Everyone has a fishing story...

Here's mine...

Caught this baby without trying, really. First one in our whole group to make a catch. I was the total rookie, mind you.
To start, I cast my line in way too far (I'm such a rookie, I had to ask my husband how to say this) and caught a stick off the edge. Then I got my hook tangled on a rope by the pier we were on, and just as I untangled it and it finally went in the water, something started pulling on my pole really hard! All this occurred in like less than like two minutes.... When I felt the pull I completely FREAKED out. I didn't know what it was. Yes, it was my first time catching a fish (I think I'd only really fished one other time and I remember having a horrible phobia of hooks when I was little. The other time I fell in the lake and took my fishing buddy down with me. It was not warm out, so that pretty much ended our little fishing outing)
My husband would not help me pull the fish in, though I begged. He really wanted me to do it. I didn't know what to do. It was a strong little guy. Well, not so little, really. I couldn't roll him in. I think the proper word is "reel" him in.
Eventually I just pulled him in somehow, in total fear and shock (see top picture, not very graceful)

It was all very awkward and wonderful and it made my day. Really, I praised God that I caught this small-mouthed bass! It was a like a little gift from Jesus, the master fisherman.
Right before I decided to try to fish, I remember thinking that it seemed kinda boring and pointless (sorry Jesus). Where's the appeal? Now I kinda get it. I think I would LOVE fly-fishing, though.
So, that's me with the beauty.... Of course, we put her back after we all pet her. My daughter was mesmerized by the whole experience and would not stop boasting about my catch, as if my gloating wasn't enough.
That day I overcame my fear of fishing hooks and fish (not the worms). I still won't eat fish, but I will touch them when they're alive. They're kinda cute.

(I wrote this two months ago when I got back from Lake of the Ozarks where this catch occurred...got distracted and never posted it until now...)

Shortly after our trip, we bought our first pet fish for our daughter Maggie. We named him swimmy. I'm very fond of fish now. Well, there actually is one kind of fish I will eat-- canned chunk tuna. But only because I was tricked by my parents into eating it as a child (they told me it was a mayonnaise "sauce"). I ate this "sauce" unawares for several years and grew to like it... I still eat it drenched in mayo.