Fishing Report

Kile made it into town with Tiffany. They had driven straight through the long night from Kansas. After catching up on a little rest at Daniel's appartment they came to the house to boil ninety pounds of crawfish. It was Kile and Tiffany's first time to participate in a boil and try to eat the mudbugs. I'm proud of both of them. Tiffany tried to eat the popcorn lobsters but couldn't quite handle the idea. The warrior spirit in Kile did much better. He kept any revulsions to himself and ate several. Quite a few of Daniel's friends from his highschool days came over to greet, eat and welcome the Kansas pair to Southwest Louisiana. My relatives Colleen, Gloria and Wayne rounded out the old timers gathering. Everyone had a good time and ate their fill.



The next day Daniel, Kile and Tiffany appeared back at the house a little earlier than I had expected, to go fishing. They caught me in the final acts of customizing my climbing tree stand to make it more comfortable to pack into the woods, next season. Everyone pitched in to get the fishing gear and canoe out of the shop while I finished and put up the stand.



After stopping by a store to get out-of- state fishing licenses and snacks, we left and launched the canoe at Prien Lake Park. Daniel parked the truck while I attempted to start the motor. It was the first time since the Christmas boat parade to use the motor. I primed the bulb, engaged the choke and pulled and pulled on the starting rope. Wouldn't you know the darn thing wouldn't start. I smelled the obnoxious odor of gas and saw the connector to the motor from the gas line leaking fuel.



Daniel and Kile went back to the store and bought a new connector while I had the pleasure of waiting at the launch and visiting with Tiffany. She was eagerly looking forward to the new experience of salt water fishing. I gained a lot of respect and admiration for her. If she felt any anxiety of how the trip was beginning, she didn't show it or utter a word of concern. I'm sure she thought she was in good hands and everything would be just fine.

I on the other hand, being the seasoned veteran of many unusual outdoor experiences that I am, was beginning to suspect something was up and began to wonder if everything was going to work out like it was supposed to. The leaking connector on the motor was working just fine for the parade and was the first clue to arouse my suspicions. Not wanting to alarm our guests or present the persona of being a worry wort, I kept my thoughts to my self.



The young soldiers returned with the new part and I replaced it and tried again, to start the motor. It fired right up and laid my growing suspicions to rest. With a great distance to travel, I opened the throttle and applied the gas to run at full speed. About eight hundred yards later the motor died and stubbornly refused to start. We were stranded.

I had looked before leaving the house and knew Daniel had forgotten to put the paddles into the boat. Here's how the conversation sorta went, after I announced the motor was kaput.

" Dad, what are we gonna do now?"

"Did you get the paddles?"

"No sir, I forgot."

"Well, I didn't. I found yours and put it in the boat. I meant to go back and get mine, but forgot. It's on the floor, under the net and ice chest." He looked at me with a crooked smile and didn't argue. He knew I had him and was determined to make a good impression in front of our guests. I was proud of him and worried at the same time. I knew he'll find a way to get even.



To make a long story short. We made the best of it by casting out the lines to fish. Kile's pretty girlfrienTiffany had a lot of fun by catching the greatest number and the largest, a black drum. As a matter of fact, as much as my pride hates to admit it, I am quite sure she ended up reeling in more than all of the rest of us, combined.



At the end of the trip Daniel and Kile (being the good sport and friend that he is) took turns paddling against the wind, all the way back to the landing. I sat in the back entertaining Tiffany with outdoor stories and occasionally shouted out words of encouragement to the warriors furiously paddling. You know the words.


"Keep paddling boys!"