Fishing

Betty waiting for Richard to finish tying
her fishing line to her stick.

July 7, 2018

Michael has been dying to go fishing for 7 days now. He has spotted my fishing chest in the garage. He knows where the 6 fly fishing rods are stored in the garage. He listens in the fishing stories of other families, one of which is that Gabe has learned to fly fish this year. And caught one. We don’t have a small fishing boat. We don’t have a large boat for that matter. It is all a matter of adult priorities. But this 6 year old wants to go fishing.

What is a grandmother for, if not to take people fishing? I asked Richard how long a fishing stick had to be. He said no longer than from foot to knee. He sent us off to the lawn to pick our own sticks. I wanted longer sticks, but since I asked, I obeyed and cut each stick to the proper length, trimming extra branches off some. We had a wild storm last night so it was easy to find branches all over the lawn. When we got back he tied fishing line onto everyone’s stick. Then he put a white and red bobber on each.

I made up some flour and water fish food – using brown flour for extra flavor for the fish. I tell Michael that what fish really like is worms or grasshoppers. The grasshoppers don’t arrive until about July 15th. He think he has seen some before then and I tell him yes, one here or there but not in droves like as they come then. Next he wants to know which the fish like better. I don’t know. He gives me a funny look.

... a little sunscreen to go with the
total fishing experience ....

 I wanted to sneak off without the girls.

By now they have listened in long enough that they have to go, so Richard has to prepare three rods.

We put on our life jackets and down the road we go to the lake. I trail behind, not out of desire.

I just can’t go that fast. I look ahead and see a 3 year old a five year old and a six year old ahead of me, their sticks bouncing off the road. I am glad that Richard has arranged our first trip down there to be one without hooks on the end of the lines.

 ... my fishing pole, my line and my fresh worms ...

I try to tie dough on the end of fishing lines.

 It doesn’t hold very well with no hook.

Still I persist since the dough last long enough to get to the water.

Slowly it bobs off and people are back for more dough. They are afraid to take the dough and tie it on themselves. I don’t know what they are going to do when we move to the next level and try to get worms on a hook. Before long Betty and Alice have their fishing lines tangled with each other and have pulled on them long enough to have broken the white and red bobbers off. They stay on the dock and watch Michael as he persists.

... no fish bites yet ...

Kalina has given Alice some Wild Rose and Musk hand cream in a small tube and Alice has it at the water. She is telling Betty that it is only to be used when people’s hands are dry. Alice’s are sticky now, for she has tried to wrap the bread dough on a line herself. She asks me to wipe it off. I laugh to myself.

We are on a dock, surrounded with water. I tell her that she can get it off herself by just laying on the dock and rinsing her hands off in the water. She is glad to find water.

Fishing is fun.

Arta