June 10 – “That’s fishing”

Well, I actually went fishing yesterday.  The beach was way too rough, and there is still an awful lot of seaweed floating around, so I reverted to my shore of the Bay stand-by and went to Jamaica Beach.  I started out across the street from where Nathan and April live on Basin Drive.  It’s right next to the boat ramp, but there was just not much traffic on a Monday morning.  Not much fishing either, as it turned out.  I didn’t even get a nibble.  I packed up everything and went over to the beach to check it out.  I really do like to wade fish.  It was still plenty rough, and there wasn’t a soul on the beach.  Chris texted me that I better not get into the water under those conditions. 

So I headed over to a friend’s house in Jamaica Beach.  They live in Houston and he said I could fish off his dock any time.  Problem there was that there was a car in the driveway.  It was still early so I didn’t even stop to say hi.  There was one more spot that I hadn’t been to in quite a while.  It was a little strip of land on the west side of the village that bordered the main canal.  Come to find out, others have apparently found it to be a good spot as well, because the Jamaica Janes had supplied a few benches and done some nice landscaping.  It is now an official city park.  No amenities other than the benches and bushes, though. 

There were already two guys fishing when I arrived, so I took up my spot off to one side and made my first cast.  And within seconds … I was hopelessly snagged.  Ended up having to break the line.  Not such a good start.  The other guys were obviously getting bites, though, so I tied on a new hook and cast out again.  I got plenty of nibble, but for a long time not more than that.  My fishing partners weren’t having any luck either, so they jumped in their golf cart to try their luck a block or two further down.  I’m a little more patient than that.  I kept on casting.

And my patience finally paid off.  I felt a significant tug and the battle began.  After a few seconds I had a hunch this one might have made the day worthwhile.  The way it fought and the few swirls I began to see convinced me that it was a redfish, and I just hoped it would be a keeper.  My struggles caught the attention of a guy passing by in a truck, so he stopped to watch and cheer me on.  The other two guys started slowly working their way back to their original spot as well.  Sure enough it was a keeper red, probably 26 inches or so.  Nice supper size. 

I later had a flounder on the line, but I couldn’t land him.  Other than that none of us caught anything else.  But then, that’s fishing. 

Matthew 7:9-11 says, “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”

Father, thank you for the chance to go fishing.  It does help to recognize your awesomeness when I consider all the fish of the sea.  Amen.