A Day As A Professional Fisherman

On Saturday morning Judy went thru a deeper than normal coughing spell to get cleared up for the day. The albuteral thru the nebulizer took two treatments to level her breathing so I didn't go fishing. Stayed close in all day long. Was determined to go Sunday and she encouraged it too. Tho I had the will I just wasn't totally comfortable in leaving her and didn't want to infringe on other's holiday time to sit with her. Instead I went a few blocks down the street to Fairgrounds Park.
 
Upon my arrival about 7ish I noticed the larger than normal crowds and the huge flocks of geese and mallards making a lovely morning picture on and near the lake. After strolling around the East section of the lake and walking across the old but beautiful bridge I decided to try a bit of fishing. Anticipating lots of small fish I only put a piece of a worm on my hooks and proceeded to lounge in my cloth chair and sip orange flavored Gatorade. I stood up to greet an old face who recognized me and one of the lines indicated a bite. I reeled in a nice but small catfish. Returned it to the water and cast back out. Before I could seat the pole in the rod holder another bite was felt and I reeled another in and put it back in the water. This situation was repeated countless times till in short time a crowd had gathered around me to watch. The constant activity drew more and more people who were not having the same luck as me. As the crowd grew larger and a few cast their lines near me with no luck they became talkative and inquisitive.
 
I was asked if I was a professional fisherman just slumming at the park today. Another wondered if I could teach him to catch and release like me. Still others wondered if I had special gear even though it was obvious I was using one of the familiar low end fishing outfits I carry just for panfish. The fish seemed to jump on my line. I didn't tell anyone I had a small spoon and spinner lure attached to the line just above the hook. When it hits the water it flashes light which attracts the fish.
 
Someone said he's caught and released 50 so far. Another said, no, I counted 61. I had no idea because of the interaction with the crowd and wondered how many I caught before my audience arrived. A young fella asked if I minded if he kept a few of the cats for fish stew and ran to get a bucket. I recalled counting 11 which I put in his bucket as he joyfully clapped while the process was going on. I used only a tip of a worm for each cast and most times just pulled that piece back down to cover the tip of the hook. Out of the many catches I made then I caught a few small striped bass and at least a few sunfish but the vast majority of the catches were catfish. They were mainly from 5 inches to maybe 8 to 10 inches long. A couple would have made a nice meal but I refused to break the aura I was in making so many catches so fast.
 
I was there in my professional fishing mode about 2 hours and frankly I got tired of the action and told the crowd, to their collective sighs, that it was time for me to go home. Thru my packing up stage I was asked when I would return and if I could teach them to catch fish like that. It was a wonderful and thrilling experience and I am sure I will wonder if I cast into a large school of hungry fish or the shinny spinning lure did the trick.
 

Del Cano 2006 June