Fishing With Daddy

Until the day my dad died I called him daddy.  I loved this man.  He took me fishing, taught me how to shoot a gun, taught me how to macrame, taught me how to cook, and taught me how to worship.  He was an awesome man.  I was fortunate enough to see my father baptized when he joined the Baptist Church in Forsythe, GA at the age of 60.  How cool is that?  One day my dad and I left early in the morning to go fishing out off the turnpike.  One of his favorite fishing holes was there but you had to get there before sun-up in order to get the good fish.  It was wonderful basking in the warm South Florida sun as it rose high over the scrub pines and basking in the warmth of my dad's affection and attention.  I was in heaven.  About an hour after we started fishing I caught a huge bass.  I am talking it was a monster.  It weighed every bit of 4 pounds and to a 10 year old that was something else.  I fought like a trouper and finally my dad helped me reel the fish in.  We got it in the sandy area at the edge of the water....and my dad turned to get the stringer.  He was so proud of our big fish.....well....remember I said I was 10.  The fish was so dirty.....so before my dad could turn back around with the stringer....I laid the fish in a small amount of pooled water to wash it off...and ZOOOM!  My big bass....my pride and joy....was gone.  About the time my dad turned around with the stringer to see a water moccassin swimming toward me....also in the little pool of water.....he drew his pistol and shot, killing the snake....but terrifying me.....and I screamed holy murder.  My scream echoed forever...and my dad started packing up our stuff so we could make a quick escape....just in case the Water Patrol or Game Warden had heard the scream that followed the gun shot.  All that remained as a reminder that we were there....was a dead snake.  I was so afraid I had made my dad mad and that he would not take me fishing with him....but....as luck would have it....the next Friday night we were on the Southern Blvd bridge fishing for snook.  I caught a 10 pound one on that trip.  I loved fishing with my dad and took every opportunity to do that.....and then one day.....about age 16....I became a girlie girl.....and the days of fishing at the turnpike with my dad were gone.  We still went deep sea fishing.....but no more canal fishing.  Sigh!  Do you have a special parent story you want to share with me....drop me a line in the comments section.  I would love to hear it.  Happy Tuesday!