| The incident that Im about to describe | | | | pretty heavy. This heft combined with the way |
| happened when I was ten years old, yet I | | | | we cast, (we held the rods like baseball |
| remember it like it was yesterday because it | | | | bats, then swung them overhand letting go of |
| was such a remarkable event. I used to do | | | | the line when the tip of the rod was at its |
| most of my fishing as a child on Lake Oswego, | | | | highest point) allowed us to launch the |
| near Portland, Oregon. | | | | lures 30 yards out into the lake. Casting was |
| | | | usally one of the highlights of the day. To |
| My grandparents lived on the lake because my | | | | my brother and I, casting was nearly as good |
| grandfather loved to fish and drive his boat. | | | | a time as throwing rocks! |
| My brother and I would swim and pilot the | | | | |
| rowboat or even drive the motorboat. Last, | | | | One day while I was casting, there was an |
| but not least, we would also fish. Most of | | | | extra big splash as my lure hit the water. I |
| the time we would catch Perch and once in a | | | | can still see that splash in my minds eye |
| while we would catch a Blue Gale. At night; | | | | even though it happened over 40 years ago. As |
| sometimes after dark, we would hang our line | | | | soon as the splash subsided, I realized that |
| close to shore and catch a catfish. | | | | something was resisting as I tried to real in |
| | | | my line. |
| These days you have to be a multi-millionaire | | | | |
| to afford to live on the lake, but back in | | | | What had most likely happened was that the |
| the 50s and 60s it was mostly blue collar | | | | lure had landed right above the bass. The |
| people who were like my grandfather and for | | | | bass must have instinctively struck at the |
| one reason or another wanted to live on the | | | | lure. The lure did its job of hooking the |
| water. | | | | bass and I reeled him in. I was completely |
| | | | caught off guard. He actually broke water a |
| After we would swim for awhile, it was time | | | | couple of times as I reeled him in, but what |
| for a rest, so our grandfather would get out | | | | seemed like forever to me, was probably just |
| his fishing equipment. My brother and I | | | | a couple of minutes. |
| usually fished with a worm and a bobber. This | | | | |
| involved sitting around and waiting, so it | | | | My grandfather ran into his basement and |
| got boring real fast. Our grandfather would | | | | looked around until he found his fish scale, |
| be forced to break out the casting rods. | | | | so he could weigh my bass. It came out to one |
| | | | and a half pounds. Surely, I thought, this |
| My brother and I loved to cast. We never | | | | can't be right. I thought that it would be 40 |
| really thought that we would catch any fish | | | | or 50 pounds at least, but my grandfather |
| because the triple hooks were just dangling | | | | assured me that one and half pounds was big |
| from the lures with no worms to hide them. We | | | | for that lake. |
| both thought that you had to use worms if you | | | | |
| wanted to catch fish. | | | | That was the only time that I have ever |
| | | | caught a bass in that manner, but the |
| The lures that my grandfather had were made | | | | experience taught me to always expect the |
| for bass, were three to five inches long and | | | | unexpected while you are fishing. |
| were all made out of wood, so they were | | | | |