This page is dedicated to my dad, Boyd "MAX" Smothers. He was an avid gardner,fisherman,hunter,and all around nice guy. He'll be missed.

Here he is now with that one that usually gets away.:-) Hey dad, "can you give us the secret to your fishing skills?"

MAX AND GRANDSON TOM'S CATFISH BAIT

Their are no amounts to this one.It's just a dab of this
and a dab of that.Dad kinda played it by ear.
Waste products of Nauvoo Blue Cheese(Nauvoo,Ill.).Eggs,preferably rotten:-). Yeast.
Mix well. Put in a 50 gallon drum.Set in the sun and let it forment for at least a month.
After it stinks really good(?),put in gallon ice cream containers.
If it gets to runny-thicken it with cornstarch or molasses.
Let it set a bit and it's ready to use again. Too thick? Put eggs in or a little milk.
Don't tighten the lid as yeast rises and it will blow the lid off. Dad and Tom often added things like the meat from river clams,rotten minnows,old worms,etc.
They said the more it smelled the better it was.We make no such claims.:-). I just thought some people might get a kick out of this.Dad and Tom caught lots of fish so i guess it worked.
I know it sure smelled when they came home.=-)

Dad's Fish Batter
Mix flour,beer and Lawry's Seasoned Salt.Whatever amounts you like.
Dip fish in this and deep fry. SOOOO good.
My dad was the hunter,fisherman in our family. We had lots of wild meats.
I grew up on deer,rabbit,squirrel,and lots of Fish!!

Deer Loaf

2# deer burger 2 eggs 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp.pepper 1 TBS. onion flakes 9 oz.tomato sauce 4 oz. Hickory BBQ Sauce (he used Kraft) 1 cup oatmeal
350 degree oven for 1 1/2 hours

Dad mixed 1 cup ketchup,1/2 cup brown sugar & 1Tbs. of yellow mustard to put on top. He sometimes snuck in his homemade horseradish.:-) Recipe later....

Dad's Pickled Fish

Fill qt.jar 2/3 full of fish fillets(dad used crappie & bluegill)
1/2 cup sugar
2 TBS. salt
2 tsp.pickling spice
1 cup chopped onion
Fill to top with white vinegar and Refridgerate for 4 days.

Cherry Bounce

1# sugar
1-5th of cheap whiskey
5 cups of cherries.
Put in a gallon jug. Let forment for 6 months. Dad usually added whatever amount of cherries he had.
This is really good,but potent!!:-)

Max's Family Business=Horseradish
2 cups washed,peeled horseradish root
1 cup vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt


Put in pint jars or smaller. Dad & I used some baby food jars. When you make this be sure you are in a well ventilated area.
This will clear your sinuses!;-)
I love this stuff.

Dad's Zucchini Pie-update 5/4/99

4 cups zucchini-Peeled and sliced
Parboil in a small amount of water
10 mins.Drain.Mix 1 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
,dash of salt,dash of nutmeg,2 TBS. flour,
1 TBS. lemon juice, 1 1/2 cup sugar and 1 12 tsp. cinnamon.
Stir. Pour over drained zucchini
and pour into your pie shell.
Dot with 1 tsp. oleo.
TOPPING: Mix 1 stick oleo, 1 cup flour,1/2 cup sugar.
Mix until crumbly. Sprinkle over zucchini.
BAKE at 375 degrees for 45 mins.
This tastes exactly like apple pie!!

Well that's it for now,more soon. Hope you got a laugh or two.
Remember,I claim nothing! These are just as dad wrote them.

4/28/-UPDATE!! Here is a joke i know my dad would want on his page. He'd laugh that "ho,ho,ho" santa claus laugh of his!:-)

THE FISHIN' POLE....... A woman goes into Wal-Mart to buy a rod and reel.
She doesn't know which one to get so she just grabs one and goes over to the register.There is a Wal-Mart "associate" standing there with dark shades on. She says, "Excuse me sir...can you tell me anything about this rod and reel?" He says, "Ma'am I'm blind but if you will drop it on the counter I can tell you everything you need to know about it from the sound that it makes." She didn't believe him, but dropped it on the counter anyway. He said, "That's a 6' graphite rod with a Zebco 202 reel and 10 lb. test line...It's a good all round rod and reel and it's $20.00". She says, "Thats amazing that you can tell all that just by the sound of it dropping on the counter. I think it's what I'm looking for so I'll take it." He walks behind the counter to the register, and in the meantime the woman farts. At first she is embarrassed but then realizes that there is no way he could tell it was her..being blind he wouldn't know that she was the only person around. He rings up the sale and says, "That will be $25.50." She says, "But didn't you say it was $20.00?" He says, "Yes ma'am, the rod and reel is $20.00, the duck call is $3.00, and the catfish stink bait is $2.50."

4/28/99-UPDATE_POEM

My Father And Me.........

My ocean.....
As i walk along your muddy shores,
What is it i see?
I see an image clear....
it's my father and me!
We sit in our old jonboat,
fishing by the brush.
Using our ole' canepoles,
and not in any rush..
To hurry home to worries,
when we can sit here,listen to the hush....
and just BE.........
My Father and Me!:)
I LOVE YOU, DAD!!!!

Addition....Oct.26,2000

A Poem for Mom and dad..If I Knew

Addition....Oct.30,2000

Friends Memories of Max