As I arrived tonight to a favorite walking trail a car was blocking the entrance. Driving slowly up to them the window descended and they flagged me down. The driver leaned out the window and asked,

"Do you know a good place to fish?"


It is so amazing how fast the mind works. My thoughts were instantly on a trip I took this summer to fish with my friends from 24/7.

Flashback-I can see Rickski, Ray and Coalman in the parking lot at Camp Ellis. Fishing was slow and we struck up a conversation with another fisherman. As striper fisherman do, we hit it off immediately. Sensing we didn't know the area he offered to show us another spot he lived close to.

Rickski, Ray and I were treated to some first hand local knowledge. He didn't ask for anything, we did offering anything. We had a bond as fisherman.

Forward fast- Inside the car were what looked like husband and wife and three children in the back. I asked , salt or fresh? Fresh was the answer.

Follow me I said.

About a mile away is a town park I spent many days as a youth fishing there for warm water species. The horn-pout fishing was always good. I signaled them where to park along the river. The driver came to thank me. All I could think of was looking at the glow in his eyes as he sized up the fishing. It was the same glow in my eye the first time I saw Biddeford Pool.

Pay back is a b_tch.