It's not too often when two guys totally click in the boat and it's all about fishing. Gene and I quickly discovered that quality in each other and I had one great fishing partner. Some guys aren't up there for the drinking and Gene and I are two of them.
Gene, being two years older than my dad, had many Canada stories to tell. But I think I enjoyed Gene's Navy Korean war stories the most. It didn't matter if I had heard them before and I heard them all many times. Catching fish was a bonus as it really didn't matter if we did.
The look on Gene's face was priceless when he landed the biggest walleye of one trip. The stringer was tied up next to me so I extended my hand out to grab the fish and then place it on the stringer. One hand on the fish, and one hand maneuvering the stringer and the next thing you know, this rather large muscular walleye does a little twitch and jumps right out of my hand and back into the lake. I could tell Gene was pissed by his very long stare in my direction. Wanna get away? There's nowhere to go in a boat.
But the priceless look is yet to come. Within an hour Gene has another big one on. It's the sister to the one he says I threw back in the lake. I have the net in my hand as Gene brings the walleye up to the boat. There's no way I messing this up and I extend the net above the walleye with confidence. Gene gives me the look and I know it means you better not mess this up or else. I handed him the net and said good luck.
--Michael "Papa Dweeb" Blue
I have to include an "Unbelievable But True Fishing Story." I was out on Lake Casummit one early drizzly morning and Dana was still in the cabin. I had caught some nice fish and had them on the stringer. I was fishing a weed bed with my brand new Abu Garcia level winder 5500. I hadn't even removed the cellophane wrapping from the rod handle which proved to be a mistake. While winding up to cast, the rod slipped right out of my wet hands flying through the air then into the lake with the bail wide open.
I let out a scream that echoed and echoed. It was about time for breakfast so I figured I might as well go in. During breakfast we thought it was pretty cute watching the muskrats running around and playing by the dock. I didn't think they were that cute when I discovered they had eaten the walleyes I had tied up to the dock. The day was not going well.
We decided to go tour the abandoned mine right next door even though it was forbidden. I saw a bunch of pipe fittings and had the idea I could use them for weights, along with some treble hooks to try to retrieve my rod and reel. I knew right where it was and it was only in 8 feet of water.
I put together a contraption and put the boat right on the spot. I spent the next hour or so throwing out this very heavy weighted contraption of hooks. But all I was really doing was cleaning the weeds off the bottom of the lake. I gave up and figured I might as well fish. We're going to want to eat fish later and I hope the muskrats are full.
While trolling over the spot I picked up a snag. It was a fishing line and I could tell it was new. The same brand and size as mine. Could it be? Knowing my bail is left open and questioning my tie on the spool stops me from just pulling on it. Instead I maneuver the boat pulling slightly on the line as I try to position the boat right above the sunken rod.
I succeed and now I must decide--do I pull on it and risk that I'll just retrieve line? Or do I strip down, dive in and get the damn pole. It's cold, it's raining and the fact that I don't like swimming, directs my decision to pull straight up ever so lightly. Hand over hand as I pull the line up I can feel it's coming to the surface. It worked. I have my new rod and reel back and I gave out another scream which echoed. Only this time it was a Victory Scream.
I take my dad to Canada every year. It's the best. I wouldn't trade it for anything and I'm sure neither would he. Even if one was to take away the great wildlife, scenery, awesome fishing, the best part is still sharing it with your family. When I was a kid I used to say thank you to my grandmothers after they took us out to eat and they would say "No. Thank you." I now know what that meant. My dad loves our Canada trips and anyone that knows him has heard, "the fishing is so good, you have to hide behind a tree to bait the hook."