Go Fish By Dr. Jack A. Mills, Jr.
»MY FIRST recollection of fishing was digging. After about an hour or two, my father and I might be lucky enough to find 75 to 100 worms. Then, to the river to find a nice eddy hole with no branches overhead so we could flip our lines, hook and sinker, in hopes a fish would spot the worm. This was in the middle 1930s. Most of the fishing was from the banks or wading. The few boats that were used were moved by paddles or oars. Once in a while you could hear a motor putting up and down. There were fewer gators then, more beaver and deeper channels. In the summers after school was out daddy would take me on an all day trip on the Choctawhatchee down in Florida. We would leave before daylight, get home after dark. And hopefully dress a big mess of fish before bedtime. In 1940 my father purchased our first outboard motor, a Johnson 5 HP.
In 1944 I made my first overnight float trip from Clayhatchee to Geneva with my long-time friend Joe Watson. We cast artificial lures during the day and set hooks at night. We caught fish like you wouldn’t believe, at least it seems that way now. I think the fishing on the river has always been good. It is just as good now, of course it varies as to the capability of the fisherman. The biggest change in fishing is technology. Better poles, reels and rods, plastic lures. My favorite lures in the 1950s and 1960s were Hawaiian Wigglers, Lucky 13’s, inline spinners (preferably yellow) and, of course, I still fish worms and crickets. I’ve found that the very best fishing times are in spring and fall — fall especially after hunting season begins when there are fewer folks on the river! All in all — the fish are still there. It’s up to you to go catch them. So go fish the river! W
“Jack Mills is our best set of eyes on the river, reporting problems and violations from poor logging operations to tire dumps.”
ANDY WILLNER
Michael William Mullen, Choctawhatchee Riverkeeper
Fishing New York Bay
www.waterkeeper.org
Spring 2007 Waterkeeper Magazine
55
