We caught the big one!

The big day! Free fishing day! On Saturday our State Lakes offered free fishing for kids. This is a yearly event. Arrive at lake 3,sign your name, they give you a prize, a pole and a bag of worms.
Reed and I have participated 4 years now and he looks forward to the thrill, the outdoors, the free hot dogs and pop! He brought his friend Noah who also enjoyed the hot dogs (4 to be exact). So in a nut shell it went like this. Check in, get our prizes, oh thank you for the bag of chicken liver in blood. We will save that for another time. Are you sure we didn't win that fine fishing pole instead? Down to the waters edge. Bait Reed's hook with a worm, help him cast it out, take the hook out of Noah's coat sleeve. Cast out again. Bait Noah's hook, cast. Turn around and Reed has reeled his in already with large quanities of moss attached. Cut a worm in 1/2 (hey we need worms over here) bait, cast and before I can wipe the worm... uummm..stuff on my pant leg, Noah's line is caught on a stick. This went on for maybe... 15 minutes when I suggested they hike around the lake to see if anyone is catching anything.

Aaaahhhh, peace and quiet..I actually enjoy fishing. I sat in the chair holding the pole, remembering the days when our whole family would load up in the Buick LTD and park right along the highway and fish in the creek. I remember it like it was yesterday, catching catfish, having Dad take it off the hook. I, being a bit of a Tom-boy enjoyed fishing more than my brother. I felt some kind of silent bond with my Dad because of this.

I am suddenly awakened from my thoughts as I feel a tug on my line, I mean Reed's line. Just as I was hollering "I got a bite" Reed and Noah run up with hot dogs in hand and ketchup on their faces. I hand the pole to Reed and he reels in a Enormously small Bluegill. Now we have a small group gathered as 2 of the neighbor kids and their Dad run over to help. (Stand back, I may be a woman but I can take the fish off the hook by myself!!) So I get out some heavy brown construction worker gloves to man handle this mighty fish. The photographer for the newspaper runs over and snaps a picture of Reed holding the fish and his buddy Noah with his arm around Reed. Proud fisherman! After a few failed attempts to get the hook out, I hand the fish to my neighbor, Scott and he takes the hook out. The fish falls to the ground and 4, eight year old boys clamor to pick it up. After a bit a excitement, Noah grabs my glove, puts it on, picks up the fish and holds it high like a mighty warrior with his sword. Then throws it back...

WOW..a few seconds go by, and I hear Noah say, "Now what? I'm bored".

So as I pack up my fishing gear in the tackle box I have had since I was 11, the boys run off to get another hotdog. They bring one for me and after wiping some slime off my hands onto my pants, I savored my hotdog and free fishing day. For kids of course!