So went over to sis in laws place to pick up some packages because had a lil address mix up and they got sent to her instead of my girls place like normal.Well walked in got my stuff and within a few minutes of me saying how nice it was out nephew was getting dressed grabbing rods and putting his car seat in my car
Went to Walmart to pick up some bait annnnd..... Well we had joked and he ssaid we need to spend at least $100 this time ....ended up dropping $99.03 ended up getting him a Shakespeare tiger spinning combojust to see if he could handle something a lil bigger and the tiger was one of the first "big" rods I got. Not too big not too little good mix imo. And for the whole $24 it cost if he broke it fish took it or what have you I wouldn't have been to mad lol .I swear I started tearing up a lil watching him looking at all the lures and stuff because I remember doing the exact same thing at his age. All that excitement, all the magic of getting ready for a fishing trip a fishing trip... Wil never understand why people try to kill that in a kid. That being said he's a bit too obsessed with the glow in the dark rod holders

Gave him the responsibility of pushing the cart around and not hitting anyone, he seemed to love that

Well we get to the spill way and it's kinda packed , 15 odd people within 60yd of bank. Me and nephew had to get in kinda a brushy part part of the bank. I had been telling him with it heating up id teach him how to look out for snakes so me can just avoid stepping on one and not get popped right ? Because down here as soon as it gets war it's nothing to see. 10-15 snakes of different types along 50yd or bank. Everything from canebreak rattlers to harmless water snakes. Well, I had been when we where walking down ,but when he bumped the lil bush behind us I hear that zipping sound a snake makes when it's moving though leaves. Look and sure enough one had popped out of the bust and shot away from us out on to the trail. Calmly told nephew to freeze don't move don't scream and to just relax. To which he did really well as I pointed the snake out about 5' away. Like 3 1/2' yellow belly water snake. Harmless really. Well it turns around and goes back into the bush to with I tell nephew " see we just spooked the lil guy is all he just wants to be be left alone" to which I proceeded to lean down grab him out the bush and pull him out to move him. Popped me about four times on the arm before I got a home of his head but was able to give nephew a good look at him. Was trying to give him a basic lil snake ID deal. You know arrowhead usually venomous rounded head non venomous. Cat eyes venomous, round eyes usually nonvenomous. You know nothing to make him wanna go out snake cathing but I. Cases he saw one he'd have a better idea of what he's looking at . Well looks like he's inherited some of the women's in his family's complete fear of snakes.i'm laughing about it. He's very confused if he should scream or what just kept saying " ID PREFER IT IF YOU DIDN'T GET CLOSER ! " Well next thing you know the people 20' down the bank start freaking out after one of the women folk saw me and started failing her rod around goin "HES GOT A SNAKE O MY GOD ITS A SNAKE ITS A SNAKKKKKE !!" I mean all slipping and slidin over the bank ..for a snake....20 somthing foot away...in my hand I walk up the bank and toss the lil guy into a reed bed in the middle of the creek. Just to come back to these folks trying to interrogate me on why I didn't kill it. When I told them I like snakes and it was a harmless one they looked at me like I was insane and packed up not too long after and took off while nephew was reelin in a lil bream. O and he loves these lil fish grippers I got him ..lil girly I guess but hay about the only way he wants to hold a fish now for some reason... Idk got him told hold some the first time I told him but I don't know what got into him


Well they move and we go take over there spot ..kid about ran over there as soon as they left


Well cath a few more bream and decided to cast the tiger out with some shrimp. Something kept hitting it. And I mean pretty hard but never enough to get hooked. Never seen hit like that before. Thought it was a gar honestly. Reminded me of a bream bit but bigger.Well I finally just let it sit and Said what ever it was would get over confident soon enough..well sure enough something decent finally hooked in. Gave it a few reels and told nephew to come get it and man the way that boy acted with that lil fight boy it's in him now !
Well we reeled it up and all we see is like a golden swirl... Like we had a ribbon or something...I though maybe a small gar ? He thought a snake... NOPE ! THE VERY FIRST EEL IVE EVER SEEN UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL!!


Grandma used to always tell me about how they caught eels in the creeks around here when she was a kid ( think she said eel was strictly for the adults)but this is my...well me and nephew's FIRST! And man he's so dang proud of it ! Whole care ride back he was talking bout how cool it was and wl we got home he was basically yelling about it to him mom and dad who I sent the videos of it on Snapchat and they where beyond happy and proud of him. Even got a lil video here since it doesn't show his face but you can hear his excitement!



More and more this is becoming one of my favorite things to do while I'm home

so you just need to bring a snake and you can clear out a fishing hole in no time.

The eel is pretty cool. You seem like a class act, Wolf

that's great, he will never forget you taking him fishing,

Wolfie, you have a good heart.

Smile says it all.

WS

You da man Wolfie

Way to go.

Man them eels can sure put up a fight.

eels slimy mess, role in the line and even up your arm if you grabbed them. We used to put them in ice water to slow them down. USED to skin them alive-hay that was the way I was taught as a kid!!! They were delicious and wiggled in the frying pan----I think that made them taste better to me......jk

That one is over a pound, $4 a pound for those, lol
Skin it , chunk it and fry it up, delicious!

I'd eat the Bream first

Good Job Wolfdog

Wolfie, I can't stop smiling. When he yells ITS A SNAKE!!!!

Some good times had by you two. Trust me that boy and you will never forget those memories. Good going

That was awesome thank you for sharing I am sure
He will remember all the time he spent with you
I really miss those times with my kids

IKR ! When her yelled "THIS WAS ALL WORTH IT"

Honestly this guy wasn't slimy at all which I thought was weird from what everyone has told me

Have protected many a fishing hole by simply saying " yeah your more then welcome to fish it as long as you don't mind tall grass and all the snakes "

Good stuff !

That was fun to watch. Great memories there!