Dad Put It On Me Today

[Al Agnew]

As we were driving home, Dad said, "You know, I enjoy the kind of fishing we did today a whole lot more than I do lake fishing." I was thinking at the time that I'm pretty fortunate that I can still take him fishing and show him a great time. Dad is in his 80s, and far from in the best of health. I cherish the days spent fishing with him.

I'd owed him this trip for a long time. I can't take him in the canoe, and this year has been hectic...I hadn't had the jetboat out since March. I was more than ready to get us on the Meramec. I knew it had to be getting into good fishing shape after the high water--I'd been watching the river gauges regularly for the last week.

Sure enough, the river was still pretty full, but green where we put in, at least. I caught two bass, one largemouth and one smallmouth, at the first place we stopped to fish. But the morning fishing was slow. Dad was sticking with his regulation white spinnerbait, while I experimented with crankbaits and jerkbaits, picking up a fish here and there on each. Dad had caught nothing until the third spot we stopped to fish. But his first fish was a good one.

It was a little over 17 inches. The picture doesn't do it justice, the fish was pretty fat. Dad obviously doesn't do the holding the fish out way in front to make it look bigger!

There were times when the fishing was very slow. I finally caught several on a white spinnerbait like Dad's. But it wasn't until the next to last place we fished, late in the afternoon, that we got into the fish consistently. I'd just told Dad that although this hole looks great, I'd never caught a good fish out of it. In fact, I almost didn't stop there. But something made me do it. I immediately hooked a big one on a crankbait that broke my line--weak spot in the line. Then I caught two 14 inchers. Then Dad, fishing the other side, hooked the fish of the day.

The white spinnerbait had struck again. Almost 19 inches. Right afterwards, I caught a 16 incher and a couple more small ones. Then at the last spot, I caught a few more and so did Dad.

Total number of fish caught between the two of us was about 35 altogether. My biggest was the 16 incher. Dad put it to me with the 17 and 18.5. And you know what--I didn't mind a bit!

[FishinCricket]

Some story, Al.. Hope to have a similar one some day (30 years from now, lol)

nice fish, pops.. Woulda won a Maramec tournament!

[rps]

My Dad has been gone now eight years. Looking back:

Dad fishing is the best, especially when you are very young or when he has slowed.

Bless you and him, both.

Good fish!

[eric1978]

You can tell that's a happy man holding those fish. You give an old-timer a white spinnerbait and you're asking for a whoopin' and you got it. Very nice Meramec smallmouth. Pops has me jealous.

[KCRIVERRAT]

My dad was with me a few years back on a Jacks Fork overnighter when I caught a 4 pound smallmouth. He at the end of the trip got a three pound plus. Dad introduced me to river fishing in the late 60's on the Big Sugar and the Elk. He retired down in Sun City, Az. and on our trip I had to keep telling him... "No pop, those are just rocks on the bottom". We were fishing soft plastics and bottom bouncing with stand-up jigheads. I was so proud that day that he finally caught some quality fish, but probably not as proud as he is for guiding me into the thing I love the most!

[smallmouthjoe]

Great post and pictures I may have to call up my dad and try to drag him out soon. Every time i ask him to go with me he tells me he's too fat and old to fish anymore. His doctor says he needs exercise and I can't think of a better way to get it than from wading around in a river. No excuses now.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Nice Al.

[DaddyO]

Thanks for the post, Al. It reminds me of the times that I've fished with my Dad. He is still my favorite fishing buddy.

[Troutdude]

What an awesome day to be cherished for life.

Many times over the years I have wished for just one more day of fishing with my dad. His good natured pokes at my purist fly fishing and me laughing at his bobber. Perhaps this will be in the great beyond.

[cwc87]

Great post and cheers to ya gettin your dad to go with you. I tried and tried to get my dad to go fishing with me two days before his surgery and he passed four days after his surgery. Kinda hits me hard, but at least reading your day with your dad cheers me up and your passion on getting him on the river. That is some awesome stuff sir!! Glad you found fish and it seems when I went on Thurs. the spinner bait was really turning on. If things stay right we are going to have to hook up again.