for me it was over all good. Got a new Chief and LT who are great and I like a lot and have made being in the Coast Guard enjoyable again. I took a bit of leave and saw my parents, fished with my old fishin buddy Matt quite a bit and got to visit Jeremy fish with him a lot and learn a bit about making and painting lures caught some great fish fishing with Matt and Jeremy including losing a monster fish on a punker that Jeremy hasn't and probably never will let me forget . Fished a BASS open event down here in Louisiana and finished in 27th after three tough days of fishing ... made the entry fee back and had fun. I also got to attend a Bassmaster Classic and hang out with the Black Dog guys again. Hurricane season was mild to nonexistent for the gulf coast and major responses were few and far between (red river of the north spring flooding was about the only one). A year closer to contract complete with my coast guard job and we just had a new updated GI Bill approved which I may take advantage of when I can get out in August but I have not made a firm decision yet. Of course I'd stay in the reserves. So over all not bad.