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Some of my favorite memories come from spending time fishing with my father. Dad was an unreal fisherman; I truly believe he could talk to the fish using telepathy. It didn't matter what species we were after or what body of water we were on, he always knew where to find them.
Year-Round Fishing Adventures
In the winter, we caught perch through the ice until the thaw. Spring brought bullhead, perch, and crappie, all just a buildup for the summer's smallmouth bass and walleye. Living in western New York provided endless fishing options with two of the Great Lakes, numerous Finger Lakes, tributaries, the upper and lower Niagara River, and the Erie Canal.
Bass Season at Dunkirk Harbor
When bass season opened, we would head to Dunkirk harbor on Lake Erie. The Niagara Mohawk power plant had a warm water discharge right in the harbor, creating a perfect spot to catch smallmouth bass and walleye. We would anchor our boat along the current of the discharge and fish until we caught our limit or the sun started setting in the west. Fishing with my dad meant staying up until midnight to pick up earthworms, getting three hours of sleep, driving two hours to launch the boat, and fishing for walleye before the sun was up. Dad would wake us up, telling us to have a bowl of cereal because we wouldn't be eating until we got home that night. It wasn't a joke!
The Fishing Routine
We'd come home, park the boat – a 16-foot StarCraft deep-V aluminum with wooden bench seats and an old 18-horse Johnson outboard motor – and clean fish until dark. After dinner, it was straight to bed. The camaraderie that fishing brought to our family over the years was unmatched. Brothers, sisters, cousins, in-laws, and friends all grew closer after spending time in that boat, thanks to my father's patient teaching and passion for fishing.
A Master Fisherman's Passion
Watching someone so passionate about fishing set the hook on a five-pound smallmouth bass with a fly rod, six-pound test, and an Eagle Claw hook with a nightcrawler was exhilarating and contagious. If you took all the fish brought over the side of that boat, you could feed a small country. The fun we had catching them with such a great person was immeasurable!
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Fishing with family creates memories that last a lifetime. Happy fishing!
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