Fishin'

You know Natureman has a difficult time getting me to go fishing with him when he suggests going midday even though our land is bordered by one of the most popular trout streams that empties into the Mississippi. You may ask why and that's because I was raised by a fisherman
whose motto is Eat, sleep and FISH:

and who packed us up into the car by 4 in the morning to be where the fish were biting by dawn. So I know that fish really don't bite at other times except then and dusk when there's those mosquitoes. My childhood was filled eating cream cheese and jelly sandwiches for breakfast sitting in the fishing boat with our lines in the water awaiting bites. And we always came home with fish. Ironically, Dad doesn't really even like eating fish but he would clean and filet them since my Mom refused to even touch them. He would fry them for us to eat(to this day I can't stand the house smelling like fried fish)/he'd give them away.

There's a reason that Arkansas has been home since the 50's as it not only has plenty of rivers but plenty of natural and manmade lakes nearby. There's no doubt that there are fishermen in the Sherman family as you look around the abode where the folks have lived for over 50 years. There's even a wall dedicated to some of the fishermen gifts along with one of the prize catches.

As I grew older I became a fair weather fisherwoman and if I couldn't get a tan, I wasn't really interested in going. But my brothers took up the slack and even today my brother Marc is my Dad's fishing buddy. The fishing tradition was passed on to the grandchildren as they all were introduced to angling by their Pappa- first Lori,

then Steven,

Matt

Elliott-I'm still searching for that pic,
Becky
and Noah, my brother Keith's youngest who is most apt to really carry on the Sherman fishing tradition.

Dad wears his lucky fishing cap donned with feathers not only while fishing but any time he travels. Everybody aboard ship knows him by his cap and if they comment are bound to hear at least one fishing story. It's difficult to imagine how my Dad can go on his frequent trips without a rod and reel but maybe just being on the water in cruise ships knowing all the fish that are in their waters is enough to appease him.

And Natureman and I know he will be back to End of the Rainbow Valley as this is what he caught on one of his visits...