Thats right tighten up WB you been slippingQuote:
Originally Posted by "G"
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Thats right tighten up WB you been slippingQuote:
Originally Posted by "G"
WOW, you dredged up a good one!!! Lol
Big River Marine
Bill Burnett
870-635-0202
We offer Xpress, Excel, and Alweld Boats. Yamaha, Suzuki, Evinrude, and Tohatsu/Nissan Engines.
Southern Pro Tackle Pro Staff
Member, Tri-State Crappie Anglers
Chapter 22
As for Billy, 6 AM couldn’t come early enough so his feet hit the floor at 4:45. He tried to be quiet as to not wake his mother, but dropped a pan when putting away the dishes. Carol strolled in the kitchen at 5:20 and surveyed the room for damage. “Billy, what in the world are you up to?” “Sorry Mom, it slipped as I was turning.” “No harm I suppose, you sit down and I’ll make breakfast”. “No Mom, you sit and I’ll make it.” Carol gave in and sat down and watched in wonder as Billy made coffee and started toast and eggs. She couldn’t believe all this little boy was capable of at only 12. When Billy brought over the plates, she starred at him. “What is it Mom?” “Billy, you’re growing up.” Billy only replied “Oh Mom”, but inside he swelled with pride.
Right on time, Mr. Baker’s garage started up at 5:58AM and as was Billy’s custom, he was standing at the garage before the door came to a stop. To Billy, this was the trip of a lifetime. To Mr. Baker, it was too, but more than that, it was somehow a victory at the same time. There was so much to teach Billy yet and every movement was a chance to explain the how’s and why’s and look out fors, especially with a big boat on a big lake to consider. Mr. Baker was in a hurry to get to the lake, but not so much that he rushed past his checklists in his mind or skipped the opportunity to show something new to Billy. Just backing up to the boat and hooking up to it provided a host of things to go over with his apprentice.
They made the Cape bait shop less than an hour later, having not so much as a pause in the conversation. Billy would ask a small question and Mr. Baker would answer it in detail with his answers leading to other subjects. Billy drank it all in as best he could. After buying minnows and ice, they lined the boat up on the ramp and slowly inched it into the water. Billy waited to be asked to do something and tried to stay ready to help, but out of the way at the same time. Mr. Baker guided the boat over to the dock with a launch rope and showed Billy how to tie it off and how to hang a bumper to protect the boat and explained why you needed them in the first place. After parking the truck, they stepped over into the boat and Mr. Baker pulled their life jackets out and explained how he’d lost 2 good friends over the years because they were too dumb to figure out that people sink in water.
Mr. Baker fired the motor up and Billy thought it sounded like a race car. With the motor running, Mr. Baker couldn’t talk as easily to Billy but he still managed to show him a few things as he maneuvered out of the coved and idled past the no wake buoys. The wind was still very mild with only a little ripple on the water. Mr. Baker shut the motor off and caught Billy by surprise. “What’s wrong?” “Nothing Billy, I just thought you might like to drive.” Billy couldn’t contain himself. He wondered if he might get a chance someday but knew better than to ask. He smiled as broad as Mr. Baker had ever seen before and stood up and said “Are you kidding me ?” “Hold on now Billy, let’s not get ahead of ourselves, I still need to show you some things.” Billy composed himself and listened intently as Mr. Baker stepped though the procedures and what to look for and listen for. He showed Billy all the gauges and controls and the hot foot and how to use them. He emphasized the kill switch and explained how it worked and how you should never crank the motor without it attached in detail. Three times. Billy got the message the first time and promised he’d always wear one. After 15 minutes of talking, Mr. Baker let him crank the motor back up, put it in gear and idle out toward the mid lake. Billy was unprepared for how sluggish the boat responded to steering at this speed. Mr. Baker had him go from forward to neutral to reverse and back again a few times. Then he had Billy stop the motor and they reviewed what they’d been over and what was about to come. The next lesson was in how to plane the boat and the use of trim.
They re-cinched everything and Billy hammered on it, but of course forgot the trim. Mr. Baker nudged and pointed and the boat became a rocket when the nose fell. All of sudden they were speeding past 50 mph. Mr. Baker motioned to slow down and Billy let out of the gas too quick and the boat settled back off pad. Billy felt like he’d failed when Mr. Baker motioned to kill the motor, but Mr. Baker explained that pretty much everybody is unprepared the first time they take off and explained a little more on how to plane the boat off then let off some to keep the speed down, but not so much as to let the boat fall off again. Billy listened intently and this time he was able to keep the boat the boat on plane and at about 35mph. With it on plane and steady Mr. Baker had him make some sweeping turns and showed him how maintaining power and running the trim up and down affected the handling and attitude. Billy got the hang of it pretty quickly and Mr. Baker had him run it all the way up to 50 mph before settling back to 40 and heading to their first spot. When they got close Billy let out and the boat settled so quick as to give the back a quick wash down. This was another opportunity for a lesson.
They got busy baiting and setting out poles and Mr. Baker taught and explained the whole time. The Cape had no pole restriction, but Mr. Baker thought it best to start out with 6 to keep the action at a melee to a minimum. Just about the time Billy dropped the last rod into the holder, the one next to it went 4 eyes deep in the water and Billy snatched it. The fish dug deep and cut sideways but more out of luck than skill doubled back before hitting the next line. The fish came up and Billy held steady until Mr. Baker could get a net under it. “Well Billy, you’re up to your old tricks again getting ahead of me right out of the gate”. This was a Black Crappie and even though it was only 13”, it fought as hard as any fish Billy had ever caught before. Mr. Baker slipped him into the livewell and winked at Billy on the way back to the seat “Looks like we’re not gonna go hungry tonight”. Mr. Baker let Billy rebait and set the pole back out and just like last time, wham, the pole next to it went 4 eyes deep.
They caught 8 on that first stop and Mr. Baker managed to fight back and tie Billy 4 to 4, thanks to Billy dumping two fish at the boat. The bite slowed and Mr. Baker decided it was time to make a move, but this time he would drive and show Billy a few more things. The next stop was not as productive and only produced 3 keepers…2 to 1 in Billy’s favor, but Mr. Baker pretended to have lost count.
The third run was Billy’s and this time they would open her up to 60 for a short burst on the biggest part of the lake. As was usual with Billy, he caught on fast and listed to everything that was taught. He even managed to feather the stop to keep the back deck dry this time. Billy took to calling this point “Baker’s point” as the old man schooled the kid 8 to 2. Surprisingly, Mr. Baker somehow managed to remember the lost count when he put his 8th in a row in the box. Billy was quick to point out he had caught another 6 that didn’t measure, but Mr. Baker was quick to point out those don’t count and never have with a chuckle.
“Billy, we better call it day. I’m running out of steam and it’s already lunch time.” “I think we’ve hit ‘em a lick Mr. Baker, you’re probably right”, Billy shot back and said it in a way that Mr. Baker could barely tell he hated to leave so early. “Truth is, I’m just flat wore out and hungry” Mr. Baker said to let Billy know he hated to go too.
They made their way back to the dock and Billy tied them off just as he’d been shown that morning and Mr. Baker backed the truck down and loaded the boat with Billy sitting close to Mr. Baker so he could be shown how it was done for the next trip. They pulled out and headed over to the bait shop for a burger as big as a grown man’s head and Billy promised not to mention the menu for to Mrs. Ann.
They talked over the day’s catch, the lake and the boat without so much as a pause except to chew and swallow and when they’d finished they made plans for the following Tuesday to come back and ‘hit ‘em another lick’.
On the way home, Billy got quiet for so long that Mr. Baker thought he’d nodded off. “Mr. Baker. Thank you for taking me and showing me everything”. “My pleasure Billy, my pleasure”.
Wannabe...
Should have left this one BURRIED and FORGOTTEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Very good.....keep them coming
Atta boy!
You did a fine job WB ,keep it comin. I didnt realize you had that kinda talent.
GREAT JOB :cheers2
Great story Chris, thanks.
Excellent work. Enjoyed it very much.
Gewber has been sand bagging on us.