Cool, sounds like my Mom, couldn't get her out in the boat when she got older. We took Dad out in the Larson, but Mom wouldn't go. Great photo of you and your Dad, Nancy, thanks. Your Mom was moving on there too.
A little humor about fishing. Does anyone ever have any? "A fishy situation". Or strange boat experiences? We did once on our 1964 Larson, one night in downtown Jacksonville, at a Greg Alman concert. This concert was the first time Dickie Betts and Greg had reunited since the falling out they had over drugs, and one had turned states evidence over the other or something. Anyway, We were right up front of the band and I watched the whole concert in front of a fence. Some of the band members or staff came up to us and asked Marie if they knew her, and that some of the members thought they did, calling her some name which I don't remember, Marie was a real knock-out beauty, when she was young, not that to me she still isn't. Anyhow she said no it's not me and I said good get gone son. But when we were out there they kept smoking pot around me and I was wasted from smelling it and only had a couple of beers that night, honest. When it was over and we went back to 64 Larson there was a small fire burning from some wires shorting near the batteries. I quickly extinguished it and cranked and we were on our way back to the landing where we put in the same one Marie wrestled that gator weeks before. Well coming back from Landing in downtown Jacksonville you go into a large body of water very open area and a storm had kicked up and the lightning was popping all around us in that water. I was; like I said "stoned as hell", out there, thanks to those "pot smokers", and trying to head right direction to get back to where we came from, at the dock. Being so messed up I was only going round and round in circles until another boat came up and told me how to head toward Timaquanta bridge I think it was called and Marie has been trying to get me away from Helm so she could drive the boat but every time she tried she fell backward because of lightning and waves with boat bouncing. But we did make it back after the folks on the other boat pointed us in the right direction. I don't believe in drinking and driving or pot use while operating any motorized anything, Just saying we were young then. A lot can happen out on the water that those back on dry land will never get to experience for themselves. Fishing is not the boring sport that some people think it is. On the contrary, a good fishing outing is full of challenges, strange situations, and hilarious unexpected predicaments. Don't believe us? Then take a look at these LOL-worthy photos that are sure to change your mind about the sport. Soon you'll understand that fishing can be much more intense and eventful than you realized.
After my reply here, I'll see about putting a few photos here. Our first boat was a 16', 1989 Invader I/O 4 cylinder, Bowrider. Bought here in Colorado in 2004. Spent numerous summer weekends going to one local State Park Lake fishing from rainbow trout in No Wake Area. Got some nice ones that I'll put a picture on showing a Sunday catch. After getting tired of fishing, we would beach the boat, set up an awning and relax under it. Consigned the boat back to the Dealer we bought it from when we moved to North Carolina/Lake Norman area. The day we called to have it transported to us, it was sold the day before. Then, we found out about the Nuclear Power Plant that was at the one end of Lake Norman and decided not to buy a boat there. Moved down to Jacksonville, Florida in January 2009 and started looking for another boat. Wound up with a 20' Celebrity Cuddy Cabin I/O w/5.7L V8 350 Chevy engine. When we moved back to Colorado in 2019, had it transported here, but had to change the prop (due to higher elevation) and change outdrive Anodes to freshwater ones. This boat had never been in freshwater before. Have put quite a bit of money into the boat, engine/outdrive...........but, all worth it. Have never slept in the Cuddy Cabin due to how small it is. Heck, due to my wife's lack of strength, we bought an electric winch. Installed both winch and battery on trailer. Have a hand-remote to operate the winch. We absolutely love it! When we move again, wife had told me many times, "It goes where we go!" It is engine runs so good now, we can't even believe it.
Just imagine, holding a fish, then turning around and seeing that. I would be like, "here" and I will catch you another.
Sounds great Cody, would love to see photos. We probably went to some of the same places on the water in Jacksonville, we did spend the night more than once on the 1964 Larson, and we lived there for ten years. It was enough room to sleep, and easy to sleep, rocking at night on the water, long as it was no storms.
I used to wade fish on the Shenandoah River quite a bit. I may have been trespassing on that riverside road, but whenever I'd venture out-of-doors, I would bring garbage bags and clean up whatever mess others might have left. In this instance, if I got caught trespassing (I never did), I would have a few Hefty bags of stuff I had picked up from the guy's property to show...in any event, I'd always leave places cleaner than I found them. Those habits served me well when I was in the river and a game warden came paddling down the other side, quiet as an Indian...I mean a Native American...I mean an Indigenous person and told me to hold up my license so he could read it using his binoculars. Then he saw my empties lined up and told me to show him as many caps as there were bottles (meaning I had not thrown caps into the river.) I was able to do so, he told me to have a good day, then paddled off to his next goodwill encounter.
Good thing the old man taught us to police camp sites when arriving and before leaving. I think he just liked a clean ashtray.