Landlocked...?
I've had a good-natured obsession with fishing since i was a small child. I was originally imprinted with my Dad's passion. With eight elder brothers and several ponds on the family grounds, he had learned a lot... and over time, my Dad shared what he knew with me.
From age three to six, I lived in Midland (1976-77) and Ann Arbor (1978-79), Michigan. My parents bundled me & my older sister up at 3am and drove for hours thru the dark to get to choice fishing spots. Some spots off the map, which my Dad would pick up from older men at the office, who had kids his age. The best was a spot where we'd park on the shoulder of the highway in the middle of nowhere- after driving along a seemingly endless forest. We'd wander down a dirt trail and end up at a secret, hidden lake with shores lined with willow trees half-fallen into the water... Crappie Heaven. The Parentals would buy a Big Mac & Quarter-Pounder, and give us the two styrofoam containers to play with while they fished. Attach a length of fishing line to the tiny clasp at the front of the box and *VOILA!* you've got a BOAT. Mom routinely caught the biggest, and most fish. I went with the parents to Lake Michigan, where they caught yellow perch and channel catfish. When i was four, I watched an elderly woman spend over an hour reeling in a giant fish to shore- only to realize she had foul-hooked it in the TAIL and had been reeling it in backwards against it's will. The fish was over 40" long - an enormous carp. I will never forget how surprised i was when she gave the giant fish to my Dad- there were so many lessons in this experience! That gift was then promptly paid forward to many other Bengali families... I learned then too that the difference between trash and food might be something so simple as whether one ate with their hands or not?
From age six to twelve (1979-85), i lived in Charlotte, North Carolina. I went fishing almost every day in McCalpine Creek a few miles' walk from my house- using a wild bamboo pole i'd cut myself. We had contests among the neighborhood kids. I caught sunfish. Bass. Bullhead catfish. I caught my first yellow cat. I learned how to catch natural baits. Worms. Crickets. Grasshoppers. Wasp larvae. Crawfish. Minnows. Free Food. The Parentals never questioned fishhooks or small weights in the K-Mart shopping basket. Only smiles. My parents were never prouder than when i'd come home with fish. 16" flathead catfish was my personal best.
My Dad & i went on guys-only fishing expeditions to Lake Norman. I got bored and went off on solo-sneakabouts. I spied on other fishermen. "They wont tell me what they're fishing with/how their lines are rigged... but if you follow your curiosity..." I would report back and thru experimentation we both honed our skills. I learned all of the Chakraborti fishing superstitions. And the family mantras. We began our quests for the legitimate "Ten-Pounder." Record fish were always measured by length rather than weight.
In seventh grade (1986) I lived in Granbury, Texas. I went fishing in Granbury lake at least weekly.
In eighth & ninth grade (1987-88) I lived in Fort Worth. I lived biking-distance from French Lake, and went fishing there almost every day when the weather was nice. I regularly came home with 8 or more big sunfish. At age 13, I took over the task of cleaning the fish too.
In 10th grade i moved to Austin and have been fishing the local waters ever since. The coast remains a great mystery... a mystery only a short 4hrs drive away. I've caught my share of fish from Lake Travis. From Lake Georgetown. From Lake Granger. I ate lake records.
During the Dallas Years (1999-2005) I fished Lake Ray Hubbard and Lake Lavon. And Joe Pool Lake. And White Rock Creek. I caught my personal-best 13" Crappie in 2003 from Lake Ray Hubbard on a night i also caught a 22" channelcat. Very Accomplished moment.
In 2004 I took poles down to the Amazon during a trip to Ucayali, Peru. I caught piraña and interesting varieties of catfish. I drew from the years of experience in finding baits and fishing in the backyard creek in North Carolina... and was soon given the job of "fisherman" when living in the village.
Lately i've been thinking a LOT about fishing... definitely the number-one thing i shared with Dad - and it occurred to me that i should take this obsession to the next natural level- get off the shore! We had always fished from the bank, and i had continued fishing from the shore to this present date. Until... now?
An inflatable kayak or canoe will open up sooo much more territory! Impassable shorelines will become accessible! Practically any body of water can be explored! 'specially Rivers! At this point, it's not "IF," it's "WHEN?" and "WHAT?" Molly is excited too, being able to get us there- fully contained in a 30" duffel bag, weighing less than airline baggage-limit? Hmm...
to be continued...
From age three to six, I lived in Midland (1976-77) and Ann Arbor (1978-79), Michigan. My parents bundled me & my older sister up at 3am and drove for hours thru the dark to get to choice fishing spots. Some spots off the map, which my Dad would pick up from older men at the office, who had kids his age. The best was a spot where we'd park on the shoulder of the highway in the middle of nowhere- after driving along a seemingly endless forest. We'd wander down a dirt trail and end up at a secret, hidden lake with shores lined with willow trees half-fallen into the water... Crappie Heaven. The Parentals would buy a Big Mac & Quarter-Pounder, and give us the two styrofoam containers to play with while they fished. Attach a length of fishing line to the tiny clasp at the front of the box and *VOILA!* you've got a BOAT. Mom routinely caught the biggest, and most fish. I went with the parents to Lake Michigan, where they caught yellow perch and channel catfish. When i was four, I watched an elderly woman spend over an hour reeling in a giant fish to shore- only to realize she had foul-hooked it in the TAIL and had been reeling it in backwards against it's will. The fish was over 40" long - an enormous carp. I will never forget how surprised i was when she gave the giant fish to my Dad- there were so many lessons in this experience! That gift was then promptly paid forward to many other Bengali families... I learned then too that the difference between trash and food might be something so simple as whether one ate with their hands or not?
From age six to twelve (1979-85), i lived in Charlotte, North Carolina. I went fishing almost every day in McCalpine Creek a few miles' walk from my house- using a wild bamboo pole i'd cut myself. We had contests among the neighborhood kids. I caught sunfish. Bass. Bullhead catfish. I caught my first yellow cat. I learned how to catch natural baits. Worms. Crickets. Grasshoppers. Wasp larvae. Crawfish. Minnows. Free Food. The Parentals never questioned fishhooks or small weights in the K-Mart shopping basket. Only smiles. My parents were never prouder than when i'd come home with fish. 16" flathead catfish was my personal best.
My Dad & i went on guys-only fishing expeditions to Lake Norman. I got bored and went off on solo-sneakabouts. I spied on other fishermen. "They wont tell me what they're fishing with/how their lines are rigged... but if you follow your curiosity..." I would report back and thru experimentation we both honed our skills. I learned all of the Chakraborti fishing superstitions. And the family mantras. We began our quests for the legitimate "Ten-Pounder." Record fish were always measured by length rather than weight.
In seventh grade (1986) I lived in Granbury, Texas. I went fishing in Granbury lake at least weekly.
In eighth & ninth grade (1987-88) I lived in Fort Worth. I lived biking-distance from French Lake, and went fishing there almost every day when the weather was nice. I regularly came home with 8 or more big sunfish. At age 13, I took over the task of cleaning the fish too.
In 10th grade i moved to Austin and have been fishing the local waters ever since. The coast remains a great mystery... a mystery only a short 4hrs drive away. I've caught my share of fish from Lake Travis. From Lake Georgetown. From Lake Granger. I ate lake records.
During the Dallas Years (1999-2005) I fished Lake Ray Hubbard and Lake Lavon. And Joe Pool Lake. And White Rock Creek. I caught my personal-best 13" Crappie in 2003 from Lake Ray Hubbard on a night i also caught a 22" channelcat. Very Accomplished moment.
In 2004 I took poles down to the Amazon during a trip to Ucayali, Peru. I caught piraña and interesting varieties of catfish. I drew from the years of experience in finding baits and fishing in the backyard creek in North Carolina... and was soon given the job of "fisherman" when living in the village.
Lately i've been thinking a LOT about fishing... definitely the number-one thing i shared with Dad - and it occurred to me that i should take this obsession to the next natural level- get off the shore! We had always fished from the bank, and i had continued fishing from the shore to this present date. Until... now?
An inflatable kayak or canoe will open up sooo much more territory! Impassable shorelines will become accessible! Practically any body of water can be explored! 'specially Rivers! At this point, it's not "IF," it's "WHEN?" and "WHAT?" Molly is excited too, being able to get us there- fully contained in a 30" duffel bag, weighing less than airline baggage-limit? Hmm...
to be continued...