Thursday, September 29, 2011

Why fishing disturbs me...

My Prompt I'm choosing for the week:  #2 - a memorable fishing trip


I'm not a good "outdoorsman" - or outdoors-woman, I should say.

I'm not a camper... I like indoor plumbing.

And I really, REALLY dont like to kill animals.... even fish

I used to go to the lake though with my grandparents quite a bit when I was little.  It was always nice because my aunt had property down at Rough River - a good hour & a half drive & we were "away". 

I always liked going because it was just fun to be away from home... my cousins were normally down there... & this "camping" definitely had indoor plumbing.  It actually had 2 bathrooms - many beds - a 2 story house.  Now THAT's camping!

But the family were big fishers.  We were out on the boat all weekend long.  I just like to go on the boat rides & then as a "preteen" - the main important thing in life was working on my tan.  (My wrinkled skin just gave a big sigh...DONT TAN YOUNG PEOPLE!!!)

There were usually 2 boats down there that everyone would use.  A big Pontoon boat where everyone could snack, talk, have fun hanging out - & a fisherman's boat.  Where the SERIOUS fishing went on. 

For some reason - goodness only knows how it happened - I ended up on that boat with my grandfather.

This was the boat that would so slowly as you were dragging the line behind you - you had to be quite to not scare the fish - this was where the fishing world lived. (how DID I end up on that boat?)

I dont know how since I was the person who would secretly go behind people who caught fish & "Accidentally" let it slip out of my hand back into the water. I'd give a whisper of "you're FREE!" - & I think the fish even winked at me sometimes.


We're moving along - slowly - quietly... my Papaw gets a bite.  He pulls in a fish & I'm like - "UGH" because I knew it was going to cause a big mess in the boat because this was a BIG FISH! & it looked funny too - like it was a sword fish.  The most bizarre thing I've ever seen. But he didnt bring it in the boat...

instead, he kept it on the line & took the boat closer to the shore line.

He then... oh Lordy... I'm getting all sweaty & shaky thinking about it again...he took the fish & pulled it up on the shore line.  He then proceeded to take the paddle out of the boat & BEAT.THE.FISH!!!!!

I was FREAKINGGGGGGGG OUTTTTTTTT!!!!

Like standing up in the boat screaming like my grandfather had lost his mind!  NOOO!!!!! WHHYYY??? I think people had to hear my scream for miles!

Papaw told me that this was a 'gar' - whatever that is.  And he told me they were "useless" - you couldnt eat them & they ate all the fish that you COULD eat... so he wanted to make sure it didnt get any other fish.

I was so disturbed...

still am...

this happened like 30 years ago & I can tell you exactly where the boat was at - what the paddle looked like - remember standing up rocking the boat while I was screaming.

I think my Papaw just laughed at me... I refused to stop screaming & crying though until he took me back to camp.

... I dont think I ever got back on that "fishing boat" again...

...& now, I just invision a horrible remake of Nemo in my mind... see?  disturbing...

8 comments:

  1. You poor thing. That would disturb me too!
    Stopping by from Mama Kat's. I chose the same prompt.

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  2. Cute story... I started fishing when I was three years old. I guess I was catching a huge fish and my Papa let me do it all by myself while others told him to help me. Nope not my Papa he knew I could do it.. I did..

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  3. What is Amy talking about, "cute story"? That's a horrible story!
    I've seen that too and I can't stand it. I would think that the humane way of killing a fish quickly would be to ax his head off in one big swoop. But I've seen fishermen gut them while alive. Yikes!
    Johnny fishes but we make him release them after catching them.
    m.

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  4. oh my i would have freaked out as well!!

    i don't do tans like i used to because of momma j's skin cancer. i do the spray tans, healthy and good color. love it!

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  5. I used to love to fish when I was a kid but I haven't done it in years!

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  6. That is disturbing! Too bad you got on the wrong boat! The other one sounds so much better!!

    Stopping by from writer's workshop.

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  7. Are you not watching DWTS this season? Who got kicked off last night?

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  8. We live on the water and have a dock in our backyard from which my son fishes every afternoon. While I love to EAT the fish he catches, I cannot bear to watch him take them off the hook as they gasp their last breaths. It hurts my heart.

    My husband has to clean this fish. This I also cannot watch. But oddly, I have no trouble enjoying the fish when we have fish tacos later that evening.

    Odd, eh? Can you still eat fish?

    ReplyDelete

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