Stuart
| Stuart went to the coast every weekend. He loved the smell of the salty air, the sound of the pounding surf, and especially the taste of fresh fish. No one knew how he did it, but he always returned with enough filets to feed an army. On any trip, he would fill at least one big ice chest. When conditions were right, he would fill three or four. He never returned empty handed, and usually had enough to share with his neighbors. Bottom fishing was his thing and fried flounder were his favorite. He not only liked to catch them; he also liked to eat them. The neighbors looked forward to Sunday evenings when Stuart distributed his catch. Over time, he became a fishing hero. He was envied by those who never caught enough to feed themselves, much less the neighborhood. His reputation grew with each trip. Sometimes he was asked if he would take someone fishing with him. But, Stuart was a loner and his answer was always, "No." One day he was approached by a neighbor and asked the location of one of his fishing holes. The neighbor didn't really expect an answer, but to his surprise, Stuart said, "Sure!" He gave precise directions to the best flounder spot on the entire North Carolina coast. He even showed him how to rig the line and bait the hook. The excited neighbor followed the instructions exactly, and paid top dollar for fresh bait from a shrimp boat that had just returned to the dock. He fished very hard for three long days. The unlucky angler never got a bite, never lost a bait, and never caught a single fish. Fishing was so bad that he didn't even hear of anyone else catching fish. Disappointed, he began his fishless trek home, tormented with the thought of having to tell Stuart that he been skunked. Being much too embarrassed to return with nothing, he stopped at a roadside fish market to purchase a couple of flounders. He picked the largest two in the case. One was a few ounces over eight pounds, the other about five. He told the clerk to leave the heads on and to lay them on top of the ice in the chest. As the clerk was giving him change, he asked where the dejected angler called home. The answer brought a grin to the peddler's face. "Then you must know my best customer who lives there too. Stuart stops by every Sunday to purchase my flounder filets." ...........Be reminded that small fish have large Tales! Captain Gus Gustafson of Lake Norman Ventures, Inc. is a member of the Southeastern Outdoor Press Association and a full time Professional Fishing Guide on Lake Norman, NC. Visit his web site, Fishin' with Gus! at http://www.fishingwithgus.com/ or call 704 617 6812. For additional information, e-mail him at Gus@LakeNorman.com. |
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| March 2007 |