Whats your most special moment, fishing or hunting?

[jkfirefighter]

Doesn't have to be because you caught your biggest fish ever, but could of been you fished with a long time friend or whatever.....lets hear your stories of your best outdoors moment.

[spike10]

Not ignoring you, just can't think of the one that is the "most special", I have a few grey hairs there have been a lot. Give us a day or two, this will be an interesting read.

Hey all you guys that never post this is your opportunity!!

[GunnySniper]

Not my best moment, but most memorable. A defining moment in my life.

Old man Jack was like my second Father, my mentor and hero. He did it all and shared it all. Many of my beliefs were formed by him. He taught me to tie flies, clean my reels, change the hooks on my plugs, most importantly, the ways of a waterfowler. Jack grew up during the depression, black market hunting ducks from a punt with 3 8 gauge canons mounted on the bow. He taught me how to set out dekes according to the wind, currents, and weather, rather than just chuckin'em out into the water. He taught me to read the birds in flight, and judge their attitude. How to identify breeds by the way the flocks were formed from a distance, Speed, formation, altitude, etc.. Most importantly, how and when to call, to litterally talk to them.

Jack, my father, and I, were out in the marsh on a bluebird day. We picked this location because we would not have "duck" weather. Not a cloud in the sky, not a hint of a breeze, and unusually warm. We saw very few birds, and they were all going someplace else. As 10 o'clock approached, Jack said," Eddie, look over the round house, 11 o'clock, I see a bird." "Where Jack, I don't see anything!" I replied. "Right over the round house!" Jack I can't see it, should I hit a highball?" "No too far out" Just then my father snatched a mosquito that was buzzing in front of jack about a foot away from his nose. "Jack" my father said," I think I got the duck!"
Jack just kinda deflated, Lit a smoke with his zippo, the smell that still takes me back to those cold mornings in the blind filled the air. He took a deep long drag, with his eye's welling up, he broke the old Parker double open. He carefully removed the 2 Paper hull winchesters from the chambers. He looked over to me with his hand out, "Take these Eddie, I won't be needing them anymore."
Jack's Failing eyesight, finally let him down.

They still sit on a shelf in my living room, to this day.

Jack instilled my beliefs that the knowledge I hold is not my own, it belongs to anyone else that is willing to learn from me. For it came from others that were willing to share with a willing youngster. He went out of his way many times to make sure I was included, even when my Father wanted to leave me behind. More than once he backed out of fishing with the group to take me out.

Rest in peace Jack, I know that your skies are filled with Black Ducks, and your rod is eternally bent with screaming drag.

[jimi4290]

great post gunny....

[fishstripers]

when i cought my 19inch trout 4 1/2 pounds was a monster fight lol took a good 10 mins to get in was useing 4 pound test.... that was a geat day for me

[Dobb]

There is lots of fond memories in the old memory bank,,Back when I was a kid,[35yrs ago] me and a buddy would get up at the crack of dawn, walk a quarter mile down to a river, along the way we would wait for robbins to be pulling worms out of the lawns, we would wait till they had one pretty near out and scare it away and get the worm. Once we had a couple we were all set. Further down the road there was a willow patch where we would cut a couple of poles to which we tied about ten feet of black nylon line, a split shot sinker and a rusty hook.
We would get to the river and fish it up to the falls,,then we would head through the woods for about half a mile to another brook,,fish it up aways then back down to another road. Up the road we walked to yet another brook, which was fished up then down and back to the road. After the worms were gone we would use fish eyes, gills for bait.
Up the road for another mile was Grammy's brook,,fished up then down ,,back to Grammy's house. When we had enough fishing, we snapped the end off the poles and put them in our pockets for next time. We would trade some trout for a couple of peanut butter sandwiches and a glass of milk and head for home. By now we are three miles from home, along the way we would stop at certain places and sell our fish for a quarter or two to elderly people who we thought had money. Our last stop was an old lady who couldn't see very well, she would buy our remaining fish but only if we cleaned them.

Day after day we would go through the routine. I oftened wondered later in yrs why no one worried about two 11 yr olds gone all day and blundering around in the woods. I guess way back then times were alot different,,no abductions or stuff like that. But They knew we had my trusty dog [Ginger} with us for protection. We wouldn't want her to follow us so we would run as fast as we could starting out . Ginger was so fat that she couldn't keep up,,but sure enough after about an hr after we started fishing along came Ginger panting and puffing.
Well, thats one of my fondest memories from way back,,hope ya all liked it
Dobb

[JakeF]

Nice story Dobb

I'd have to say that some of my fondest memories are from when my older brother and I used to camp out at a neighbors pond when I was a kid and soak chicken livers for catfish. We always had a blast, even when we didn't catch much. I still love being out at night, and rarely do I spend a night on the water without thinking of those times...

My first deer with a bow was really special too...

[fishstripers]

sounds like u had fun kevin lol i still do that but i walk down pine brook for hours and hours and come home loaded lmao lol