Fishing with our Grandson

[John M. Grimes]

This story would be better if you could hear our grandson tell it himself. This was two years ago when he was eight years old.  

Our son, daughter-in-law and grandson, Jacob, were with us on vacation in Michigan.  One thing Jacob wanted to do while on vacation was to go fishing with me.

I have a spot where I fish from shore that is on a boat channel off of Lake Michigan. 

I have caught a lot of Smallmouth Bass and some times decent Perch from this spot. I usually ride a bicycle to fish there, so I take a 5 gallon bucket that I hang on the bike handlebars.  In the bucket I have a small Plano box with hooks and sinkers, needle nose pliers, tape measure and a chain stringer.

This time rather than trying to catch bass I just wanted Jacob to catch some fish. I rigged two poles with small hooks and bobbers. We just got started when my wife's friend and her grandson rode their bicycles down to where we were fishing.  I gave my pole to her grandson so he could fish. 

About as soon as their lines got in the water the bobber would go down. They had a ball catching one fish after another, mostly small sunfish and perch but some keepers occasionally. 

I told Jacob if he caught about six keeper size I would clean them and Grandma would fry them for a fresh fish dinner. He was all for it. 

I started putting the keepers on the stringer in the water until we got enough. We had five on the stringer and when he caught number six I pulled the stringer out of the water to put it on. 

"Oh No!" I said. They all said "What?" I showed them the stringer, five fish heads was all that was left. "A turtle ate our fish!" The boys came closer. Jacob said "Yep, there they are"as two large snapping turtles swam away close by. 

Jacob said "Grandpa, next time you better put the fish in the pail!" I said "maybe next time we'll try to catch the turtles and eat them!"

When Jacob told his Mom and Dad what happened his mother said "Well Jacob, now you have a fish story to tell!"

[Slip Sinker]

20180315- nice story... thanks for sharing... best combination, kids and fishing!... certainly he'll be repeating this story someday to his grandkids. 

[John M. Grimes]

Thanks for the comments on my grandson's fish story.When he went back to school that fall, his teacher asked each child to talk about something they did. and he told that story

[Bruce Tomaselli]

Ha, Ha! That's a cute story for the boys to tell forever and ever. Of course, it will probably change forever and ever, that's fishing!

[John M. Grimes]

I 'm sure you are right. the story will probably get better each time he tells it. Thanks