FIshing?

Growing up in a family that was fanatic about fishing, I had a fishing rod in my hands as soon as I could hold one. It has stuck with me even though I don't get to fish as often as I did growing up. I married a guy who doesn't mind fishing as long as someone baits his hook and takes the fish off.

Some of my grandchildren though have inherited the fishing gene and I do get to indulge in the sport on occasion. Some of our Florida grandkids enjoy fishing so this past couple of weeks I've gotten to sit with them and drop a line in.

From the dock at the condo complex, there's not a whole lot to catch that has much size to it. Grunts, the occasional snapper, maybe a small barracuda and even a needle fish. I always tell people we're catching appetizers. Although they are too small to keep, they are still fun to hook and reel in.

Shark fishing (excluding hammerheads) is legal in Florida and one night a friend invited our grandson to bring a couple of fish heads and fish for shark with him. Both the friend and the grandson were ecstatic when he hooked into a sand shark about 35 inches long and reeled it in. A couple of pictures and it was released.




One morning though I had quite a time with a small needle fish. I had caught a good sized one a few days before but this one just kept swimming up on top of the water. He would follow my bobber as I reeled my line in and nip at it. Then as if he knew it, he would hustle after the line as I brought up whatever might be left over of my bait on the hook. If I hung the bait over his head, he would swim in circles waiting for it like a puppy dog waiting for a treat. Yes, I was teasing the wildlife.

When we were done fishing, I tossed in what was left of my bait and he was rewarded for his patience.

It's okay, fishy. I'll have the hook
out in a minute.

Oh, about the question of fishing. I was fishing. My grandkids were catching. They certainly had me beat by numbers.