Fishing With Flotsam

Charles Linder, a regular reader of The Outdoor Sports
Advisor, sent in this fishing tale from his youth. Please enjoy.

Hey Brook, You know I was thinking of how us country boys usually get started fishing. I just thought I would share the story of the biggest bass I ever caught with you. I was 14 years old. We had this pond own the property that I grew up on that I spent most of my teenage life fishing.

Well, I was never wealthy enough to go out and buy anything at the time, so I usually spent the time wandering the Coosa River in Alabama looking for hooks, weights, and lures that fishermen lost in the snags when the water was high. I found a worm hook that looked pretty good this particular day, and being me, I took it with me. I decided I would go out and see what I could find around the pond. I just wandered around mostly and found a stick that a beaver had chewed, and I thought it was cool so I grabbed it up. I started to walk this trail around the pond, and found a plastic worm, that someone had discarded, it had a tear right in the middle, but it looked to me, like it had a little more use out of it. So, there was always line laying around on the ground, and I got some out of a tree that was just over the water. I decided why not try it, I had nothing better to do.

So, here I was with my stick, 4 ft of fishing line, an old plastic worm, and hook from the river. I dropped the worm off the bank where there was a little break in the bank that joined the pond to a larger lake. I pulled it up and let it drop down about 4 times, and I got a hit. I of course yanked it up, and out of the water came this nice 9 lb largemouth bass. The one thing that I decided right then and there, was that no matter how other people see it, sometimes picking up a little of this, and a little of that, there is no telling what you can make happen. In my family there is this ongoing *contest* of who catches the biggest fish, and this particular year, for the first time, it was me, and I had only the careless to thank. I always pick up trash when I fish, because I believe that mother nature is one of our most valueable assets. Although I don't spend the time wandering the river banks, and ponds anymore, I will always remember the feeling of pride I had that day, all alone on the bank, getting the biggest bass of young life. I only hope more people will start fishing, hunting, and taking care of our waters and forest. Tight lines Chuck

I'm sure Charles is not the only one with a story to share. At The Outdoor Sports Advisor, we love to get your thoughts, reminisces, and feedback.

Please feel free to send me mail at the following address:

brook@the-outdoor-sports-advisor.com