You and me goin' fishin' in the dark....

This summer Doug has really used his boat. He has kept everyone busy by taking night fishing trips every chance he can. In June, we took my sister, Vauna, and her husband, Mike, out for their first night fishing excursion. Unfortunately, for Doug, this is the position he was in most of the night: Fish wrangler.

You see, we had somehow forgotten to bring a net to facilitate the removal of fish from the lake and into the boat. This is when we talk about the prodigious skill of my handsome man. He spent the whole night reaching over the side of the boat and actually throwing the fish into the boat once they were reeled in. Notice how everyone conveniently moved away from the fish-flinging danger zone?

Mike had a great time. I'm sure you couldn't tell. He hides his emotions with great skill, doesn't he? It's one of the few times that I actually saw his face. Secretly, I think he is just excited to have an excuse to wear his head light.

Usually, every one is turned to the outside of the boat, staring into the dark. The only time you have a chance to speak to someone face to face is when they are baiting a hook, or they are taking a fish off of their line. That looks something like this:

You have to remember that this is about midnight, and out in the middle of a lake, there isn't a whole lot of light. When the flash of a camera goes off, you are temporarily blinded. You have to give instructions that should they loose the ability to see what they are doing, they should freeze where they are. Not a good idea to move around on a boat when you can't see.

Poor Miriam. I took a picture of her, and she was starting to wonder if her eyes really would return to normal (She looked right at the camera). Hint: When taking a picture of your daughter in the middle of a lake in the middle of the night, warn her first. Even if she is so freakin' cute.

This is where the story finally gets interesting. Well, OK. Maybe not interesting, but at least it's more humorous, at least to my strange sense of humor.

A few nights after this trip, we took my sis-in-law, her husband, and one of their sons on a night fishing trip as well. We had a great time. Doug was busy, as usual, but this time we remembered the net. He was much drier.

At one point, I caught a fish, (not my first of the night,) and Doug grabbed the net to help me out, leaning his own pole against the window. Just as he is helping me bring in my fish, his pole jerked, and then disappeared over the side of the boat. He ran to the other side of the boat to give a last-ditch effort to save the pole, but all was lost.

It is important to note at this point, that we had been harassing my brother-in-law, Kent, for bringing an extra pole. We thought he was paranoid, or that he got bored easily, or just couldn't make up his mind until the last second. Maybe he was just really attached to his fishing poles. It was at this point we had to eat humble pie, and ask to borrow the pole. He was most gracious, and obliged.

Doug baited my hook, (Thank you sweetie, I hate smelling like powerbait.) and I went back to fishing. Doug was finally getting a chance to fish for himself, and mourning the loss of his pole. It was then that he mentioned he had been using MY fishing rod. I had forgotten that we had swapped in the beginning. Dang. I liked that pole.

Meanwhile, Kent told an unbelievable story about a friend he was fishing with that also lost a pole overboard. When they went to leave some time later, they pulled up anchor, and there was his pole, and the fish that stole it, wrapped around the anchor line. We chuckled about that, and tried to feel better.

About half a minute after I dropped my line in the water, I felt another fish. I couldn't possibly have caught another one already, could I? Wow, what skills I have. Just call me "Mighty, Mighty Fisher-woman" from now on! I called to Doug to tell him that I had another one on my line, and he was stunned. I think he thought I was making it up, just to harass him. Then he saw the fish on the surface of the water.

He grabbed the net, and ran to my side. He reached in, and pulled out my fish. And another line. And another. Suddenly, every person in the boat started yelling, "I've got a bite!" It was complete chaos. Doug and I were laughing. Then suddenly, he was yelling at everyone to stop reeling in my fish! Somehow, my fish was tangled in everyone else's line. I pulled up one fish, and 5 other lines were hanging from it.

As Doug untangled everyone, he realized that there was an extra line. He pulled. Then he pulled some more. Suddenly he shouted "No way!" He pulled up out of the water his missing pole. That's right, folks! On one hook, I caught one fish, 4 people, and a lost fishing pole! Doug's fish had gone in circles when it was caught on his line, and wrapped all of the lines together in a big tangled mess. Didn't I say I was a "Mighty, Mighty fisher-woman"? You didn't believe me, did you. I wouldn't either, except this really happened.

I now have proof that it really happened, and isn't just a fish story. If you could see the picture better, You would see all of the lines that remain in the tangle that Doug was cutting away. Just in case anyone needs further proof that this really happened, I took a picture of the offending fish:

There it is, and notice the look of delight on Doug's face. He was very happy to have caught the culprit, and also to have back our favorite (OK, maybe just my favorite) fishing pole. Maybe he was just relieved that he wouldn't have to suffer the wrath of a ticked-off wife who no longer had her own pole. It's red, and I like it. We've been through a lot together.

Miriam caught the biggest fish that night, so of course we had to take a picture. She is turning into a Mighty, Mighty Fisher-gal herself. I'm proud of her for catching it, but mostly for standing there, holding it, while I try to take a picture of her in the dark again. This time she knew what was coming, and recovered quickly.

This is the final total of the night. Let's just say that we had fish for a few meals, and I am getting better with cooking ideas. Doug is polishing his filleting skills, and I must admit, he does a mighty fine job. Maybe that should be a Mighty, Mighty fine job. I guess we are a Mighty, Mighty family, now.

Just to clarify...

OK, I am the first to admit that I have faults. There are only a couple, as far as I have ever found, and I am sure that the rest of you are oblivious to any imperfections I may have. I know, I can feel your surprise from here. Amber has imperfections? Hard to believe, but yes. I, too, have yet to be twinkled because of my teenie, tiny, almost invisible faults.

The point I am trying to make, is that I failed to imply, or even blatantly state, that the problem with my lawn was a sprinkler head that had broken free of the pipe in the ground. Here we come to my slight imperfection: (Pay attention, you might not see this coming) Silly me, I assumed that it was obvious. Then I realized that the video that was sent automatically when I post something actually showed up as just a photo to those I send my blog to. Although it was a lovely picture of my foot, (I expect you all to believe that I had my toenails done just for the occasion) I now realize that you had no way on earth to figure out what was going on.

My sincerest apologies.

Next time I post a video, I will be sure to specify that you need to check the actual blog, thus overcoming my teeny, tiny, almost invisible fault: Never assume.

As for my other imperfection, I should be over it by next Tuesday. Twinkies, anyone?