… I like to fish. I began as a very young boy with my father, through my teen years with friends, their families, my college days, right up until the present. You can say fishing is an obsession for me. A real addiction. The tug on my fishing line the narcotic. My adrenalin rushes when that happens and the endorphins flood my brain. One of my high schoolfriends family had property in Auburn, Ontario. It was located on the Maitland River. One of the best fishing rivers I had the chance to fish on in Canada. The mouth of the river was located in Goderich, Ontario some 11 miles from where we would fish and swim during the summer in Auburn. The docks in Goderich were loaded with commercial fishing tugs much like the one pictured above. I mention this only to remember that I had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of one Captain MacKay. He saw me fishing at one of the docks and took an interest in my fishing technique.
…He couldn’t stop laughing. He informed me that if I thought I was going to catch salmon that way I needed to change what I was doing. I was all ears. He reached into a box he had on his tug and informed me the fishing lure he brought out and now held in his hand was a called “A Little Cleo.” It was a pretty lure. It was stainless steel with a sharp stainless steel treble hook attached and on one side it had a dark green streak. He said, “this particular lure could hook me a Co Ho Salmon if I knew how, where and when to use it.” I was once again all ears and it seemed the only thing I did right today was run into a fisherman, who was also a commercial fishing captain, and with his help he had me fishing in the mouth of the Maitland River as it emptied into Lake Huron for Co Ho Salmon.
…I was impressed that he was willing to show me what to do and how to maneuver the lure on my fishing line as I cast it and retrieved it. It was a lesson I never forgot and an experience that I would spend the autumn months doing on a regular basis. I would see salmon jumping out of the water not far from where I was standing and wouldn’t quit casting until I hooked one. The fight was memorable and fresh salmon unbelievable. That’s why on a day we were celebrating our countries bicentennial on the Detroit River, The Scottish festival, sponsored by the Society of Saint Andrew-Detroit, I was shocked to see a fishing trawler marked Goderich, Ontario and looking very much like Captain MacKay’s boat docking along side of the Detroit River.
.. I recognized some of his crew and wondered if he had made the trip as well. I was pleasantly surprised to see him and he was quick to recognize me. I welcomed him to Detroit and he laughed saying “I think you went to far to fish for salmon.” I smiled and thought wow he remembers and I had to tell him I still have the Little Cleo fishing lure he gave me. It was too valuable to lose but I used it to buy many others that I have lost fishing for salmon. “Then your doing it right,” he quipped. “Where can I get a cold beer and a whiskey,” he asked and I pointed to the tents. He shook my hand saying “It was good seeing you kid but I got a thirst to quench.” He marched off to the tents and his crew was quick to follow all waving goodbye. They were on a mission. All I could think of was the world is much smaller than I thought. Ephesians 5:20
This is Captain T. I have fished with this Captain for at least the past 15 years. We continue to be good friends and retired prison teachers. We fish on one of Michigan’s blue water rivers. He’s showing his heritage and is proud of it. He’s not a bad fisherman either.
MJ-Way 