Best Trip To Date

[clayton86]

Took my oldest son Noah out to do some last minute fishing before I head back this afternoon for Kuwait. It started off slow so he was spending more time throwing sticks and rocks in the water then fishing. After about a half hour I decided it was time to move. We took off and stopped at one of my secret spots my father showed me when I was younger for good crappie and pike. He was exited to fish there because it required a short walk threw the woods he kept asking if we could go hunting there in the fall for coyotes. Once we got to the water I seen the water levels were up and it was quite muddy stained water. We fished on that bank for a few minutes and I made the call to walk back out and try off the small bridge by where we parked. I knew of some structure that was below the bridge that might have had some fish on it. I casted to this old stove I knew was down there handed the rod over to Noah and in a few short seconds he started screaming he had one so he reeled it up and sure enough he had a big fat blue gill.

That was the only one we had got to bite there so we took off again stoped at the corner store got him some chocolate milk I got some cookies and a red bull(great combo I know) then headed to another spot I fished every single day as I was growing up. Same deal as before the water levels were up but it was crystal clear. It had changed alot sense I was a kid most of the bank had eroded so being the role model I am I threw him on my back and told him to hold on tight. I climbed down and got on the only slab there was still out of the water. I used to stop here everyday after school and fish my best friend Clay and I would hide our poles and tackle boxes in the bushes before school then after school when we were "studying" we would climb down get our gear and fish all day till our parents came looking/yelling for us. So I showed him the spot but it was to swift for the tackle I brought for Noah so we didnt stay long and moved to the top side.

Once we got to the top side above the waterfalls we fished behind the library( another ploy I used growing up telling mom I was doing homework at the library) There were some kids there fishing already maybe 8-10 years old. We tossed in Noah's worm I handed it over to him and a few moments later his bobber went down and he started freaking out and reeled in another big bluegill. The kids already there were amazed he had caught one so quick they had been there an hour they said and couldn't get a bite on night crawlers so my son gave them a pinch of his worms we use Gulp! red worms. We moved down the bank a little bit and worked another patch of cat tails and lilly pads and Noah got another big bluegill. When he got the 2nd gill from this spot he spooked a bunch of young swans out of the cat tails he thought that was the coolest thing but it started up the "why?" stage. We went back to where he caught the first gill by the other kids and he had a few good sized bass go for his worm but he missed them they looked in the 2-3# range I wish he coulda got one but also glad he didn't because I'm not sure his pole could hold up to it there was a lot of weeds and cover for them to wrap up in. He ended up getting 1 more big gill from this spot and he reeled it in and then ran around with it on his line showing off he thought he was king shi on turd hill lol out fishing them older kids.

After that he had to use the mens room and normally id have him whip it out and water the grass but probably not the best choice on main street by a library and a family having a picnic so we had to leave. We stopped at one more spot in town with no luck but he seen some geese and wanted to chase them so I let him run after the geese then we left for 1 more spot.

After his goose chasing marathon we took off to fish another spot on the lake he ended up falling asleep as we pulled in to park and I made the mistake of waking him up cuz boy was he cranky lol. He was fine while we fished but he was more interested in playing with the garbage people had left behind then fishing. We caught a Goby at this spot and he squeezed the heck outa it lol oh well just a goby. I told him we had to get going for lunch and pick up some zucchini and cherry tomatoes from the farm stand and he just started balling and throwing a temper tantrum wanting saying he didn't wanna eat he wanted to fish all day. I dealt with it and fished for maybe 5 more minutes before I just packed up and carried him to the car kicking and screaming because he started to not listen to me and was throwing garbage in the lake. Once we were in the car he was fine and when we got to the farm stand it was all over and he was in a hunting mood because the farmers boy were out shooting 3D bow targets so he started bugging me about hunting.

Other then his little drama queen moment it was a great day

[Big-O]

GREAT PHOTOS of your beautiful BOY!!! While you're overseas, remember we're only a keyboard away And Thanks for your SERVICE!

[MCS]

Awesome! Glad u got out one last time with him. Looks like he was loving it! Stay safe, God Bless.

[deep]

Very cool Clayton!

[roadwarrior]

WOW!

[AK-Jax86]

Those are some awsome pics man Thanks for sharing and thanks for your service for our country!

[clayton86]

Thanks guys, I'm back in Kuwait already sitting at the airport waiting for a ride I sure didn't miss this heat its 10pm and 105* out. Noah's going fishing again today with his papa to help take his mind off me being gone. He went to the airport to drop me off and was fine all the way there saying goodbye he told me where I was going and what I was doing but soon as I started to walk away he freaked out I almost missed my flight calming him down saying bye.