BIG FISH BAY

                                                             By Karin Cameron

“Grandpa you got one,” I said, as something in the water tugged Grandpa’s line. “Pull it in. I bet it’s a huge fish.”

Grandpa reeled and pulled, and reeled and pulled some more. When up flopped a piece of rubber at the end of his fishing line.

“Grandpa, where’s the fish?” I asked.

“I think it’s still in the lake,” Grandpa said.

Can’t all Grandpas catch fish? I thought.  “Give it another try Grandpa,” I said.

Again, Grandpa put bait on his line and cast it into the water. We were fishing for dinner in Big Fish Bay, our secret fishing spot on the lake. No one knew about it, except me and Grandpa.

While I was waiting for Grandpa to catch his fish, my line got a tug. I reeled and pulled, and reeled and pulled. Then up flopped my third sunfish of the day. Placing my fish in the net at the end of the boat, I reached for my lunch. It was going to be a long time before we would be back to the cabin.

As I took my last bite from the apple, Grandpa’s line got a tug.

“It’s going to be big Grandpa,” I said, standing up. “I just know it!”

Grandpa reeled and pulled, and reeled and pulled. Then up flopped a big piece of rope.  

“Grandpa,” I said, patting him on the back. “You’re having some bad luck.”

Again, Grandpa put bait on his line and cast it into the water. Casting my fishing line again, we quietly sat and waited some more. Soon Grandpa’s pole jerked.

“Grandpa this is it!” I said, leaning slightly over the edge of the boat to watch this line come out of the water. “I know it for sure this time!”

Grandpa reeled and reeled and reeled. Smoothly out of the water came the smallest sunfish I have ever seen attached to the end of Grandpa’s line.

“Thank goodness Grandpa,” I said. “If you hadn’t caught a fish today, I would have given you one of mine.”

“I’m glad you would share,” Grandpa told me, removing his sunfish from the line. “Because rope and rubber wouldn’t taste very good for dinner.”