I’m always up for a new adventure, especially if it involves me getting to do something outside. Our small town has a big celebration every year that celebrates the day our town started. We have a big carnival, parade and the famous turtle race and egg toss. It is a really big thing and everyone in my family always makes a big effort to take part in it. It always takes place on the last weekend in April which is during turkey season. Every year, my dad tries to prepare a yummy lunch with the turkey that is usually always harvested. We all look forward to it because it is so good.
While we were all gathered together this year, we decided that we wanted to set out some bank poles for catfish. I was really excited because I haven’t ever been able to do it before.
That evening, we cut limbs and the guys found hooks and weights. The girls gathered things for dinner and my Dad and nephew, Wacey caught perch for the bait. I’ll be completely honest. I have no clue what to do to get those poles ready because I was in the house, soaking up the a/c. Sometimes it’s just best to go in and let the boys do their thing. I remember going outside to check the progress and they were just about finished. The storm clouds were rolling in.
The next think I knew, we were getting loaded up and headed to the river. I feel like as soon as we loaded up, the rain began and didn’t let up. We all got alerts on our phones about flooding in the area but we didn’t let it stop us.
We found our way down to the river, found the best spot and started working. My niece, Hunter and I were in charge of grabbing the bait and taking it to the guys while they shoved the poles in the ground and situated the line. The rain was pouring down, the lightning cracked and filled the dark sky with light. We were working fast and that river was rolling! We had ten poles and on the last one, I asked if I could bait the hook. I ran the hook in the little perch and we loaded back up.
When we got back to the house, we borrowed a change of clothes and tried to warm up. It felt like I wrung a gallon of rainwater out of my soaked clothes. I even had mascara running down my cheeks.
Two hours later, around midnight was time to go back out and check the lines to see what we had. Luckily, the rain had let up and I was so excited. When we rolled up to the river, it was like a race to check the lines.
The first one we checked was the last one we baited, the one I got to bait. When we pulled the line up the bank, we realized it was a pretty good sized blue cat. I was in awe. Of course… I had to pose for the camera like any true blue, American redneck does. It was actually somewhat complicated. Their mouths are very rough and it felt like he weighed more than my three year old daughter. I’m pretty sure that was not the case but it seemed like it.
I seriously had the best time out there, in the flood with the people I love. I learned something new, made memories and helped provide food for our fish fry this summer. Country life just doesn’t get any better than that!
By Carlee Magness