Fish tales

Opening weekend of fishing season had its ups and downs - not necessarily on the waves. The season opened on most local lakes Saturday, but the weather did not cooperate. Sunday we had blue skies, calm waters an eager crew.Most of our crew were rookies. There were several nibbles on the lines which they didn't realized, but they learned quickly from their missed opportunities.Finally, Bailey got the first (and only) serious bite of the day. He was busy yelling "fish on" and trying to reel his line in with the rod still in the holder, ignoring Capt. Rick's instructions. Bailey reminds me so much of my brother at that age! You know, the age when excitement rules and rules only interfere with experiencing the excitement.

Bailey really didn't want to touch the fish. It took several minutes for him to get a grip on the fish without it squirting out from his hands and landing in the lawn.

Rikard on the other hand never misses an opportunity to show off a catch - even if it isn't his!

And, we introduced Stubby to the boating life. She took to the water well and even tried to jump overboard a couple times to catch nearby geese, ducks or loons. Stubby's a natural, amidst the chaos of Rick setting three kids up to fish and me learning the operate the new electric motor, she managed to eat an old-fashioned donut (traditional fishing food for this family) and drink the remains of my coffee.

The maiden voyage

This is one happy boatload! The maiden voyage of the __________ (still haven't named it/her) took place Sunday afternoon and it was a success. The three passengers, two crew members and the vessel itself returned to shore safely.

This is one happy captain. It has been years since he had a realiable boat, a boat he enjoyed spending time on, a boat he could call his own. The entire time we were on the lake he was listening to every little noise the boat made, was capitavated by the fish finder, tested the boat in turns for cavitation. He was just happy.

The lake was fantastic. There was no wind to speak of and only a handful of other boats. The water was like glass - and apparently the fish were biting if we are to believe all the fishermen lining the dock.
Of course, the kids had a great time too. At least most of them. Rikard and Tatum tested every seat on the boat. They soon realized that the bench seat on the back was the windiest, coldest seat available.

Keeli was huddled in the front seat, clinging to me and the dash for dear life, begging the captain to "slow down," "stay away from the bumps" and "get me back to land!"