Fishing with Karl, Part 1

This Memorial Dayweekend weather was crap as usual. But the Daniel/Griswold family had a date with walleye destiny so we packed up and away we headed for the blustery town of Pierre. Hubby had arranged a one day fishing guide as a surprise for the boys, he was determined to catch walleye and lots of them. He researched a guide and found us Karl. Karl fascinated me, he LOOKS like a fisherman, while we do not, I learned much from Karl. We met up with Karl Monday morning, he looks at the sky, the forecast is wind and more wind. He talks about white caps, and maybe the fishing won't be good. Hubby's face gets that pinched stress look-after 19 years together you recognize it, it isn't good. Karl's enthusiasm is still there, he tells the boys we will find them.
We head out, I first realize that Karl's cool overall gear is not just cool, it is pretty functional, he looks WARM. I on the other hand am not warm. Then as we hit 3 foot waves I am not warm OR dry. The boat is rocking, I think to myself-there will be no sea sickness, please no sea sickness. I of course man up and check on Big and Small Fry. I am shocked to see adventurous Big Fry, white knuckled, not moving and QUIET as we head onto the rough lake. I ask him if he is ok, he replies "Um ya, I just don't know about all this water around us". Small Fry meanwhile sits up front, tells me he doesn't feel good, but the minute we stop and Karl starts calling him Captain and having him fetch him minnows and gear the kid loved it. He always said he loves the ocean-he may have found his calling.
We start to fish, and we start catching walley, some keepers some not. The boys are having fun and we learn lots from Karl (see later post). The most important thing I learn is that boats are not female friendly as far as bathrooming goes. Hubby ask Karl, "Do I just pee off the side or do you have a snake?" Karl tells him to use the snake, I am INTRIGUED! I think great where is my bathroom, I turn to Karl and say "What do I use, I don't think the snake will work for me." He tells me the live well works great, just open it and sit and he won't even look. I don't have the heart to tell Karl that I already blogged once about getting caught with may pants down peeing in the desert, I CANNOT blog again about it on a rocking boat in 20 mph winds. It wouldn't be pretty.

By the end of the day the sun came out and we were pulling them in like crazy, full bladder and sea sick stomachs forgotten, covered in walleye poop and had a great time. We went back to the camper in the big subarban with both boys falling asleep before we even got on the highway. Thanks Karl