As Father's Day is this weekend I want to share a short story about what it was like fishing with my Dad. This is the same story I shared at his funeral and is one of many that portrays my love of fishing with him. I enjoyed fishing with my Dad as much as I enjoyed watching him fish. I always waited with anticipation during each cast to see if he'd catch anything and always tried learning what he was doing. Please enjoy!!!
MONSTER PIKE
Fishing from shore, I watch my dad gracefully swing his rod over his shoulder and fling his Little Cleo forty yards across the lake. Watching my dad cast is like watching a magician perform a trick. His rod is his wand and one never knows what he’ll pull out of the lake. As he reels in his lure he twitches his rod, giving it a little extra action. After he retrieves his lure, he repeats this process over and over. Casting and retrieving, casting and retrieving, until suddenly he jerks his rod. “I’ve got one!” he yells excitedly. Full of excitement and anticipation, I watch my dad work his magic. Maneuvering to the left, and then the right, I try to get a glimpse of this fish that my dad is going the rounds with. Intense eyes and a huge grin grow on his face as he fights with this bugger. When he finally gets the fish to the shore I spot him. He is HUGE! The monster thrashes in the water and then dives as deep as he can go. I can almost hear Dad’s rod scream as his rod is bent to the max. His reel screeches as the fish goes on another run. Dad adjusts the drag hoping his line doesn’t break. The fish swims another fifty yards. Dad reels him back in and the fish takes off again. After a long fight he finally wears the fish down. The monster lost to Dad’s patience and skill as a Fisher-man. Dad lifts the beautiful monster, known as the Northern Pike, out of the water. The fish was almost as long as I was at the time. The thirty six inch monster weighed twelve pounds. That’s the day I fell in love with fishing for Northerns.
Please remember the blessings that come not only from having a Father, but also the ones that come from being one as well. Call your Dad tell him what he means to you because one day he will move on and then you will wish that he was still around to show him your love. Hold your kids tight and remember what they mean to you. Take them fishing, teach them the reasons you love to fish, and most importantly love them, hug them and tell them how much you love them because you never know what tomorrow might bring.