So tomorrow I’m takin me fishin, hang a sign on the door of my life. Tell the world that I’ve gone missin, and I won’t be back for a while. – (Eric Church).  I returned from my trip to California just in time for the White Marlin Open. There are many tunes about fishing and then there are many to go fishing to. My favorite is Saltwater Cowboy by Tracy Byrd. By days end, some lucky angler will be singing a song of joy and probably dancing a jig as the WMO is the largest billfish tournament in the world. Congratulations to whoever that may be.  I would like to thank Alex Ingersoll for a fantastic article in last week’s issue. He did a great job covering the Jam for Sam. Alex will be a sophomore this fall at SDHS. This was Alex’s first published report. With his superb writing skills, I am sure it will not be the last.
    I was able to experience some great musical encounters while in Cali last week. My trip started with a yummy dinner combined with jazz music by the actor Jeff Goldblum. Goldblum is also a talented pianist. He was accompanied by a sax & bass player. It was a really cool venue where each song welcomed a new guest singer. My guess is they pre-auditioned because they were unbelievably accomplished. Most engaged in a bit of scat. For those who are not familiar, scat is the use of nonsense syllables in jazz music that almost sounds like another instrument. Ella Fitzgerald was famous for this style. Goldblum surprisingly paid our table a visit and posed for some photos. We were also able to get back stage passes to the Jimmy Kimmel show. The band Pepper was the musical guest and they put on a great show. As back stage guests, we were also invited to see other bands perform that were being pre-recorded.
    There is so much great entertainment in OC this week; it will be difficult to choose where to go. I would like to mention that Great Train Robbery will be playing at The Purple Moose this Sunday & Monday. They call themselves the Kings of Classic Rock. The band includes guitars, bass, keyboard & percussion and they all contribute vocals. They have released 8 albums and have shared the stage with The Allman Brothers, 38 Special, BTO, Kansas, The Guess Who, Molly Hatchet, Foghat, Marshall Tucker Band, Charlie Daniels Band, Blue Oyster Cult, Blackfoot, and Lynyrd Skynyrd. I would say that is impressive! I recall how great they were 20 years ago, so I’m sure it will be a fun night. They will return for Bike Week to play at Dead Freddies on the 11th, 12th, & 14th and at the Paddock (Party Block) on the 13th. These guys are a must see if you prefer Southern Rock.  
    Of course, it wouldn’t be WMO week without a trip to the Reel Inn. A visit here will provide great live entertainment by Zion Reggae Band and Kaleb Brown on Sun. & Tue.  The trip wouldn’t be complete without indulging in their tuna sandwiches. Don’t ask your server if the fish is fresh because that would be a dumb question. I’m sure a visit to the other marina dock bars will be great choices as well. At least one of them is sure to have a celebration going on. Try M.R Ducks featuring Johnny Bling, Bone Daddys & The Mood Swingers w/ Lauren Glick, or The Angler with Willow Brook, Chris Ferron and Hot Sauce Sandwich.
    “I can catch em shallow, I can catch em deep, open water or the back of a creek. The wind, the rain, to me it’s all the same, I make a living playing this game. I thank the Lord above every time I can, I get to be a fisherman.” Casey Ashley