On a warm summers day my
friend CC calls to say to meet him at the only pond we had to fish. The pond
was Mill Pond filled with old bikes, old wood, rocks, and Carp. Big carp and
lots of them and by this time I had put in my time and learned their habits. I
was getting pretty good at hooking them. My old man had just purchased a new
spinning combo and I was NOT to touch it. But I did not hesitate to grab it on
my way out of the old dusty garage. It was early summer and it was 80 degrees at
dawn. My buddy CC all 6’2 of him (we were only 15) pulled up on his bike as
well. “Let’s do it Danno!” He said with a huge smile on his face. My dad had a
metal worker he knew make us some beautiful stainless steel rod holders. They
were great, easy to get in hard dry ground, and strong enough to hold the big
ones. I cast my Dad's rod out first with a large float and a gold Aberdeen hook with golden
nuggets of corn threaded up and onto the line. CC was fast and already had two
rods out. We fished on top of a high 5 foot wall with two large holes for run
off rain water to pass through. The fat boys always cruised the four foot of
coffee colored water in front it. CC looked at my rod and said “Damn Dan is
that your Dad’s new rod? Do you think you should be using it?” I laughed I said
that nothing could happen to it besides it is in that rod holder safe and sound.
Not two minutes later as I had my back turned baiting my other rod. I hear a
loud SHLING!! CC yells holy sh-t Dan! I
turn to catch my Dad’s new rod flying like a fourth of July bottle rocket out
into the muddy abyss!! Son of a B…… I ran and did not hesitate right off the
wall through the air and into Mill POOP Water Pond!! Splash!! CC yells what are
you doing man? I say panicked “I have to get my dad’s rod back!” Ready to cry
and up to my chest I search frantically.
I found a bike, a rake, and several trees. CC was laughing sooo hard he
was on his back kicking his huge feet. “I have never seen anything like this.”
I tell him too shut up man. CC calms down and says “Dan Man there is no way
your gonna find it.” Then Like an old horror film he points eyes wide and
whispers “Dan, look behind you.” Ever so slowly my tall orange balsa float
swims by me. I take a big swallow and I hook my arm behind it as fast and as
deep as I can. I hooked the line on my arm! I followed the line and there was
my old man’s rod!! I quickly reeled and the fight was on! As the stinky mud was all over me; you know
the kind that smells like a sewer dark black and fermented, I reel. CC stared
on in absolute disbelief. The carp devil slashed and splashed. This was of
course my first wet wade. I soon had a nine pound carp and my father’s new
combo landed on shore. CC between bursts of uncontrollable laughter just kept
saying I can’t believe you jumped in, I can’t believe you got the rod; I can’t
believe you got the fish. The moral of this story is stay away from your Dad’s
stuff! Oh yeah and keep that rod holder straight or you could end up with carp
rockets of your own.
What an awesome story! I just Tweeted it!
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