Today's Lesson

[Cwalker935]

Been learning from this man my entire life. Today his lesson was to do what you love to do as long as you possibly can. He, Gibbons (world's greatest lap dog) and I went to the creek bank. I fished for several minutes without so much as a nibble. Made a cast, handed Dad the pole, and opened a beer. Next thing I know Dad was reeling in a fish with only one functional arm. He got the fish to the bank and got it tangled up in the grass. I sat down my beer to go get the fish and Gibbons helped himself to my beer. Gibbons is still walking around with a doggy grin. Fish was not that big but was still very special. It will likely grow into a monster as time goes on.

 

[Cwalker935]

Dad has always looked at life from a sideways angle.

 

[TellicoTurning]

That's just like fishing with my dad... we sat side by side, cast both our lines to within 18 inches of each other... he caught a fish, I didn't..... reeled in and cast on the other side of his line... he caught another fish, I didn't.... reeled in and cast 18 inches in front of his line.... he caught a fish, I didn't ..... I had one of his beers.

 

[Scotty]

Some of the best memories I have are fishing with my stepdad.

 

[tomtedesco]

Looking back I realize how much my dad did to lead me in the right direction. After working all day in a machine shop he always had time and energy to take me fishing or to ball games. I am 69 years old now and still think about our adventures every day.

 

[edicehouse]

I took my father in law and Grandfather (the man who raised me, because my father kicked me out of his house when I was 8 years old) fishing on a pier here in Virginia. Well this was not the type of fishing my grandfather did, he went trolling on the lakes in Upstate New York. When we got to the pier to pay to go fishing, he says "Carl, stand back here, Ed is paying for our fathers day gift".

He had never used the "jigs" we use for pier fishing, so I had to set him up, he sat back and said "Show me how you put that squid on the hook" as he opened a beer. So I did and he dropped his line in the water. He watched the ships sail past. My father in law and I both were working for a ship yard, so he would ask questions, and share his knowledge of the ships. Well 20 minutes passed and Carl (my father in law) and I had both caught a few fish, and I didn't know why my grandfather hadn't; so I asked him to reel in it. So he does and he had lost his bait. By this time he was eating some nabs and said well since I am eating go ahead and bait my hook, so I did, and he dropped his line back in the water. By the end of the night my grandfather had caught about half a dozen fish and a cooler of empty beer cans, my father in law and I caught about 40 each. As we were leaving my grandfather tells me "This is the best father day gift I have ever gotten!"

We get back to the truck, and of course I am driving, and we start to leave. It is about 2 AM by this time. Well we head out and my father in law starts freaking out "There is our exit for the interstate" I state "No, we have to take 64 East to get home". Well if you are know 64 in VA Beach, you have to take 64 East to go to Suffolk (west of where we are) and 64 West goes up towards Richmond. Well I go ahead and take the way Carl says, and we go and I keep asking, Well are you sure we have not gone the wrong way yet.... (Yes I am a smart a.....) The whole time my grandfather is eating some chips laughing.

I sit here and write this and just think what I wouldn't do for one more hour with my grandfather.

 

[Kenny Durrant]

I understand. Things like that just happen and when they do you will remember them forever. Another thing I learned is a fish always grows the most and fastest after it's caught. Just let him tell nthe story his way and that way you don't have to worry about yours contradicting his.

 

[Marmotjr]

Some of the best memories I have are fishing with my stepdad.

That gives me hope, as I am son to be moving in with my girl, and her 6 year old daughter. The father is a good man, a friend even, but doesn't get a lot of time with her. I'm just hoping I can step up and be the father she needs when he's not around.

Post's like this let me know it can be done.

 

[Lucky2]

Cody, cherish these moments, they are precious. My dad passed away in April of this year, reading your story hit home with me. Dad and I went fishing a couple of times a year, they were special times for me. I was the only person he would go fishing with, he thought I was a pretty good fisherman and guide. Plus, I always changed his flies when needed, and I always had homemade molasses cookies, the big ones. I'm laughing right now just thinking of those times, and of the stories he'd tell. My brothers and sisters are jealous of the relationship dad and I had, he'd tell me things he wouldn't tell them. I was kinda like his sounding board, he'd run things by me and never them. So, thanks for the story, and for giving me my own little trip down memory lane.
Len

 

[OZturner]

Cody, Your Fishing Story, brings back a memory of my Father, and my Eldest son (now aged 56) at the time about 4 years of age.
We went fishing off a beach into a Lake, using hand lines and Raw Prawns for Bait.
My son, was twirling his baited line around his head increasing the arc, and attitude, but was taking quite a time, his grandfather not wanting to cast until his grandson was finished, said to him, "for Pete's sake let the bloody line go, the Prawn is getting too giddy to find any fish".
That brought a big smile to our faces.
Now when I go fishing with my eldest son, we smile and reflect on that joyous and precious time we all shared.
Brian.