Fishing, let's go fishing. I have seen lots of fish photos shared on Facebook. Like talking about the weather, some folks seem to never tire of fishing. It's a good past time.
My daddy loved fishing. I recall walking behind him and walking through the palmettos and pines down a wooded trail to the falls on Roaring Creek that flows into the Suwannee River about two miles northeast of our home. Daddy cast with his trusty Zebco rod and reel and he caught, through the years, I don't know how many small mouthed bass in Roaring Creek below the falls and a little further north, at the "mouth" of the creek where it flows into the Suwannee River. Good memories.
A friend who lives down in Miami and is a lobbyist over in Tallahassee has taking fishing up as a past time during the past couple of years. I am so glad for him. I think he has found the perfect hobby. He can do it alone and talk to the air (the man loves to talk, well it's his living), or he can talk to the person with him. I have noticed his fishing companions change on a pretty regular basis, no judgments here.
My maternal uncle, the late Bill Taylor, visited with us for many years at the Eight Mile Still this time of the year and he did love fishing. He fished nearly each day of his vacation, took a long nap in the afternoon and prepared to fish again the next day.
I recall a fish tale and everyone has one, of my paternal great aunt, the late Margaret Bullar, and her fishing companions "Aunt" Nancy Fouraker Morgan and the late I. J. "Bertie" Lee. They had been fishing for catfish all day along the banks of the Suwannee River and had no luck. At the end of the day Aunt Margaret saw the late Lonnie Morgan, who was a renowned Suwannee River fishermen, paddling his boat in the river and she motioned to him to paddle to the bank. She asked if he had any catfish and he produced a hefty string and she bought them from him. She strung them on a saw palmetto stick, fan intact and she hollered to her fishing companions who couldn't see her: "Y'all had any luck?"
"Not a bit," they replied. "The hooks and the sinkers are the only thing we've caught. How about you, Margaret?" She walked over proudly carrying her bought catfish on the palmetto fan. "I must have found the place they were biting," she laughed. Aunt Nancy and Mrs. Bertie exclaimed and couldn't believe it. On the way home, she told them that she bought the catfish and they all got a big laugh and enjoyed those bought catfish for supper.
Our rivers, lakes, creeks, ponds, branches and places at the Gulf will be busy this summer. Get out and enjoy the fresh air and the joy of fishing. Remember the Master Himself spent a lot of time with fishermen and once took a few fishes and loaves and multiplied that to feed five thousand with food left over. When I hear that story I think of my home and the deep south. Company was always welcomed and no matter how many were there. My mama, as well as both of my Grandmothers seemed to have "more than enough" for everyone. Good memories, as fish tales are.
Now, for those who want to fish for a little knowledge over the summer, the Suwannee River Regional Library has a Summer Reading Program for children called "Tails and Tales," held weekly beginning Monday, June 7, through Friday, July 23. Contact your local library to find out more information or visit their website at srrlib.org.
In White Springs, the Tales and Tails program will be held outside on Thursdays at 10 a.m. In case of rain, the program will be cancelled. Other events at White Springs include, Reading on the Porch every Friday at 2 p.m. and Movie Wednesdays beginning at 2 p.m. The library features a great selection of books, DVD's and other materials for children to enjoy.
We want everyone to have a great time. We do have a Code of Conduct for our patrons, including children and parents and guardians with children under the age of eight must accompany them. Following COVID-19 protocol, some programs will be outside, except for programs with limited registration. Please bring blankets. Spend your summer making your own fish tales or having your children fish for some fun and knowledge.
Go out on a leap of faith, purchase your grits, corn meal and fishing rod and make sure you stock up on mosquito spray for the "gallo nippers." In case you don't know what a "gallo nipper" is, it's a mosquito big enough to draw a gallon of blood when it lands and "imbibes" in your blood for a while. Don't forget about the yellow flies either, they can land a bite. As I said, don't romanticize in this part of the world about your ideal fishing trip complete with picnic spread out on the ground, unless you are doused with plenty of bug spray. Our home is beautiful and wonderful, but even "Eden had shadows" and, above all, be careful. We want you to be able to tell your own fish tales in the future and about the day you caught a big one.
From the Eight Mile Still on the Woodpecker Route north of White Springs, wishing you a day filled with joy, peace and, above all, lots of love and laughter.