Ann and I went to a class party last night. It is a big class so lots of folks were there. Some Winter Texans were present and we were to mingle with them while we enjoyed the snacks brought. We were to change seats when the whistle blew. Being hard of hearing does have it's advantages. I met some winter folks, but gravitated to a table where some fishermen were recounting the day's activity. As a retired fisherman I had to listen. No one likes to hear what you caught back in 2007. I was reminded of some important fishermen skills. These guys were able to measure and weigh the fish they lost! "It was a seven pounder. Must have been twenty-eight inches long!". That is not an easy thing to do but real fishermen can do it. I used to, but am out of practice.
Fishermen ask for and give information carefully. "Where'd you fish?" "You know where Catclaw Slough is?" (You always say "yep", whether you do or not.) "Well, we were about three quarters of a mile from there. You could see the smokestack at the carbon black." Closed!!
That's all you are going to get. You never say, "No, tell me exactly where you were!" You might as well ask how much money they have in the bank.Fishermen guard their hotspots.
One more thing: A fisherman is allowed certain privileges with the English language. You can say when telling your story...."Me and......". It is not acceptable to say, "My father and I were....." Come on! It is always, "Me and Pop hit the water just before sunrise and headed...."
O, one other thing: Never interrupt a story. It is rude. Also the teller may have forgotten it when his turn comes again.
Who would I most like to fish with? My first choice would be Jesus, In John 21 after His resurrection Jesus came upon His guys back to fishing. (Living Bible) "He called,' Any fish boys?'. "No!" "Throw out your net on the right side of the boat and you'll get plenty of them." So we did and couldn't draw in the net because of the weight of the fish, there were so many." (John 21:5-6) That's a Fisherman!