Every year the James River Chapter puts on a great event for the kids... a trout fishing rodeo.
Abby loves to catch and eat trout and she is on Barry's invite list and always signs up. They have a gracious landowner that lets them stock a bunch of trout in a pond and they let the kids have at it.
Last Saturday, as you know, was pretty cold and miserable but thanks to the volunteers the kids kept warm around the pond with hot chocolate and fire barrels.
We started fishing at 9:00 and it was just a minute before Abby latched onto a big rainbow. She fought him with a nice touch for a 6 year old and I scooped him up in the net. A few minutes later, big trout number two takes off and she lands it at well. After a short lull, fish number 3 is netted. The limit was 4 trout so Abby decided to take a break and warm up and rest.
I walked around the pond to chat with Barry and after a while Barry's brother Andy walks over to Abby to get her picture with the fish... but there are no fish!!!! Somehow, the stringer that I've used forever, got seperated right at the swivel and the 3 big trout together had floated away in the pond.
The landowner was gracious enough to bring me a big rake to try and rake around the bank but it was real steep and I couldn't get out too far. Word had spread that the big fish stringer was gone and another gracious gentleman brought me over a large treble hook. I put the treble hook on Abby's spare rod and started fishing. Another guy, that used to post here on the site, was helping me drag the bottom as well.
Abby was back to fishing and landed another trout and said she would quit since she had already caught 4. Good for her. She wasn't too upset but you could tell she wanted Daddy to find those fish! I would cast out and reel in slow, take a half side-step, and repeat. I had covered the part of the water where I could without bothering the other people fishing about 10 times. I decided to cast out further and further doing the same side-step along the bank.
The pond bottom was covered with rocks and limbs and decaying leaves, etc. so I was dragging up a fair amount of stuff but no fish. Those of you that fish a lot (I used to, but not a lot anymore) can tell when something doesn't feel right at the end of your line. I felt something a bit different and gently set the hook to feel a slight wiggle. I figured then I had either hooked the stringer of fish or another sleeping fish on the bottom. I didn't say anything at first, but when the flash of multiple fish came to the surface I said "You guys ain't gonna believe this!". I continued to reel the stringer of fish in and got them to the bank and got my hands on it. The fellow fishermen, who all knew what happened, erupted in a chorus of cheers!
I turned to Abby and she had a huge smile on her face! The stringer of trout was saved, Abby was happy, and Daddy goes from Goat to Hero. What a great day!
Many thanks to Barry and all the volunteers from the James River NWTF who put this on for the kids. The national group at NWTF could learn a thing or two from this bunch... just sayin'.
Here's the happy fishergirl...
