Today’s photo flashback takes me back to one of the craziest trips I’ve ever been on. My buddy Steve asked me and a bunch of friends to go up to his parent’s place for a weekend fishing trip. It was a weekend to remember, although some of the guys don’t remember much of it.
As I recall, we all arrived at his parent’s place in the afternoon. Each of us had brought beer to drink. Once we were settled, there was a bonfire. We were all telling stories and laughing while drinking the beer. Next door, it sounded like they had been partying for much of the day. A couple of the guys went over to say hello. They came back saying that they had a lot of booze and that we should all go over later.
We had planned on getting up early to head to Skidway Lake to fish the next day, so after a while, a couple of us decided to call it a night. Others decided to go back next door to hoop it up a bit. They paid for it that night and the next day. My best friend, Jeff, and I had nabbed bunk beds when we arrived. I was on the top bunk and asleep before he got back from next door.
In the middle of the night, I could hear him throwing up below me. I figured he’d grabbed a trash can or something. It wasn’t aware until the next morning that the receptacle he threw up in was my shoe! Thankfully, he was kind enough to clean it while hung over.
The above photo makes me a little sad. I was at my goal weight when this picture was taken. I really wish I could get back down to that weight. I’m trying.
When we walked outside in the morning, I remember seeing all the beer bottles on the picnic table and laughed like crazy. I had to get a picture of it. I think we all took it easy that night and only had a beer or two.
As far as the fishing trip itself? Skidway Lake is not too deep. We were pulling up 3 inch fish. It was quite humorous actually. We almost always got a fish with every cast, although there were far from anything you’d share with anyone.
Despite his hangover, Jeff caught the biggest fish of the trip!
One of my favorite fishing jokes comes from Soupy Sales:
Two guys are out on a boat fishing and one guy is pulling in all the fish. His fishing buddy hasn’t had even a nibble the whole time they’ve been on the lake. So, he asks his buddy what his secret is.
“Well, when I wake up in the morning I look at my wife. If she is sleeping on her left side, then I fish off the left side of the boat. If she is sleeping on her right side, I fish off the right side of the boat.”
His buddy asks, “Well, what if she’s sleeping on her back?” The guy says, “Then brother, I certainly don’t go fishing!!”
First Fishing Memory
Before my grandparents bought their trailer in Caseville, we would occasionally go up and stay at the trailer owned by my great aunt. I remember my dad and my grandpa took me out to a small lake (pictured above) where I first was grossed out by putting a worm on a hook. That lake would eventually be right behind the lot where my grandparents trailer would be.
I remember my grandpa helping me with the bobber that would float in the water. I also remember my dad putting a bell on the end of my fishing rod. There was no way a 7 or 8 year old kid could miss a fish if the bell rang and the bobber was pulled under the surface of the lake. Sure enough the bell rang and the bobber went under and I started reeling in.
What was on the end of the line was the ugliest catfish you have ever seen! There was no way I was touching that thing and my grandpa grabbed it, pulled it off the hook, and tossed it back in the lake. The lake was stocked by the guy who lived across the street from my grandparents as I recall. There were perch, bluegill, catfish, and pike in the lake.
Anyway, when we got back to the trailer, I was so excited. I told my mom, my grandma, and everyone else who would listen that I caught a fish. I don’t think there was a phone at my aunt’s place, and I asked my dad how I could let my other grandparents know about my fishing expedition. He suggested I write a letter, which I did. I am sure we never mailed it, but I did tell him about it when we saw them.
Uglier than the catfish? Yes.
The pier at Caseville
When we weren’t fishing at the back lake, we would go and fish of the pier in Caseville. I remember going to the store and my dad buying us some cheap plastic tackle boxes for when we went fishing. I don’t remember for sure, but I am almost positive that it was my brother who knocked my grandpa’s tackle box off the pier and into the water. One of my favorite pictures of my brother and I was taken on the pier. As you can see, I obviously dressed myself … what the hell am I wearing in this picture?!
Brothers on the pier – Caseville – 1979
One day while fishing off the pier, my mother got a bite. She fought and fought whatever fish was on the end of the line. I remember the excitement of wanting to know what it was. When she pulled it out of the water, it was a huge sheephead. I remember my grandpa saying that those were great fighters, but that was about all they were good for.
Me, the sheephead, mom, and my brother.
A few years later, I caught a fish off the pier and brought the dumb, smelly thing home with me, so I could get a picture with it. I used to love this silly “fishing” hat I am wearing in the picture.
Skidway Lake
There was another fishing trip that I took with some friends from school. We all went up to my pal Steve’s mom and dad’s place. I believe that the fishing trip only consisted of one trip to the lake to fish. The rest of the time was spent by campfires drinking beer and telling stories.
My best friend had quite a few that night and when we all went to bed I could hear him getting sick. I chuckled about this at the time, but when I woke up in the morning and found that he had puked in my shoes, it wasn’t so funny.
The actual fishing was fairly disappointing. These fish were fairly tiny. I think Jeff pulled in the biggest fish of the day, and it was nothing to write home about!
Fishing with my boys
I’m not sure why, but I only went fishing once with my sons. We went to a small lake near the house.
They were excited to go, but once they got there, they got bored quickly. I instantly remembered feeling that way as a kid. I would cast into the lake and want a fish immediately! I didn’t want to just sit there waiting.
When a fish finally did bite, they were so tiny, they could have been used as bait!!
It has been forever since I went fishing. As a matter of fact, that fishing trip with the boys was the last time I went. I’m sure that if I opened up my tackle box, it is probably a mess. I don’t even know if I still have my fishing pole. I may have to go out the garage to see if my pole is still out there.
All I need now is a few friends (one of them hopefully with a boat) and a day off to go fishing….I’m long over due to drop a line in the water. Where’s my bobber?
Various Ramblings of a Nostalgic Italian 