The best part of a boys-only fishing expedition is catching a big lunker -- or a little fry.
Either way, six-and-a-half-year-old Cade Winkelmann of Bella Vista believes his dad and grandpa will pave the way for a successful outing.
The trio, which is packing about 90-plus years of fishing experience, is off to a good start.
"We've already caught four fish," the young fisherman said.
Along the banks of Lake Ann on this bright, sunny Saturday morning, Cade is ready to soak in some fishing knowledge. He boasts that his dad, Kyle, and his "grampy," Alan Terrell, are teaching him the ropes.
Cade, a kindergartener at Cooper Elementary School in Bella Vista, is pretty excited about the trip, with no girls allowed. He proudly shows off his tackle box, loaded up with tricks of the trade.
As the trio tries to navigate the waters, Kyle explains that he mainly has saltwater gear, so the fishermen on this day are using worms as bait.
Dad and Grampy are patient, encouraging the little outdoorsman to be hands-on -- casting, reeling and taking the fish off the hook.
Grampy, Kyle's father-in-law, weighs in on the young fry's technique.
"That's good right there," Terrell tells Cade. "Let it float."
As the fish bite and geese fly overhead, Cade says he'll turn 7 on July 5. "I was almost a firecracker baby," he said.
The experienced fishermen hope to land some fish while introducing Cade to the love of the sport.
Fishing has created some good times for them.
Terrell grew up in Elkins, catching fish on the White River. He was a little younger than Cade when he got his start. Kyle moved here from Flippin, by Bull Shoals, which is known for its cold waters and abundant trout-fishing. Between the two of them, they have around 90-plus years of fishing experience. Not all of that time has been successful, they say, laughing.
As Cade reels in, Terrell instructs him to perfect his motion. "Slow down, you're going too fast," he said.
"No, I'm not," Cade said.
"Slow, like syrup," Terrell said. "You gotta wait."
Other fishermen along the banks are enjoying the warm temperatures. Several people have launched boats, parking their trailers in the main area. With the sun out, the morning is on its way to a day loaded with memories. The all-boys group already has caught some bluegill and red ear but had to throw them back because they were too small, Cade said.
The day is young, and there's other places to try. The trio of fishermen will venture over to Lake Brittney to see what they can reel in there. For now, Cade helps his dad land a small fry.
"Grab it with your fingers," Kyle tells him.
The little fish is plucked up, and Cade proudly holds up the fish. He throws him back.
Not all are keepers. Still, Cade said the experience is worth it.
The best part? "Getting fish!" he said.
Across the village, at Lake Avalon, teenagers Shawn and Greyson Garrett are fishing with their father, Scott, and grandfather, Tom Hill.
The four fishermen geared up early and have already fished at Lake Ann before coming over to Lake Avalon. The best fishing usually happens before dark, or early in the morning, Scott said.
This is the first time he's gone fishing in a while, but "the boys wanted to get out of the house," so they all packed their tackle boxes and grabbed some soda.
As Scott casts out, he says the guys have mainly caught bass. He's trying his hand at using a paddle tail and a plastic worm.
Though this is his first outing in quite some time, his son, Shawn, and stepfather -- Shawn's grandfather -- take to their fishing poles a lot.
Shawn said he usually fishes at least three times a week, "maybe more."
In comparison, his brother, Greyson, said the day's excursion is the first in about two years. He was compelled to accompany the others in the hope that the day could be super relaxing. "The lake's so calm," he says.
With bright, clear skies, two fishermen in a boat are trying their luck by the bank. Another man is fishing off the Lake Avalon fishing dock. Two kayakers make their way along the water.
On the dam, passersby can hear the water rippling from the lake's overrun, trickling down the hill.
Fishing is a little slow, and the guys are on the go. As they pack up for their next stop, Hill sits on the back of a truck bed, joking about his fishing knowledge and years of experience. He's trying to pass down some fishing wisdom to his two grandsons but joked that they were "too hard-headed" to absorb his advice.
"He's good at spotting beds," he said, nodding to Shawn, "and he picks up a lure almost every time."
It's only 10 o'clock, but the quartet is moving on to the next lake. They'll try their luck over at their third stop of the day: Loch Lomond.
They haven't caught a whole line yet, but the good weather and good company are making the day's mission worthwhile.
Landing a lunker isn't always the first priority, but something that can't be measured: "Spending time with family," Shawn said.
General News on 05/06/2020