Some of the funniest moments,
greatest triumphs, and most unnecessary accidents I’ve witnessed occurred with my friends, in the middle of nowhere, fishing.

This collection of memories, images, and feelings sparked
me to create many of my early pictures.

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    ... first smallhead of 2008. Caught on a tube and 1/8 ounce jighead in the Schuylkill river.
     
   
    After years of hunting bass from the shorelines, and having to pass up prime water, Mike
got his boat. Stew and I got the call to ride along on it's maiden pass. It's designed for two,
however I've never been too big, so Mike usually has just enough room in his vehicles for a
small makeshift Blake-seat.
     
   
    The boat's outboard packs 150 horses of offensive, wake-making power, and the captain's
seat has the only wind shield... Stew's hat nearly became the first casualty of this trip.
   
   
     
   
     
   
   

... Even though it's a new season, some things just are the way they are... Mike, as always,
was able to haul the first worthy smallhead aboard.

That opened the gate for me and Stew to get some confidence and get on the fish...
happens every time.

     
   
   

     
   

   
    ... and like most every other fish, we thank 'em for the fight, congratulate each other, and
send 'em home to pack on the pounds for the next trip...
     
     
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    ...first fat kid of the summer (for pennsylvania waters). I don't like catching the athletic fish because
they are too skinny, unphotogenic, and uptight when I pick 'em up.
   

 
 

 

 

 

 


 
   
  When it's too cold to be out on the water, I spend most of my time inside making pictures. But I all those hours spent outdoors with me. When I'm near the water, I can really hear myself. Looking through so many kinds of water and nature for big bellied fish, really was the best training for my eyes to see how light works and plays with you.
     
   
     
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    Green Lane
    Montgomery County , PA... Largemouth Bass... rubber worm... early evening...
 

So many summers we woke up before sunrise and sleepwalked ourselves to a car. On the road, we stopped only for cheeseburgers, jerky, and gatorade...

 

 

 

 
   
 

... and within a minute of arriving, someone would always sneak off and break the day with a first cast off the front point.

We piled into the aluminum boat, and wasted no time scooting straight over to the coves that promised big bass the last time we were here. And we wouldn't return until the motor wanted to give up, and one of us volunteered to row back.

     
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    Perkiomen Creek
    Montgomery County, PA... Smallmouth Bass... tube... morning...
 

 
   
   
   


   
    .  .  . . . ...Billy (above) and Mike Croak (below) navigating the Perk for giant smallhead.... . . . .  .   .
   
   
     
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    Summer Bass... caught with both honorable and evil tactics. Me (left) and Andy Hill (right), ripping
up some large heads from the Willow...
     
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    Lake Nockamixon
    ... from dawn until dusk... nothing................................................................................god it hurts...
 

 

Mike, Andy, Stew, & Billy,

Thanks for another great season! Looking forward to the next...
    Every fish was caught with artificial lures and released to fight again...

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josephblake@gmail.comTOPILLUSTRATIONS