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I fished Rocky George on Father's Day. I had a great day fishing, but I witnessed an event in a young boys life that I won’t ever forget. The boy won’t ever forget it either. I ended up helping a father with 2 kids catch an unexpected fish! They had an inflatable with a small electric trolling motor. The 8 year old son was fishing, the Dad was dozing, and the 5 year old daughter was playing inside the craft so you could hardly see her.
I heard the boy tell his sleepy dad about 5 times that he thought he had a fish on the line. The sleepy dad would just repeat, "So you think you have a fish on." The boy would reply-- yes dad. Each time the boy would repeat that he thought he had a fish on, he would say it louder and louder. What the dad didn't notice was that each time his son mentioned that he thought he had a fish on, the kid was nearly yanked out of the boat or pulled around in it by the alleged fish! Despite a sleepy dad, the kid kept reeling from whatever position he was pulled. Finally, the boy had the fish up to the surface.
I had been slowly pedaling my Hobie to their boat. Because we all know how quite the Hobie is, I got to within 5 feet of their boat. In my deepest booming voice, I yelled--I think your son has a huge catfish on!! Needless to say, dad got involved at that point.
That young man caught a 20 lb blue cat that was about half his height! The father didn't come prepared to land any fish, didn't know what it was, and definitely didn't know what to do with it. I give him the plastic grabbers I got from Hobie. Showed him how to put it to work and as he put it in the fishes mouth and closed the grip, the line broke!! Good thing he followed my directions about putting the grips bungee cord around his wrist or there would have been a big cat swimming in the Gorge with a pair of fish grips in his mouth.
Oh, the dad didn't realize the weaponry that old catfishes are endowed with by their maker; he pulled the critter up on the side of the thin plastic boat. Again, using the LOUD voice, politely (kids present) told him he was going to let the fish sink his boat.
The father next asked what to do with the fish? As anybody from the south knows, you eat those wonderful critters if you are so blessed. I suggested several courses of action. The young lad said in a very grown up way, “Dad let’s let him go so I can catch him again.”
What a day! It will be one that young man remembers for the rest of his days. I'm sure he'll tell his kids each Father's Day the amazing story of how he taught his dad how to fish!
What did I learn?
1. Parents should listen to their kids
2. Dad’s expect your kids to surprise you—so get your act together before you take them fishing
3. Don’t buy thin skinned boats if you might catch catfish!
4. How to rig a top water bait to catch catfish--the boy is a genius!
I have been trying to send the father the pictures of the son and their catch. Hopefully, they'll get the pictures. Because the pictures are with the 2 kids, I didn't post them. My Regrets.
I heard the boy tell his sleepy dad about 5 times that he thought he had a fish on the line. The sleepy dad would just repeat, "So you think you have a fish on." The boy would reply-- yes dad. Each time the boy would repeat that he thought he had a fish on, he would say it louder and louder. What the dad didn't notice was that each time his son mentioned that he thought he had a fish on, the kid was nearly yanked out of the boat or pulled around in it by the alleged fish! Despite a sleepy dad, the kid kept reeling from whatever position he was pulled. Finally, the boy had the fish up to the surface.
I had been slowly pedaling my Hobie to their boat. Because we all know how quite the Hobie is, I got to within 5 feet of their boat. In my deepest booming voice, I yelled--I think your son has a huge catfish on!! Needless to say, dad got involved at that point.
That young man caught a 20 lb blue cat that was about half his height! The father didn't come prepared to land any fish, didn't know what it was, and definitely didn't know what to do with it. I give him the plastic grabbers I got from Hobie. Showed him how to put it to work and as he put it in the fishes mouth and closed the grip, the line broke!! Good thing he followed my directions about putting the grips bungee cord around his wrist or there would have been a big cat swimming in the Gorge with a pair of fish grips in his mouth.
Oh, the dad didn't realize the weaponry that old catfishes are endowed with by their maker; he pulled the critter up on the side of the thin plastic boat. Again, using the LOUD voice, politely (kids present) told him he was going to let the fish sink his boat.
The father next asked what to do with the fish? As anybody from the south knows, you eat those wonderful critters if you are so blessed. I suggested several courses of action. The young lad said in a very grown up way, “Dad let’s let him go so I can catch him again.”
What a day! It will be one that young man remembers for the rest of his days. I'm sure he'll tell his kids each Father's Day the amazing story of how he taught his dad how to fish!
What did I learn?
1. Parents should listen to their kids
2. Dad’s expect your kids to surprise you—so get your act together before you take them fishing
3. Don’t buy thin skinned boats if you might catch catfish!
4. How to rig a top water bait to catch catfish--the boy is a genius!
I have been trying to send the father the pictures of the son and their catch. Hopefully, they'll get the pictures. Because the pictures are with the 2 kids, I didn't post them. My Regrets.
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