One Cast, Two Fish Story

Posted byGary FultzPosted inabundant life, adventure, end of life, eternal, Faith, Fishing, fishing adventure, fishn, Gary Fultz, Know God, most imortant relationship, outdoor adventure, perspective, purpose in life, quality of life, relationship building, spiritual concepts, Spiritual Perspective, story teller, Uncategorized, victorious livingTags:, , , , , , , , , ,

One cast walleye 2 eml

Its not often a fish is caught on the first cast. Two fish with one cast is, well, unusual and has the makings of another fish tale. This one is special as it’s one of dad’s oft fished lakes. It’s still hard to think that while I was fishing, dad was taking his last breaths.

I was getting together with a close life long friend and we decided a boat on the lake over a crappie hole would be just fine. Taking the old boat out with an iffy motor was possibly an adventure so after it started we circled the lake and shut down for a nice drift, cast and chat down the less fished side of the lake.

First cast and bam, nice fish! got off. Wham, another hit and a tussle bigger than the usual crappie began. A very nice walleye was netted. The fish rolled up in the net and my hook swung free so I tossed it out of the way and untangled the fish. I was going to put the fish in the live-well but saw my rod going over the side of the boat. Dropping the fish I grabbed the rod and felt another fish on. Fish #2 was bigger and that’s my story. I had thrown my hook over the side of the boat into a waiting walleye.

We made several drifts, caught many small perch, another big walleye, talked about the stuff of life, dying, the future and navigating the days ahead for both of us.

My phone interrupted fishing and we had to go. Upon entering dads home I knew it was true. Dad was gone. I thought I had a little more time. This fisherman would trade all the great fishing stories in the world for some more time with dad. The reality is that life is that way. We live, work, raise a family, retire and die. Yes, I know, we fish and do lots of other stuff and it’s good. There has to be things in our lives as an aid to building deep bonds relationally. There must be ways to model faith, hope and Love.

Our family has a deep bond of love for one another. Dad and mom set out to follow God and live that way. Their kids (including me) live that way. Our kids live that way. Yes dad would have loved that fish story. I guess I’ll have to wait till I pass on to tell him.

Please click on some of my deeper thoughts and spiritual insights on dad and dying here. I wrote it last month after visiting dad knowing that time was short. Meanwhile, I will keep loving my family and fishing. In that order.

Gary

Published by Gary Fultz

Outdoors Man, Hunter, Fisherman, Guide, Writer / Author, Photographer, Public Speaker, Musician, Song Writer, Story Teller, Follower Of Jesus. Love God and family and total strangers

22 thoughts on “One Cast, Two Fish Story”

  4. Looks like you have been blessed with great parents, Gary. Some great strokes of the pen here also …

    “… like a salmon arriving at it’s birth place, there is no more will to fight the currents.”

    I can relate. Dad passed away 5 years ago. Mom lives with me now & what is left are only distant memories of their life together (71 years). Yes, life is a vapor is it not? Yet, there is nothing more precious than life itself. Blessings!

    Ernest H. would be proud of that one himself.

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    1. Thankyou for your kind words David. Yes, extremely blessed. Even more so to look forward to those relationships in eternity. I can only imagine standing next to dad praising our Lord. And, your mom is blessed with a son to take her in.

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  5. Gary, I just read your pre-death story. More profound than even your fish story – assuming it is true. Most impressed am I with the relationship that existed between you and dad. Not only because of what it meant for you, but maybe even more important, what it meant for dad!!!! Thanks for your graceful sharing.

    jdb

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  7. Your experiences are always inspiring to me, Gary, my friend. Even the sad / happy intertwine and circle around each other, reverberating between with a natural rhythm of life. Only the Creator could compose such musical rhythm turning our hearts toward Him and Home.

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    1. G.W. You inspire and encourage me my friend. Thank you. I suspect Gods fingerprints are on all the props around us when we are attuned to him in our walk. Even casual encounters change the course of others thoughts and lives….dad’s shoes are empty here but they have left big impressions in the soul of many.

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