An Awfully Good Day Fishing...

My father, who is so old he remembers the Great Depression like it was yesterday , was sharing some words of wisdom with my seven-year old daughter. The subject: bait. We were minnow fishing for walleyes when my daughter asked how much minnows cost. Having just paid $6.00 a dozen for suckers, half of which were belly up already, he just rolled his eyes, in particular since he had purchased them from a "minnow counter," that lowest form of tackle shop employee who doles out minnows one at a time. Then he said, "tomorrow I'll show you how much minnows cost."

So today rolls around and we drive off to a little creek 15 miles from the cabin, two small ultralight poles, two buckets, and a small can of worms in tow. We pull off next to a bridge, my daughter baits up with a small piece of nightcrawler, and casts off the bridge. 10 seconds later an 8-inch creek chub is flopping about in the water. I go down to the creek, fill it up with water, and put the creek chub in it. We repeat the above experience until we have two buckets full of the best and liveliest creek chubs you'll ever find. Total cost? $0.00. Memories? Lasting a lifetime.

I imagine that the pioneers from the golden age of fishing would roll their eyes at the thought of $.50 a minnow when the ponds and creeks are full of minnows available to anyone with an ultralight rod and reel and a size 14 hook.

My daughter sure had fun...

--Dr. Todd