Fishing under the shade tree.

It is hot! Too hot for us to fish, my thoughts told me. My brother just ignored my complaints as usual and also as usual we had a break. School was out for the summer and boy did summer bring with it the southern heat! We had 30 acres of farmland to hike in. The cattle had 30 acres of land to graze in.

The deer and sneaky Bobcats had 30 acres to forge on, make and raise their family, and live to see those 30 acres another year. They were nowhere in sight, aside from the Bobcats who chose to roam at night, because it was too hot for them also and they had night vision. My older brother was very proud to go fishing for a great catch. I was shocked that my brother was still going fishing with me due to me complaining a lot that day, but our love for fishing never grew boring to either of us.

The sun was not boring, it was just too hot for me. It was too hot for the animals, it was too hot to fish, and frankly I was poor at having to endure the heat. The closer we got to our fishing spot on our land the more the wind blew the summertime heat in my face. I didn’t walk too slow, but walked just fast enough to keep up with my big brother.

It was a miracle I had thought as I spotted a shade tree by the creek. I was so happy to know that the shade tree was going to take away some of the summertime heat. I did not care if we caught a thing at that moment. I only cared about the shade.

My older brother was excited as I was as he took the first cast from the fishing pole under the shade from the tree. In awe the baited hook began to make the bobber dance around in the water! The part of the water he had cast the fishing pole into was the part of the water in the shade. Sitting under that tree catching fish made me think a lot differently about fishing in the heat.

To add to my pleasure it was an Indian summer early ripening the pears on the tree. Eating fruit as a snack while catching fish made for a perfect day to spend with my brother. My brother's usual understanding of my grumpy attitude and the shade from the pear tree had made my ugly unintended frown turn right side up into a lovely smile. As we caught more fish my smile and my mood began to succumb to elation!

My brother's already happy mood had intensified as his eyes stared at the water. The bouncing bobber gave us both a fisherman's glare. The little bobber would dance in the water sometimes disappearing in the water! In that moment the summertime heat had appeared to dissipate as we sat in the shade of the pear tree and caught plenty of panfish.

Boy was mom going to be happy that we had caught plenty of panfish! I loved to eat panfish and she loved to cook them. Throughout the year it was well known by my family that me and my brother were avid fishermen at such a young age. The feeling of the bobber disappearing with a fish swimming around in the water was a heartfelt moment of attraction.

Even more was the adrenaline rush I had always gotten as the fish would try to wiggle its way off of my hook while I was reeling it in! The sun that had given heat to the summer, the shady pear tree, and the wormy bait made it a great fishing day.