Is this possible?....... - FryingPanTower.Com

Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 10:07 am Post subject: Is this possible?.......

On a chilly March morning the three year old watched intently as his father pressed the dough ball onto the sharp curved piece of metal. At the other end of a split bamboo cane pole he watched the bobber disappear as his father said it would. With his Dad's help he lifted. The doughball had been replaced with a seven inch perch. The hook was set.
Through his youth every weekend and vacation day was spent in pursuit of that same thill he felt with that first perch. Venues changed from pond to river and from north to south but the passion burned in his very being. Species sought grew in size from inches to sizes approaching small cars. Then came a crossroad. Move toward a life of wealth, doctor, lawyer or executive perhaps? Or, go with his heart and chase a dream of living as one with the ocean?
Move forward a lifetime later. Endless hours spent living that dream. His hands are scarred, body battered, but not a single regret worth mention disturbs his sleep. He looks across the dining room table. Loving wife and daughter, his supreme rewards for a lifetimes dedication to fishing. They live comfortably but certainly not in an austentacious manner.

Then one day the skys grow dark though the sun is shining. For no particular reason he is not permitted to continue his lifes work. No valid science behind it. The fish are there as thick as ever. The water as blue and rich as it was some 50 years before. Maybe more so.

The house he was so close to paying off is facing forclosure. His daughter even with a 4.0 average in school will be delivering pizzas and taking night classes at community college instead of taking full advantage of the educations that only places like Princeton or Harvard can provide. His wife smiles politely but he knows that she should be enjoying retirement instead of working two jobs to make ends meet. His two meanial labor jobs don't cover the bills but at least provide a diversion of the pain he feels missing the work he was born to do.
He gets off his shift at the grocery store. Unable to afford fuel he bikes his way home. Along the way he counts the vacant buildings and offices. Tall grass grows in the parking lots where the once bustling motel and restaurant used to serve and shelter those who came to Florida to fill their dream of catching and releasing a sailfish.
Up ahead the old boat dealership remains vacant. The marina lies in disrepair with pilings tilted and rotting form disuse. White washed windows stand prominant where the fish market and another restaurant stood. He closes his eyes and remembers how vibrant and alive this once posh area was. When he opens them though is the stark reality of the blight that had replaced it.

The shores of the intracoastal are dotted with the decaying and rusting remains of once proud fishing machines. Abandoned as unusable. Millions upon millions of dollars worth of machinery left as scap. How many banks failed as the collateral value of these magnificent works of art became nil once the waters and fisheries were closed? What a waste...

He spots an old friend who also once was a noted charter captain, now pushing a lawn mower up into the bed of his aging pick up. The smell of alcohol was prevalent as he spoke. "Got two lawns to cut tomorrow. None today so I went down to the inlet lounge. Not like it used to be. Dead in there anymore. Speaking of which we lost two more from the dock. One lost to the bottle. The other, well I guess he couldn't take it no more and shot himself."

Back on the bike he thinks back to the glory of yesteryear. Big proud machines gracing the waters they slid across. Food on the table with the option of going out. Tremendous fish most of which were let go. The occasional one on the grill he can still taste. "Why?" He asks himself... No science. No reason. No compassion for not only people but a whole way of life that preceeds biblical days. All because of a select fews personal agendas. They didn't care because they never understood....

A reality check... There are ten bait and tackle shops employing roughly sixty people. Those shops employ the services of dozens of vendors. Another fifteen marinas with staffs totalling over a hundred serve as home to thousands of boats that require maintainence from welders, plumbers, mechanics, electricians, painters, wood workers, fiberglass repair people. They take fuel and provisions from any of the dozen or so local outlets employing still more. Somebody had to build all those boats and motors equalling thousands more jobs. The entire beach front is lined with hotels complete with dozens of employees each. Restaurants serving food to the hundreds if not thousands that visit this area each month to fish on the hundred or so boats emplying a couple hundred more people. Charities collecting hundreds of thousands of dollars while local buisnesses see even more from a hand full of competitions. Sounds like a big area? All within a half hour bike ride...
_________________
Capt. John Mallette
1(910) 934-2628
www.daiwa.com
www.topsailfishingcharters.com

"ALCOHOL,TOBACCO,AND FIREARMS should be a convienience store, not a Gov. agency."

Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2010 9:35 pm Post subject:

John, I think it is happening now. Sad

Lost 2 good friends to last year to killing themselvs...really sucks!
_________________
near shore and inshore charter fishing and photography
http://www.gottaflyguideservice.com
910-540-2464
Capt Lee Parsons
Its all about the kids

Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2010 5:47 am Post subject:

I hear you. I had a bait and tackle shop on N. topsail Beach. I employed 5 peopleand worked another job trying to keep afloat. Last year was my worst summer ever. Nobody was comming down and nobody spending money.I had this place for 4 years tring to make a go of it. It atleast payed the help but wasn't putting money into my pocket. Then at the end of August they wanted to raise my rent. Go figure at the end of summer. I liked this place and enjoyed the people. But I couldn't hold on no longer, hated to give it up . Was a dream of mine. Maybe I should have gone into auto business so I could have gotten bailed out.. Just venting...

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