Friday - Day 47 - "Nice Job Catching A Fish"

 When I was a little girl my Uncle used to take me fishing every weekend.  We fished on a beach in Long Island.  I learned a lot, but didn't know it at the time.  I haven’t thought much about those weekends in a long time, not until today.

My neighbor, one from yesterday’s blog, “All The Good People,” the same one who asked about Rabbit yesterday and helped fix my sewer pipe, invited us to go fishing today.  I wasn't sure at first, but figured why not, it would be good experience for James and he’s never fished before.

We surfed fished with three poles out at Canaveral Seashore, which is really close to where I use to live and where John and I were married on the beach.  It was a great, isolated location today, weather was warm and breezy.  I had a good feeling we were going to catch some fish today.  I already knew Bob had successful fishing trips walking by his camper when we initially moved to the campground.  He’d be filleting big fish and James would watch in awe.

It was one of those days on the beach, when you inhale the air, listen to the waves and are one with the ocean.  I looked out into the ocean and felt at peace with my life.  I traveled to Montauk Point many summers as a child and I was reminded of all the reasons I am always drawn back to the coast.  I smiled knowing we had made the very best decision to move here.

'my little beach bumm"

I reminisced how different it was fishing with my Uncle when I was a kid.  He'd send me in to purchase bait, long, squirmy worms.  They would draw blood, biting our fingers, when we tried to hook them.   It was disgusting, but I was a pretty chill little girl and I took it all in stride.  After maybe a month, I started getting bored, and didn't want to go fishing with my Uncle anymore.  We never caught much, mostly eels.  Which were fired or put in spaghetti sauce.  My dad loved those eels.  They reminded me of big snakes, but I would occasionally nipple on one after they were all cooked.

Today as I reflected on my little girl years, I found myself relating to her, but with grown up knowledge.  Here I was an adult; exposing my son to the same things I was exposed to as a kid.  I imagine one day he will take his own children fishing and he will fill their minds with fresh knowledge.  Today, we were not using slimy worms for bait, we used plump shrimp and a special synthetic bait.  James had no issue carrying the shrimp around to help 'Mr. Bob'. 

Pretty soon, one of the lines started pulling, and we patiently waited while Bob reeled in the line.  Was it a fish, a big fish?  We watched as he used his strength to reel in the tight line, and sure enough he had caught something.  It was big and it was long, it was a big, long, twisted rope.  For the first catch of the day it was a quite the prize.  James could not believe it,“Why are we catching ropes?"

"Mom, where are the fish?"

James' interest really peaked after we caught our first fish.  It was small, but it was a fish and it was cool.  James was excited, he touched it and made funny faces.   Not long after that we caught our second fish, it was a little shark.  I was just as excited as James.  We are actually catching fish and sharks.  I have been fishing quite a few times in my adult years and haven’t caught a fish.  Even when I fished in a stocked pond near Helen, GA, while pregnant with James, I could not catch a dang thing.  Today was my day to feel like a real fisherman.  

This little guy was a welcomed surprise.

Although, Bob did all the work, he cast the lines, reeled them in and baited all the hooks.  He knew exactly what to do and when.  I enjoyed our conversation, Ty enjoyed a long nap, and James was in the moment.  When we were not reeling in fish, he played with the sand flea catcher and actually caught one.  Bob used it for bait.   

James and his sand flea.

Throughout the day, we caught eight fish, one was quite large, it was worthy of pulling the measuring stick out.  I was pretty darn impressed.  I’m ready to go fishing again. James was such the little man today, touching the fish, attempting to hold them while putting them in the bucket.  At one point, James turned to Bob, pats him on the arm and says, "Nice job catching a fish, Bob!"  

This was our catch of the day!

We went back to the campground and Bob filleted all the fish while I chatted with his wonderful wife Debbie.  We shared many things.  I asked her questions about being snow birds.  She asked me about my blog wondering if I write about what I do each day.  I gave her some insight on how it is evolving, and I mentioned something about the falling squirrels.  She instantly remembered that day; she was the same woman who asked if it was a bat that just fell.  I love my life.  I laughed and told her she made it to my blog, even before she shared her Jell-O shots.  I can not make this stuff up.  I am just starting to know these wonderful people, and they will be headed back home on Monday.  This gives me an incentive to stay right where I am in Area 51 so we can be neighbors next season.

I was honored when Bob took all the filleted fish and gave them to our family to eat.  It was truly unexpected, but I know we will enjoy the fish likes it’s the first fish I have ever eaten.

Overall, I think my day really allowed me to understand something I never thought much about.  It’s not about whether you catch the biggest fish, but more about capturing those special moments in time.  Taking the time to really reflect on who you are, where you've been, and where you want to be.

Life at the seashore

I also figured out, men who fish don’t do it for the fish, they do it for the peace of mind that comes with fishing and the fish are simply something to smile about after you had such a nice day.