Remembering the old boy

[Hookset]

I lost my Pop exactly a year ago, in fact yesterday was a year since the funeral.

The old guy never stood a chance since what started out as prostate cancer soon turned into

spinal, then lung, and finally brain cancer. But this post isn't about cancer. It's about what fishing was like when he was young and the stories he told me from those days.

 

I think he would say the years he spent fishing back in the 1950's were some of the best times he ever had in his life. He used to spend a lot of time in the Gogama area as well as parts of Georgian Bay around Honey Harbour.

He used to say that back then it would take anywhere from 6 to 8 hours to drive up from Toronto and more if the roads were bad. He said that he would almost destroy his car driving down logging roads to get to camp.

 

Kinda funny but the best stories were always about his friends and the adventures they had instead of the actual fishing itself. I remember how he said he could take crackers and break them up then throw them on the water next to his canoe. The water would "boil" with Pike and Pickeral (no Walleye to him lol) eating the crackers and he could actually scoop them up with a net. The tools of his trade were old steel rods or a fancy fiberglass rods with level wind reels. Casting ? who the heck needs to cast ? he'd say. If you want to catch fish it's either trolling or drop her down right beside the canoe. Black dacron line was the ticket and there was only 2 kinds of lures that any man needed.

Lure #1 was a spoon. No brand names here, a spoon was a spoon was a spoon, no matter what size or shape.

Lure #2 was a Heddon Vamp or as he pronounced it a Head and Vamp. Fishing was amazing, even if half of what they used to talk about was true. Points ? Structure ? Humps ? pffft not likely. I think they picked their spots by wherever they could get a good drift and which shoreline was the prettiest. The fish came in hand over fist no matter where they were. Being a lad that grew up in downtown Toronto, the Rouge Valley was "country" to him and his trips up north were in the true wilderness. Today, to us, it's just South / Central Ontario lol.

 

What I learned is that back then the world was a smaller place, fishing was simple. It's was about friends, family and experiences instead of limits and shiny new boats. You got to be lucky enough to fish "wilderness" areas only after hours and hours of driving and kicking the crap out of your vehicles. It was a real effort.

 

Not too sure where I'm really going with all this. Sometimes I can post or reply to a subject only to think later "hmm, I kinda sounded like a knob there" I 'spose it's best to stand by your convictions and be man enough to know when you've been a "knob" and admit it.

 

It's gonna be a hell of a spring and summer, and it'll be the first where the old boy isn't around to tell me all the stories from days gone by.

 

...and to remind me why I love the outdoors and fishing as much as I do. And to remember what's really important in life...and fishing. A lot of members here have gone through worse than I ever have with loss of friends, family, and even children and I can't for one second feel disappointed because he's gone. Sad but never disappointed. You don't have to look to far to find someone who has it tougher than you do.

In the end he said "I have no regrets"

 

Thanks for letting me ramble,

apparently someone needs to get out fishing

 

 

signed,

The knob.

[Big Cliff]

What a wonderful tribute! Sad for your loss, happy you have such wonderful memories!

[lew]

That was an excellent read about your Dad, thanks for sharing it with us.

 

It's tough when you lose you a father but it sounds like he left alot with you !!

[Roy]

Great read about a father and son. From the sound of your post, your dad has lots to be proud of. He raised a caring, combassionate boy to manhood. You certainly ain't no knob, Bud.

 

Thanks for posting what you felt.

[Rich Clemens]

That's a nice read hookset and I don't consider that rambling at all. The loss is a tragic event, but keeping his memory and your combined memories alive will keep your Dad living on.

[pikehunter]

Your post is written perfectly.

 

You have many fine memories of your father and brought a tear to my eye as I was reading it as you reminded me of some of the things my own father spoke about.

 

Keep his memory with you and the fishing this coming season will mean so much to you.

 

Take care,

Harry

[medmart]

what a great post you have a lot of good memories of your dad which is one thing you

will always have

 

rob

[fatherof3]

great read full of memories,thanks for sharing

[camillj]

Good job, for what its worth ... a good ramble goes a long way .. and frankly is worth more ... once you have had a chance to write it and read it back to yourself a few times ... make a note to come back and read this again next year (and the year after that) at this time .. I am sure you will be glad you did...and you'll likely remember things you thought you forgot.

 

Thanks for sharing !

Edited January 11, 2008 by camillj

[Grimace]

Wicked post. I fish with my father steady, he is 60 and I am 30. We argue (jokingly) over techniques, spots. Make fun of each other when we screw up, run each other out of worms and minnows. My father taught me a lot when I was a kid. But in the last few years he has taught me so much more as a man. Your tribute to your father was awesome. The fact that it reminded the people here of there own fathers is a gift you just gave everyone.

 

 

Cheers

[camillj]

Lure #1 was a spoon. No brand names here, a spoon was a spoon was a spoon, no matter what size or shape.

 

 

Here's a spoon my Dad had made (in the early '60s) which I still use to this day almost 40 years after he passed away ... I figure he'd be proud...and Yes ... I would definitely dive in to save it if necessary ... but I use it with care and not really to catch fish .. but to watch it swim and for the memories it brings ...

 

[Fisherman]

Probably one of the worst moments of life, loosing a parent. For me it's when they play that tune by Mike & The Mechanics-In the Living Years, something I can't handle. Hookset, without a doubt, your story is worth the reading.

[irishfield]

Thanks for sharing that with another father-less OFC'r Hookset.

[OhioFisherman]

Hookset, not a knob! My Dad passed in Feb of 91 of Brain Cancer, fished all his life, grew up 3 miles from Lake Erie during the depression years, fish was food when work and money were not readily available. Quit school at 13 when his dad died to help support the family, never wanted much, water and a rod and reel and someone to fish with, we were close at hand.

 

Great tribute to your man! I still miss mine!

[Rizzo]

that wasn't rambling, because if it was I wouldn't have read the whole thing line by line. A good read and a nice tribute

[Rattletrap2]

Thanks for sharing that with us Hookset!

I enjoyed your memories and it was a great read.

[TJQ]

He said that he would almost destroy his car driving down logging roads to get to camp.

 

The tools of his trade were old steel rods or a fancy fiberglass rods with level wind reels. Casting ? who the heck needs to cast ? he'd say. If you want to catch fish it's either trolling or drop her down right beside the canoe.

 

Lure #1 was a spoon. No brand names here, a spoon was a spoon was a spoon, no matter what size or shape.

 

Fishing was amazing, even if half of what they used to talk about was true.

 

It's gonna be a hell of a spring and summer, and it'll be the first where the old boy isn't around to tell me all the stories from days gone by.

 

...and to remind me why I love the outdoors and fishing as much as I do. And to remember what's really important in life...

 

I have to say that that, after watching this board for better than 7 years now, that is one of the best posts I've ever read. None of this... is actually about the fish.... at least not for me... well said.

[ccmtcanada]

Great post hookset! And no, you did not sound like a knob. My father also passed away from cancer that spread to his brain back in 1995. Your post is timely for me as just this week I visited my dad's gravesite to chat with him about my familiy and life.

 

Memories are all I have left of my father....I would give almost anything to have him back for 5 minutes so he could meet my wife and his grandchildren....just one time. I know he'd be proud....he fished a LOT when he was alive and I'm happy that his last fishing trip was with my and my younger brother before he passed. I also have no regrets....great memories...and that will suffice until we meet again one day.

[kennyman]

That was a great post. It makes me want to call my dad. Thanks for rambling, I really enjoyed it. Cool lure by the way. I think sometimes we just make everything too complicated or fancy. Sometimes the simplest things are the best. Every once in a while we need to be "tuned in" again and reminded of what's really important.Thanks for putting things in proper perspective again.

[Headhunter]

Thanks for your post... I lost my Dad back in October and your post brought back so many memories of the man who taught me the value of fishing, the outdoors and so many other things.

I suspect the pain of the loss will continue to diminish over time, but the memories will stay forever.

Thanks for posting your thoughts, I for one really appreciate it!

HH

[bigbuck]

How things have changed!!! Great read and a fantastic tribute to your dad. He's up there somewhere smiling down on you.

[1leggedangler]

Competely awesome tribute to your Pops!!! He sure knew what spending time outdoors with the boys was all about. Thanks for sharing.

 

Cheers,

1leg

[Hookset]

Thank You All Very Much for the replies.

 

It sure looks like a lot of us are in the same boat when it comes to Family which is no longer with us,

and the great memories they left us with.

 

Thanks again,

 

Hookset.

[wolfville]

Thank you man. I live to hope my sons will one day say the same thing. And the memory I leave them with is as beautiful as your old boy does.

[John]

Great post and a great tribute Hookset. You are absolutely right, a lot of us are at that time in our lives where our parents are no longer with us. You put into words what many of us feel and think on a practically daily basis. I for one will try to be some of the things to my grandchildren that my Dad was to me.

Thank you......