Fishing the rivers one at a time…..

Fishing, oh fishing, when and where can I go next?

That is always the question on the tip of our tongues as the day rolls towards the end.

Having so many rivers in our general vicinity allows us to be choosy as to which and where we will fish this week.

This week we are heading to the Mann River at Jackadgery to see if we can catch ourselves a Bass or two for dinner.

Packing the fishing gear into the wagon, kids and the odd lure and some fat juicy worms, we are heading our with excited chatter, and the kids are eagerly talking about who will catch the biggest.

Today, I have grabbed my trusty rod and reel, which has caught me many fish over the last few years.

For the kids, the choice is hand reels, except Rubin, who loves his little orange rod.

Stuart always chooses a hand reel over everything unless it is beach fishing, and then he pulls out the big guns unless he feels the urge to use the whippy rods and reel.

Despite saying that, Stuart never ceases to amaze us all by hauling larger-than-average fish home on his trusty hand reel with lures.

Driving out, it is sunny, and the cool breeze of the oncoming winter is upon us, yet armed with jackets and some VERY necessary snacks we are eager.

Okay, so everyone can tell a fishing yarn, and this is no different maybe, it is! but a fishing yarn it is.

Despite all the chatter and expectations of what we were doing the chances of catching a fish in the colder weather are always slimmer.

It doesn’t matter really, the whole point of fishing is to get out with the prospect of eating some fish cooked over hot coals at the end of the day.

Chairs out, blankets at the ready, and a cold beer in hand, the reels are sent flying into the water.

Now the fun begins.

A few minutes (okay, maybe more) have passed when excited screams hit us from down the river, and the kids are like meat ants on the nest running back up towards dad, one kid short.

Wondering whether we have a fish, turtle, or just one falling in we turn to check what’s happening…

Nope, not a kid in the water, it is a fish, and Roger is trying to haul it into the bank before it gets snagged.

Rubin jumping up and down thinks that his older brother requires assistance as Stuart makes his way towards Roger (leaving me in charge of his reel) Roger yells, “I got this dad, I’ll get a couple more, so we can eat tonight hey”.

Stuart, the proud dad looks back at me and with a grin from ear to ear, yells, “that’s our boy,” and heads over to check out what he caught.

It is a bass and a good size around, 32cm long, and looks fat and healthy a couple more like that, and fish on the coals is a definite tonight.

We did catch another couple although I couldn’t tell you who got what as the first one was the most exciting.

We enjoyed them in foil over the coals that we removed from the fire we were relaxing near.

A beer for Stuart, scotch for me, and a cup of some good old hot chocolate for the kids before packing up with full bellies to head back home.

It was a wonderful day and as we always say “this is living the dream” and we certainly don’t disagree with ourselves on this point.

Have a great weekend and some amazing time fishing, and camping on the rivers near you.