View Full Version : Lee's First Walleye
My youngest son's best friend has been itching to get out in the boat with us and try for a walleye. His Dad doesn't fish so Lee's fishing experience is limited to brookies and some perch but the kid really loves to fish. Well, we finally managed to get it past his Mom and tonight we hit the water. His rod and reel were trout equipment so he used one of our spares. Keith started it off by boating a small bass, then I hooked into a nice eye that gave me just enough trouble to make Lee's eyes get big. It was 24" and no I didn't bother to weigh it but it put up a good fight. Then Keith brought in a big pickerel and my husband, Dave, brought in a perch. Then Keith brought in a walleye. Still no fish for Lee... He was beginning to look a little crestfallen so I commented that the next fish to nail my line was his to bring in. Dave caught my eye and gave a barely noticeable nod of agreement and it turned out that he hooked into the next fish and handed the rod to Lee. The look on that kid's face while he was playing that fish, I'm sure I'll remember it for a long time. I kept watching the line and thinking, "Stay down... come on, be a walleye. That's what he wants... a walleye." Turned out it was a walleye, smaller than the one I'd caught but still over twenty inches. That was one happy fifteen year old when we got the fish in the boat. And man, is he hooked. He can't wait to get out and try it again. Welcome to the world of walleyes, Lee :-)
Juls_WI
06-14-2001, 11:59 PM
Nice story Ness. Thanks for sharing it. Lee's a lucky boy to have your family as friends..;-)
Juls
eyedoktr
06-15-2001, 01:03 AM
Ness, nice job. That's what makes fishing such a great sport for me. To see the excitement on someone else's face when they catch their first walleye is a genuine treat.I have been fortunate enough to treat a number of individuals to this over the years and when we get together, they still talk about it. Thanks for sharing.
Smitty
06-15-2001, 03:55 AM
Great story Ness.. I know the feeling, as my dad and I have taken my 7 and 10 year old boys out about 5 times this year and I don't think either of us adults has actually reeled in a fish yet!! They politely take turns, but there's no question that when the pole bends THEY will be bringing that fish in. In addition to many walleyes, my 7 year old caught a 10lb channel cat a couple weeks ago. What a fight that was.. lol
Pretty cool Ness!
You just gave him a story he'll be sharing with someone he'll introduce to walleye.
I'm fondly remembering my introduction as I type.
"go outside and play"
sib
I almost forgot... After the Eye, he hooked into a nice pickerel all on his own. That fish took the fight to the top of the water , as pickerel's often will, and managed in mid leap about twenty feet from the boat to shake himself free of the lure. Someone more experienced might have landed that fish then again maybe not... it looked more to me like he just wasn't hooked very well.
But Lee got a charge out of it anyway.
FireTiger
06-15-2001, 08:00 AM
Cool story, I was picturing the boy playing the fish in my mind's eye,and I flashed to my first fish, a brookie 7 inches long,might as well been a 2000 pound marlin,then i flashed to my sons first muskie handlining the detroit river, hooked him on a 30'ft leader at night with the city light's reflecting on the water when the 15 pounder made a jump,he was lit up against the lights on shore and was off in a second,the look on my sons face,all wide eyes and face shinning,seems the one that gets away is the one we remember, Thanks for the trip down memory lane,