He gets the paddle, I got the shaft

Trout Whisperer posted on October 21, 2008 11:32 :: 2484 Views

If I forgot to mention this I really enjoy fishing. I can walk a creek or kayak and get the same enjoyment. If I’m canoeing or running my little outboard so be it. I don’t know diddly about largemouth bass or Muskie fishing so I stay with trout, walleyes, and panfish.

Northern’s and smallies get the seasonal itch scratched and spearing an occasional pike is a connection to the old ways.

So is carving my own spearing decoys or paddles. It feels good to use something I made, be it tying flies or roughing out a boat from the chine log to the final paint job. Its not factory perfect by any means but it works for me.

I spend way to much time each year producing paddles for my varied crafts. Some end up being useable for a long time. Some adorn the walls about my outbuildings, cabins or deer shacks. I have crafted a couple for neighbors and they are tough to part with. I get attached to some rather odd feelings and junk.

I make some that for one reason or another never will feel the j stroke but I keep carving them. I got a great idea one day to make one for my mailbox and put my fire number on it. I spent some extra time thinning the blade out and when I stepped back to show the world what I had suspended from the box I was really pleased.

Within a few days the random neighbor or guest even gave me a tip of the cap over my clever fishing twist for people to see my house number. Life was good.

Then for some reason my paddle disappeared. It was stolen. I made another. Same result. I made yet another. This one lasted almost the entire summer. I was thinking somebody must really need paddles more than me. The next one I hung, I anchored it with gate chain and dog gone it if it didn’t take off as well.

I called the local sheriff and said I was being robbed of paddles. Just paddles, yup just paddles. Well will keep an eye out and get back to you.

So now with summer upon us I hung yet one more blade. With the cooler night air I sleep with my windows open. It was 430 am, I thought I heard a car slow up at the end of my driveway. As quick as my pj’s could move I slipped out the door and scared some kid out of his wits. He had the paddle half unchained when I spooked the life into him.

My first thought was to have him finish unhooking it, then I would use it on him. I asked him why he kept stealing my paddles. He said they looked cool. I asked him if thought it he had enough paddles. He said he wouldn’t do it anymore. I said again, you got enough, cuz if you don’t ill make you one, but stop taking mine. I got a build one more and give it away.

I also told him because he stole so many of mine he is going to spend the day paddling my aged backside around a lake. Then he will feel how cool they are in his hands and not on his butt.

The Trout Whisperer

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