“You Have To Learn How To Fish And How To…”
I lived near Norris Lake in Tennessee for several years. Since fishing is a favorite way of mine to pass time, I spent several hours exploring the hollows and coves of the lake. Over the course of time, I learned some of the best places to catch fish. There were several rocky cliffs where some big bream like to hang out, susceptible to a cricket on a hook. Some of the rocky points were great places to toss a “Texas-rigged” plastic worm, if small-mouth bass were desired. There were rocky/clay areas that might hold walleye. Some deep rocky banks (with some stumps, if possible) were great places to throw doll-flies and pork-chunks. Crappie liked small minnows. Catfish could be enticed with the right kind of bait(s), delivered in just the right way. And, there were some big stripes to be caught if the lure was tempting enough. (Below the dam, the Clinch River was home to some fine rainbow and brown trout just waiting to be caught, cleaned, rolled in cornmeal and pancake flour, tossed into the hot grease, and then consumed with great vigor.) I really enjoyed living in that area.
Late one evening I was trolling my small fishing boat in a shaded cove of the lake. I was having fun trying to catch whatever fish that chose to strike my lures. As I neared the end of the cove I began to prepare my gear for the turn-around that would allow me to “work” the opposite side than where I was at the time. The water level was fairly high as dictated by the dam, several miles away from me. I noticed a tree that had fallen, extending limbs out into the cove near me. I thought the limbs might be a good place to cast my lure in hopes of catching a fish that was finding shelter there. As I got ready to cast in that direction I saw a gray squirrel coming from the bank, down the trunk of the tree, heading towards the limbs protruding out in the water. I got interested in watching the squirrel, curious as to the reason he was heading out towards the lake water. Just about the time he had reached the end of the tree I saw a hickory-nut floating at the end of the tree. Very carefully the squirrel edged out on the limbs about as far as he could. The squirrel extended his body out as far as possible, claiming the hickory-nut between his front feet, preparing to take it with him back to where he had come from. Just at the right moment there was an explosion of water right where the squirrel was. A huge large-mouth bass came up out of the water, with his mouth wide-open he inhaled the squirrel (nut and all), and then disappeared beneath the surface. I was astounded. Never in my life had I seen anything like that! I just sat there for a few minutes, in my boat, pondering what I had just witnessed. Finally, I thought to myself that I really needed to try to catch some fish from the area near the tree. I extended my fishing rod back over my head, preparing to make the perfect cast, when I saw movement near the place where the squirrel had disappeared. I stopped my efforts to cast about midway through my motions. I could not believe what I was seeing. The bass had returned and was busy putting the hickory-nut back in the exact spot where the squirrel had taken the bass’ “lure” before. The large-mouth bass was busy baiting for another tasty meal.
A long time ago I decided “you have to learn how to fish and how to talk about fishing”.