More Merlin
Dateline 12-29-97
Fishing was made more interesting for me by my dog Merlin. She got so excited seeing a bass jump she would lean over the side of the boat as far as she could and whine until it was landed. This often got her in trouble.
She learned to watch me, and when I "went on point" leaning out and pointing my rod at the source of a strike, she would also go on point on the very edge of the boat. Since a bass sometimes jumped when I set the hook, she wanted to be watching. The fish jumping seem to be as exciting to her as it was to me.
One afternoon at Jackson Lake, Harold Arledge and I were fishing worms near a tree in the water. When I felt a tap, I leaned out to set the hook. I really did not notice Merlin by my right foot since that was her usual position. When I reared back on the rod, a big bass jumped. It surprised me and either I moved and kicked Merlin or she was so excited she fell overboard. Neither of us were used to seeing such success when I set the hook!
I had a dilemma. There was a six pound bass circling near the boat, threatening to tangle Merlin in the line or get back into the tree and get off. I wanted to land it. I also wanted to get Merlin back into the boat so she would not get tangled up. Since she was a good swimmer I chose to land the bass and then the dog. It worked out and I got both.
After weighing the bass on a De-liar, I put it back in the water. As usual, Merlin looked at me, at the water and back at me as if to say "where did it go? I wanted to play!"
Fishing on the Flint River with Merlin was an experience I enjoyed only once. That was enough. The first strike I got that day while wading the shoals, Merlin did her usual. The difference this time was she could go to the fish when it jumped. She did, and made me lose it while trying to keep the hooks from getting her. She also spooked every other fish in the pool I was fishing, ruining it for the rest of the afternoon.
I was also very worried about snakes and Merlin while wading. I never worried about them bothering me, but I knew Merlin would try to play with anything that moved. That would not work too well with a water moccasin, so I left her home when I went to the Flint. Those were about the only fishing trips she did not make with me for 14 years.
I did get mad at here at times. Once at Clark's Hill I was ready to throw her out of the boat. I had several crankbaits, spoons and worms in a tray on top of my boat's console. Merlin jumped around when I hooked a fish and her tail knocked all of them into the water. I was able to get the floating plugs but lost a couple of sinking plugs and both the spoons.
I would be willing to throw all my plugs away to have her back to go fishing with me again.
This is the second story about Merlin. You can read the first in the library of past articles.
Do you have a story about a fishing companion - human or other? If so, let me know about it at fishing.guide@about.com. for a "Fishtale"or discuss it in the chat room on Wednesday night at 7:00 EST. You can also post on my new message board - you must register to post.
Also check out Coming Next
Week
Next week's column topic, contest prize and new additions to the
resources lists.
