MEMORIES.

I have been fishing since i was 8 years old, when my grandfather,and father used to take me to the mighty river severn. Unlike today,where kids can go to commercial fisheries to ply there trade,and catch loads of fish. Everybody that as gone fishing will always remember there first fish they caught. Maybe a 2oz perch, from the local pond. Or a tiny codling from the beach. But when your fore fathers take you to the severn, it was a different story. They take you to a fishing spot they have been fishing for years, in this case it was called church rocks, near wesbury-on severn, just outside gloucester. Your mum tell's your dad, make sure he stay's clean?..Well! that was never going to happen. You get to the river bank,which is slippery with mud, and yes you fall flat on your face,hardly any clothing,or skin is left exposed. Your dad is running up,and down the bank, in total horror,of what your mum's going to do to him, when we get home. Your grand dad is holding is stomach, where it hurts so much, through laughting. Not because is grandson is filthy, but because he knows what is daughter is going to do to is son-in- law. My dad threw a wobbly, and said we were going home. My grand dad pointed out, whats the point in going home, we might has well stay, and do some fishing. Whats the difference, if morag kills you now, or later. (good point i suppose). Has a good move for my health, i decided to sit with my grand dad. He set my rod up, and then is own. Dad was fifty yards away still looking as red as a lobster. Setting is gear up, and mumbling something about mum. We started fishing, after my grand dad, put the worm on the hook ,and cast out for me.He put my rod on the rest, which came from a tree, shaped with a v at the top. He hardly cast is own rod out, when my rod was being jerked from the rest. GRAND DAD! i shouted, alot louder than needed to be. After he got over the near shock, of a heart attack, he leaned forward, and slipped, no messing, head first, with rod still in hand, straight in. Can you imagine it. Me 8 years old, holding on to my rod for dear life. Grand dad doing an impression of a seal, and dad coming to the rescue of my gramp. There was me shouting with excitement, that i have got a fish on to my dad, and forgetting about gramp, doing a very good drowning act. But my dad being a responsible adult, decided to save my grand dad, and totally ignored me. He dragged him out, getting covered in mud in the process. Now my gramp was getting on in age, even then. So you can imagine the state he was in, muddy, and soaked, just to name a few. There's me being an innocent 8 year old,( and not really grasping the fact, that gramps nearly went to heaven, alot quicker than he should of done). saying dad help me i have got a fish. My dad looked at me through a caked up face, with no real enthusiasm, and kind of snatched the rod out of my hands. HE then proceeded to land the most scariest fish i had ever seen. I thought it was a snake, and off up the bank i went. My first ever fish was a slimey eel. (yuk). It was about 1 and a half pound in weight, according to the two experts i was with. Well to me it looked like an anaconda snake. Alas because we were now in no fit state to fish, my fore fathers decided it was time to go home. Can you just imagine the picture on my mum's face when we got home. My mum hated my dad. my gran hated my dad. I got a hug, and a warm bath from mum. My grand dad got a hug from mum , and gran. My dad got nowt for is trouble's but grief, all day long. Well that was 42 years ago, NO doubt my gramp, gran, and parent's, are still talking about it up in heaven now. God bless them all. 42 years on, and now i still do a lot of fishing.

Do you think i'am a glutton for punishment, or what?

Isn't it funny, that not one of the incidents above, was any fault of my dad's, yet he got the rough end of the stick when we got home. Funny old game being a dad ain't it.