Making memories...

[rayinpenn]

My buddy Vince would swing by and honk his horn - I would grab my gear and a couple Budweisers. 15 minutes later we would be tossing poppers at hempstead harbor. On most nights the stripers would cooperate. I’d be home by 9PM, it was a my slice of heaven. One night i had thirty. Another night a striper with shoulders emptied my reel and cemented my friend Joe’s love of fishing - a guest that night. We moved to Pennsylvania for a better life for the kids, it worked out but we were landlocked. My tackle grew dusty.

‘Cool Hand’ has inherited my love of the outdoors and fishing. It is our time to spend time together -and the two hour trip provides ample opportunity to chat. It would be our first trip there - I found an article the 25 best lakes in Pennsylvania. July 1st I thought no hope, too crowded. There was a Pitt stop at the nearby tackle shop for minnows. It turned out to be amazing place, unbelievable really. On the counter was an antique reel that this poor guy lusted over almost 40 years ago. A Garcia 300 d - it was in perfect condition. It brought me back in time.

Amazingly the beautiful lake was nearly empty - we rented a small aluminum fishing boat. The fish that grabbed Cool Hand’s minnow, bent his pole and bit thought his line (surely a musky or pike) i suspect it will provide a memory for many years . ...job well done. I wonder how big that fish will grow in his mind over the years.. A few dollars, a sun burn, a couple hours driving - I am feeling great tonight.

Do you have a special memory that you care to share?

[misshathaway]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rayinpenn Do you have a special memory that you care to share?

I want yours. What joy in it.

[pacergal]

Beautiful story, ray.
I still relish the memories of fishing with my dear Grandfather when younger.

My DD and I frequently took weekend trips to the beach when she was growing up. DH and DS would go on weekend baseball trips. Ahh, the memories!

[USA]

Glad you shared that. Got me to thinking. I was born in MN farm country and Dad made a point about teaching us about native Americans there. After moving to CO I was taken to Mesa Verde @12. Made the same trips with DS as a boy. We plan to repeat the CO trip with GS/D.

I don’t know if their memories of our times in the pool can come close to those I had with my Dad on the lake.

Biggest & best memories are those climbing mtns with my Dad. Made it up 14ks when we spent hours together. I’ve had a blessed life!

[Bamaman]

We are fortunate to have a fish camp on the beautiful Tennessee River which has been in our family since 1945. My father built a permanent home when he ER'd in 1979. Every Summer weekend was full of great memories for our whole family, including aunts, uncles and cousins. We're only 22 steps from a boathouse and dock.

Anticipating ER, I moved 1/2 hour away so we could take care of the property. And I later purchased my sister's half interest. We seldom travel domestically as we do staycations at the lake many weekends.

[ugeauxgirl]

When I was little my parents had a houseboat and we went out on a local lake every weekend. A friend of theirs had a fish camp nearby and we sometimes spent the night there. Nearly every weekend we fished, skied, swam, jumped off of the top of the houseboat etc. Ffwd 30 years, I went to a crawfish boil at a friend's camp on the Tensaw river and fell in love. Saw a camp for sale and had an offer in a week later. This is my 12 y o last weekend[ATTACH]32041

[RobbieB]

Fishin'? Yeah Baby! Every chance I got. We cut branches off trees in the woods and tied string & hook and fished minnows out the creek.

That led to 4 boats...

[MRG]

I spent a lot of time with DF fishing on the St. Lawrence. He was the kind who fished from dawn to dusk with a shore lunch that was eating while fishing in the boat. At night you would feel the bed would rocking from being still. I didn't appreciate that time as much as I would today. That would be great.

We also spent a lot of time on a finger lake. There's a place that's been part of our family for almost a century. My parents never said what they wanted done with their ashes. They honeymooned there 75 years prior. We took them back. They're always there.