Aquatics

Near all the large fish survived but there was a great die-off of pan fish - pearch crappies and bluegills, dead white and float-bloated by the hundreds stinking to high to heavens, and that had to be raked out of the lake and channels to eradicate the smell. Not sure if I did any of that or exactly who did, someone.

I was a tiny tot let's say third grade while living in my father's house before we moved onto island, I was fishing on the gray unpainted wood seawall near the bridge to the island, with a long bamboo cane pole, line, red and white plastic bobber, hook and worm. I had swung the bobber out into a clear spot in the lilly pads - big green leaves floating on the water.

I got a big bite - the bobber disappeared. Seated on the wood plank wall-top two feet above the ground, four feet off the water, I heaved on the pole and pulled up a very big large-mouth bass. It was heavy and my pole loop-bent but held and I swung the bass to my left - but with the weight I could not clear, and it hit the top of the seawall and flopped back into the water - free.

So I ran home across the parking lot - Mommy Mommy I almost caught a big fish and I spread my arms and she came with me over and I showed where I had caught, and where it had fallen back. But she was busy and went back to the house and I re-baited and did it again.

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