The definition of stupidity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome. Instead of going fishing in the nice cool morning like I have been doing recently, I went to the Private Hole at 4:00 in the afternoon. It seemed the right thing almost immediately, as there were squirrels running across the road the whole way to the hole. If they were out feeding the bass should be too. Fishing started at 4:30. Since it has been so hot, the fish should be deep I thought. After fishing a good spot that falls from a flat out to 25 feet and another tree on the bottom in 30 feet that I have marked on my depth finder with no luck, it was time to reassess. The DT-6 is an old trusty and if you are a little confused it is a good one to try so it got the call. Very soon it came up with a good fish off of a submerged log. The fish flashed so I could see it was a good one and it was pulling drag like crazy. I took that reel apart recently for grease and forgot to tighten the drag sufficiently. That being done the FOD of 5-0 came into the boat. It had a pot gut and I believe it was going to spawn soon so I hastened to release it due to the hot weather. It was foul hooked in the gill plate which was one reason it fought so well. It also had its last meal’s tail sticking out of its gullet.  Soon in that same area another smaller bass made it to the boat. It was near a log too so I went log hunting. Two more came from logs but then no more. Fishing along, A spot came up that has been good with a worm and three came from there. I replaced the swim bait I had on with a 5XD and started to try a little deeper and caught only one small fish. Back to the DT-6 going around the hole, picking up one here and there. I had my hopes set on 10 fish and when number 10 came I thought about leaving. One more spot. The depth finder showed a jungle of trees and limbs under this spot. The DT-6 was just right as it came across the top of all the limbs and would not get hung. It was getting late but the fish were there. Finally at 8:00 it was time to quit and not get carried off by the mosquitoes. By 8:20 I was on the road back and had to have my lights on the Jeep on. In a grassy spot in the road, right in front of the Jeep a 4 or 5 foot long RATTLESNAKE appeared. Instinctively I floorboarded the jeep and got across the snake. I then stopped and backed up to see if the snake was writhing in the road – gone. I was not about to get out and look in the dark. Not really afraid of snakes if there is time to calmly assess the situation. In this case “fight or flight” came to the front and it was flight that won. I ended the fun day with 16 bass.