Ready for Another Crappie Day!

By

Lisa Carter Waring

The first time my husband announced he wanted to take me crappie fishing on Hope Mills Lake, I thought to myself,  “Why would I want to catch crappie fish?”  Little did I know that crappie were not only a legitimate kind of fish, they also happen to provide southern sportsmen and women with one of the most fun fishing experiences possible on a freshwater pond or lake. Why?  I was told it was because if you do happen to get lucky enough to catch one, they don’t go down without a good fight.  I remember looking out at the lake that morning and wondering if there were really all that many crappie fish out there.  After all, Hope Mills Lake, even in all her glory, was not the ocean. However, my husband assured me there were plenty of fish out there and they were just waiting to be caught.  So being a good sport, I decided I would give it a try. 

There were several important decisions that had to be made. The first decision was to determine the necessary supplies for the fishing trip.  I packed sodas, several sandwiches, crackers, chips and an extra large thermos of coffee. I figured that if we somehow became stranded on the lake, we would at least need enough grub to maintain us a day or two. The next decision concerned appropriate fishing attire. I was told I should wear comfortable clothing and rubber-soled shoes. I was also informed that sunglasses and a hat with a brim were both required.  These items would help cut down the amount of glare from the water and keep the sun out of my eyes so I could see all the fish.

 Sunglasses weren’t a problem but I had to find a hat. After searching through closets, I discovered an old baseball cap with the letter “T” on it like one I had observed Bill Dance wearing on one of his Saturday morning fishing shows. I figured if it were good enough for Bill, it would be good enough for me.  I packed it in with the rest of my stuff.

The final decision was securing the right bait, which according to my husband, was probably the most important decision of all. So off we went to Rita’s Bait Shop. I had never been in Rita’s Bait Shop so of course I had to look around a little before shopping for bait.  I was amazed to find all kinds of interesting things in the store, ranging from fishing gear to groceries. There was also a large tank filled with minnows. My husband announced that they would make great crappie bait.

I peered through the glass at the tiny little fish swimming innocently around in the tank completely unaware they were about to become crappie food.  I really felt sorry for them but was told we needed at least a couple of dozen. I tried to pick out the bigger ones that looked like they could be able to get away. As we left with our minnows, I had even started giving them names.  My husband informed me that it wasn’t such a good idea, so I stopped looking in the bucket.

Armed with fishing poles and tackle, we put everything we had accumulated in the boat and went out on the lake. My husband said we had to search for what he called a “good spot.”  Funny, when you are on the water, all the spots seem to look the same. We rode around a little while and he finally brought the boat to a stop and threw out the anchor.   He baited the hooks, which I refused to do for obvious reasons, and threw out the two lines in the water.

We both sat quietly and I stared at the orange bobber thing on my line floating aimlessly around in the water.  I was mesmerized by the sound of the water rippling beneath the boat. After a while, my husband looked over at me and asked, “What are you thinking about?”  I replied “The orange bobber thing floating around in the water.”  He said “Exactly!  Isn’t it great?”

Believe it or not, we did catch a lot of crappie fish that day and I learned a lot of things about fishing. Interestingly enough, the most important thing I learned is that fishing isn’t really about catching fish. It is about experiencing nature, getting your mind off the worries of life, just relaxing and listening to the sound of the water rippling beneath a boat.

 It is about being in tune with oneself and being totally at peace. I understand now why so many people like to fish and I am really looking forward to the day I can once again go crappie fishing on Hope Mills Lake.

You know, I guess it’s not so bad to have a crappie day after all!

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