Fishing Buddies

The Making of Life-Long Fishing Buddies

At the age of ten years old a young boy didn’t realize he was developing a relationship that would last a lifetime. He visited the home of a man who would become a life-long fishing partner while on a family vacation. The visit took place in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia in 1974.

The boy already had shown a strong interest in the outdoors while especially enjoying fishing. He had regularly fished in a small creek near his home happy to catch anything that would bite. Panfish and catfish were the most common catch in this small body of water that most adults could have stepped across in many places.

Fishing equipment wasn’t important as a tree limb and short piece of line were many times his only option. A regular fishing hook was great to have but at times a safety pin had to do. If a bobber was needed his mother would tie a short piece of tree limb to the line several inches above the “hook” for a strike indicator. It was a simple but effective way to catch the eager fish in the small creek.

The man who later became his fishing partner also started fishing with similar equipment about 30 years earlier. He grew up near the shores of the Mississippi River in Southeast Missouri during a time of what many later called rough times. He later joined the United States Air Force and it is rumored he lied about his age as he was too young to have joined. He served his country stationed in New York where he met his wife of over forty years. They moved to Atlanta and called it home for many years where they raised a family together.

The young boy also grew up in the same area of Southeast Missouri while he developed his love of fishing much the same way. On this vacation his family was in route to Florida for a vacation and stopped in to visit the boy’s uncle in Atlanta where the two talked about fishing.

They stayed with his uncle for a couple of days and went fishing together at a local “pay-by-the-pound” trout pond. The young man had such a great time they planned another trip together that was to take place soon. It just so happened the boy’s uncle visited his home in Missouri where the subdivision had a two acre pond and they spent much of the time together on the shore of this pond.

They fished for anything that would accommodate them and enjoyed the time together. The following spring the boy once again visited Atlanta for another trip. However, this time it wasn’t a family vacation. The boy flew to Atlanta alone where his uncle picked him up at the airport gate. They spent time fishing all over the states of Georgia and Alabama together for a whole week.

These annual trips continued for the next several years until the young man was old enough to drive. From that day forward he drove to Atlanta often times taking a friend to fish with his favorite uncle. They would fish any body of water they thought fish might hide.

One memorable trip was to Warm Springs, Georgia where the boy’s uncle had a friend who loaned them a place to stay on a private lake about 60 acres in size. Every trip was an adventure and this one was no exception.

When they arrived at the lake they made a temporary home in a borrowed mobile home on the shores of the lake. The place hadn’t been used in several years and was full of many insects that had also called the place home before their death. Needless to say there were dead bugs everywhere. However, eager to catch some of the big southern large-mouth bass rumored to lurk in the waters, there was no time to do much housekeeping.

They set out in a borrowed johnboat and an electric motor attached to the back. The two could not have been happier spending time together and sharing a boat. Many fish were caught that day and the boy caught his first large-mouth over seven pounds.

When not fishing together the two of them were talking about prior trips and those to come. During the years they fished together from Mark Twain Lake in Northeast Missouri to Lake Okeechobee in Florida and many places in between.

When this friendship began the “old-man” was teaching the young boy about fishing. However, due to these early lessons the young man became much better at fishing and was able to teach his uncle a few things as well. The pair has enjoyed many days on the water together over the last 35 years. They don’t get to fish much together anymore but not a fishing trip goes by that the boy’s uncle isn’t remembered to some degree.

Many stories are told about when the two shared the water together. The boy is now a grown man with a two sons of his own. He takes them fishing every chance they get and passes along the lessons he learned from his uncle. The stories are shared of the “old times” with his uncle and all the big fish they caught together. I know for sure the “boy” has been heard to say that this uncle has had the most influence on his fishing over the years. He always refers to him as his “favorite uncle” and this was no doubt because of the time they spent together on the water.

This story has been written for two reasons. To honor the man who spent much time developing the love of the outdoors and fishing of a young man and to encourage others to take a child fishing. Doing so can form a bond that will last a lifetime.

Special note: This story was inspired by the relationship I had with my mother’s brother. I owe a special thank you to my Uncle Larry for his fishing lessons over the years. While we lived over 600 miles apart he always made time to take me fishing.

Copyright 2008, Marc Rogers, all rights reserved.