The Buzz asked its loyal readers to help write just the right caption for the above photo featuring state Sen. Jake Knotts of West Columbia and his newfound piscatorial friend.

You responded -- in droves.

So we had to figure out how to pick just the right captions for publication.

First, we asked ol' Jakie himself to check them out and pick his favorites. He did.

Then The Buzz picked out the ones we liked. There's -- ahem -- a bit of a discrepancy between the two lists, but that's to be expected.

One nugget didn't quite fit into the caption format: During floor debate in the Senate last week on a bill about the mistreatment of animals, one of the elements was about the molestation of animals. Knotts asked what that meant, and a colleague replied: "Isn't that what you did when you kissed that fish?"

Without further ado -- and many thanks to all who submitted entries -- here's the best of the best:

JAKIE'S FAVORITES

• Jake's gasoline-saving (environmental) weed eater

• Kissing a fish is one thing, but having your wife see this picture is another.

• Did the fish kiss back, Jake?

• Jake, I thought you were full of crappie, not carp.

• Well, the governor did tell all Republicans to kiss his bass.

• I wonder what fool it was that first invented kissing?

THE BUZZ'S FAVORITES

• Environmental lobbyist target of Knotts tongue-lashing

• Well, the governor did tell all Republicans to kiss his bass.

• Babies, Jake, kiss the babies!

• Ah, sweet lips; thy name is Jake Knotts.

• C'mere, you pretty thang. Us bottom feeders gotta stick together, knowhutimsayin?

• Knotts takes incessant carping to new levels.

• Jake, I thought you were full of crappie, not carp.

• Fish who lost a bet