Fishing Down Memory Lane

Liam has developed quite the passion for fishing. Naturally of course ;-) 

Last weekend had me fishing down memory lane. 

(Saturday afternoon)

Liam: Daddy can we go fishing?

Me: Maybe, If we get "X" job done around the house

Liam: Please Daddy, I really want to go fishing

Liam: I have the worms right here and my pole and tackle box are at the door.

Nicole: Just go, he really wants to go!

Me: Ok Liam lets go!

That conversation was nearly a carbon copy of how many fishing trips John and I would start with our dad...

We would always get the "Maybe" or "Probably" answer. 

I would usually send John to ask because Dad always seamed to given in or John wouldn't give up I'm not sure which was the case...

One place we always begged to fish was Crooked Creek. We would park at the Parking area at the Ives run end of the Old railroad grade that paralleled Crooked Creek and Walk the 1+ miles to the first "good" fishing holes and typically would fish up and down a short section of the creek until dark. We would be catching Small mouth bass, Carp and Rock Bass. At that time we would have to walk since the gates were almost always closed other than  for hunting season. It was always fun walking along finding turtles, snakes, deer, bear and all kinds of song birds. We also liked fishing Crooked creek because we were allowed to wade the creek and fish at the same time. we would wear old sneakers, shorts and a pack full of lures stomping up and down the creek. 

 After deciding we were going to fish I had to come up with a place to go. I thought the lakes were a bit to windy and  frankly we needed to change things up a bit... So off to Crooked creek we went. Liam had never fished Crooked Creek and I knew he would have fun in a new place... I had planed to just drive to the spot and have a go at it but as we pulled into the park I noticed the Railroad grade was gated and I instantly got a big smile on my face. So we pull in and Liam asked where we were going to fish and I said "Oh down this road a ways." We gathered our stuff and off we went walking down the same road  my dad walked John and I down 20+ years ago. 

We walked as he was looking at just about everything.  Asking to fish the swamp along the road as John and I use to. He was running and walking and asking questions about what things were and where we were heading to. He had to run or walk into every mud puddle on the road and would do his best to Identify the animal tracks in the mud. 

Bear Track Liam Found on our walk in to fish

After our short walk we came to our first spot... I noticed there were quite a few Carp hanging in and around the rocks so I told Liam to get a worm on his hook and he could catch a big fish...

With a puzzled look on his face he followed along not yet seeing the school of 18+ inch Carp swimming right by us. I had him cast a short distance and gave him directions to just let it set on the bottom... 

Well that didn't last long, he wanted to reel it in like he always dose and bam caught a bluegill. I believe he ended up catching a dozen or so small pan fish before he saw the Carp. 

At that point he was all business. He let it sit on the bottom for only a minute or two and he had a hit and started reeling like he always did and nearly lost his pole as the Carp swam hard and fast into the current ultimately breaking his line. Took about 3 lost hooks before he picked up on the technique needed for the bigger, heavier and stronger fish.

On the fourth fish he got his rod tip up as it bent over hard. With my help and instructions he was able to enjoy the fight of a big old Carp. He played it up and down the creek only using a ultra light ugly-stick and spin-cast reel given to him for his Birthday from Uncle John. after a few minutes of fighting it tired and I was able to pull the fish from the water...

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Let me tell you the Smile he had was contagions. I was so proud of him! High fives and cheers echoed up and down the creek as we landed his big fish.. 

I have always taught him to respect the fish and if you don't plan to eat it they go right back in the water. So each and every one of his fish went back in the water and swam away to be caught again.

After putting the fish back and the hole settled down with a few more high fives we were back at it. At this point I had put my pole away and and was focused on him catching fish... I could have cared less if I was catching anything at all. 

He ended up with one more fish before we got the call from Nicole that we needed to get home for dinner. All the way home he could not stop talking about the big carp he was catching and could not wait till he could tell his mom about all the big fish he was catching...

(Sunday Morning)

Liam: Daddy can we go fishing again?

Me: Maybe

Liam: Please I really want to go catch those carp again!

This time It didn't take much to get me to go again so after a few chores and lunch we headed back out.

Right back to the same spot but the fish seamed to be on to us and every time his hook hit the water the Carp would scatter. He caught some pan fish but he was really wanting a Carp again, so I suggested a bit bigger deeper hole up stream we hadn't fished yet. So we picked up our gear and off we went. After a short walk we were at the next spot and getting all settled in and we weren't really having much luck there ether. A few hits from time to time but nothing really exiting for about 45 min to an hour. But that all changed when Liam yells  "FISH ON!" I look and he is fighting it like a champ. Smiling ear to ear. So I grab the camera and set back and watch. I didn't help much this time just watched and if he asked I would help him out... Well this was a much bigger fish than the fish from the day before and took him a good 5 to 10 min to fight it in... I got down into the water and was able to get my hand on it and pull it from the water for him.

We fished a couple more hours and this was the only Carp he caught Sunday but was supper happy. He did catch a few more Small Mouth Bass and a few bluegills that afternoon but nothing compared to the Big heavy Carp...

Oh and yes we did get to play in the creek wading to different holes, but we just enjoyed the cool water more then fished as it was in the high 80's. :-)