Fathers Day Fishing Story

FATHERS DAY FISH STORY 
CLYDE SCHUMANN 
  
    It was Fathers Day. My family had bought me a beautiful set of waders to use with my new 
hobby of fishing. To celebrate the day and to give me a chance to try out my new present we 
climbed in the car and drove to the Deschutes River in Yelm where we were considering buying a 
river lot. The setting was inviting. We were in a wooded area on the banks of the river. We could
hear the birds singing and the continuous running water of the stream.
    I climbed into my new wa ders and grabbed my spinning rod. The water was running high so I 
was nervous about slipping on the rocky bottom. I looked at my family standing on the bank 
watching me. I was on the spot. I couldn't back down now. Ahead of me was the swirling water. 
Once in I felt the current pulling at my legs. The footing was treacherous. I started wondering 
when I was going to have fun fishing. So far the work of keeping my feet and hoping I didn't 
drown was taking all my attention.  
     Somewhere I had read that fish liked to hide behind rocks. In the middle of the river was a  
protruding boulder with the swirling water bubbling around it.  A fish had to be lurking in the  
slack water below the rock. I cast my lure on the boulder and pulled it into the slack water. I felt 
the pull of the line. The rod tip dipped. A fish!! All excited I reeled in line. My feet were  
slipping. With a super effort, I kept from taking a bath. For the next five minutes I fought to 
keep from losing the fish and at the same time keeping my balance. My family on the bank, as 
excited as myself, shouted instructions and encouragement.
     Finally the fish tired. I carefully took the hook out of his mouth and held him up for all to see.
He was a beautiful fourteen inch rainbow trout. This fishing is great. But what's this? My wife, 
Ronnie, says "That fish is cute, Please let him go." 
     I say "Your crazy! This is my first fish."
     She says "But it's so cute. Look at its eyes."
I look and am surprised at how expressive and brown they are- Like limped pools of sensitivety. 
The fish looks at me with his bulging soulful eyes. Then I hear, or think I hear the fish say "Yeh!  
I'm cute."
    I say "Christ! I can't throw you back. Your my first fish." I must be off my rocker. I'm
talking to a fish.
   Then he says "I'm too cute to eat. Besides, it's Fathers Day and I'm a father."
   He really got to me talking like that. I say "What the Hell!" and throw him back in the water. 
My kids must think I'm nuts. Before the talking fish with the expressive eyes flips his tail and 
swims away he looks at me with a twinkle in his eyes. He has a smile on his lips. Or is he 
laughing at me? Maybe he figures he has outsmarted me. Perhaps he's right but somehow I feel 
good about letting him go. I quess the kids are right. I must be some kind of nut. From now on I'll 
refrain from looking in a fish's eyes or talking to one.