Joe called yesterday, and suggested we try a little salmon fishing late in the day. We were on the water by 6:30 and fishing by 7:00. There has evidently been a new strain of salmo introduced into Lake Michigan, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha suicidus. That’s right; by 7:30 we actually hooked and landed a suicidal 16 pound Chinook Salmon. The beast make quite a showing for herself, but the superior intellect, imposing strength and total weight of the two fishermen prevailed. Before the evening was done, we released a “shaker”, and added another salmon to the stringer.
Speaking of stringers; Joe uses the “stringer” method of keeping his catch fresh (as opposed to the “cooler” method). He assured me that this technique has always served him well and that it takes up far less space on the boat. Far be it for me to argue with such logic.
As the sun set in a shmear (this is the Midwest Catskills after all) of golden afterglow, Joe pulled the lines for the ride home, and instructed me to put the boat in neutral while he hoisted the catch aboard. Yes, you guessed it, the stringer broke and our prizes drifted toward the horizon. Quick thinking and no small amount of luck enabled us to re-net the largest of the two. I’d like to think the other creature was provided a solemn (but unceremonial) burial at sea….. the gods of Lake Michigan having been provided, yet again, with a sacrificial offering.*
*Unfortunately cameras were left at home, requiring the reader to accept this account on blind faith.
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