| WILLIE WALLEYE by Kenna Marie |
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The murky emerald waters of Rainy Lake are still a chilly 46 degrees. They have just begun to warm, from the winter�s bitter cold. Willie Walleye, considered to be the grandfather of all walleye, is preparing for his spring class. He is the self appointed guardian of all the walleye in Rainy Lake. Each spring and winter he holds classes on the water�s perils during fishing season. The walleye gather at Jackfish Bay Rock for class. The older walleye find a comfortable spot and wait. The younger ones are restlessly swimming back and forth and playing with each other. Willie taps a wooden reed on the rock podium. �Attention!� �Attention please.� Most of those in attendance settle down. However Billy, Willie�s grandson, is having too much fun chasing Willa Walleye. Willy singles Billy out; �Billy could you please stop trying to bite Willa�s fin and pay attention.� Feeling embarrassed, Billy says �Yes Papa.� �I have called this meeting because the spring fishing season opener opens tomorrow.� This solemn reminder quieted everyone down. �As you more seasoned ones know, this is a time of war on us walleye. We lose hundreds of our kind during this terrible time.� �Fishing should be outlawed!� yelled Spotty. �Yes, all fish would agree that fishing should be outlawed. But, humans look at it differently. To some it is simply a sport, they seem to love. To others we are a source of food.� A community gasp went up from his audience. �Those that keep there wits about them, are vigilant and resourceful will live through these perilous times. Those of you that are foolish and carefree will end up on someone�s dinner plate.� �Oh forbid the thought!� called out Millie, an elder Walleye that had survived many fishing seasons. Willie walleye started out by telling the tale of his almost demise. He told of the day that he was swimming deep in the waters, out in the middle of the lake. Didn�t see the boat bottom above him, and fell for a new thing called a Lindy Walking Sinker. He was sure he was a goner when, a group of fish came to his rescue and pulled the fisherman�s line over a sharp rock, breaking the line. He was freed and the doc was able, with some effort, to remove the hook. Willie then started class. �Now before we get into the lessons on how to avoid and outwit the fishermen, who knows who our greatest enemy in our own waters is?� Several fins are raised in the water. Willie calls on Blinky, a young and eager, though sometimes foolish, young walleye. �It�s the reedy shore waters.� �No, Blinky, those waters can sometimes actually be our friend in fishing season.� �But you get caught up and can�t move fast,� argued Blinky. �In time you will learn there is more to life than moving fast.� Dismissing Blinky he asked if anyone else knew the answer to his question. Wise old Mr. Grey spoke out. �It Stewy Sturgeon.� �You�re correct Mr. Grey.� There was a whispered hum throughout the class. �Stewy Sturgeon and his cohorts will try and lure you into the fishermen�s path; so that you get caught, instead of them.� He paused for effect. �So be on your guard and don�t get trapped by Stewy and his ploys.� �Don�t forget the pike warning,� reminded Millie. �Thank You Millie. � Yes you must not associate with your pike friends during fishing season. The fishermen are wise to the fact that where they find pike, they find walleye close behind.� Willie uses a large rock as a chalk board and starts writing down the things to look out for; using a special seaweed pen. �Fishermen are known to use 3 primary sources of bait to try and lure us unto their hooks. The first is minnows. The second is nightcrawlers, and the third is leeches.� Blinky calls out, �Ah minnows are easy to steal off the hook. Just pull on their tails and they come right off.� �That�s a daring move,� warns Willie. �One in which the fisherman has gotten wise to. We lost Sneaky Pete last year. He tried that maneuver and got stung by something called a stringer. So I don�t advise anyone to try it.� �We gotta eat!� cries out Blinky. �True we do;� agrees Willie. �But we have to seek are food wisely in these dangerous times. Don�t be lured by juicy bait, moving slowly in the waters. Watch out for shiny things that catch your attention � they are more than likely a trap.� Susie, says, �Those bloody jigs are an absolute nightmare.� �Right you are,� called out someone. �Yes, jigs are my next topic.� The good angler has several different types of jigs in is arsenal of weapons. The worse of the bunch is the Lindy Fuzz-E-Grub. It�s a Soft plastic lure that will look very tempting.� There was a low, restless, murmur among the crowd. �Can anyone tell me the other things to look out for?� �Spinners!� called out a young walleye. �Those pesky bobbers,� said another. �Those are the two. Spinners and Bobbers, they have live bait and a hook trailing behind.� Willie went back over all the kinds of bait and lures; and the different kinds of hooks. Once he was sure everyone was familiar with what to look out for, he said. �Before dismissing class I want to remind you of three things. One, look out for your fellow walleye; you see one wandering into dangerous territory, warn him. Two, keep a look out for boat bottoms. One to particularly beware of is a large yellow bottom boat, which belongs to Jonesy The Great. He runs a fishing boat business in the area and often has some of the best fisherman known to man with him. Third, and of great importance, don�t ever forget that night waters are not safe. Many fishermen are out at night, as well as the day time.� He closed with, �Remember the lessons learned here today and stay safe.� �Always beware of Stewy Sturgeon� warned Millie, �He�s a sneaky one.� As expected, the next day brought hundreds of fishermen; in boats, along the shores, and wading into the waters. Willie�s bunch was up early and on the watch. Willie took up his daily post, between two rocks in reedy shallow water. He soon saw Billy wandering into a bed of cabbage. He quickly swam over and yelled at Billy. �Get out of there! Those are dangerous waters.� �Look,� said Billy; pointing to what he saw as potential food. �No!� screamed Willie. �That�s a trolling Rapala shad rap.� Billy took a closer look. He gave a nervous wiggle, before fleeing. Once in safe waters he thanked his grandfather for saving him from a horrible fate. Later in the afternoon, Millie was standing guard, pointing out boat bottoms, and warning young swimmers away from spinners and bobbers. She saw a group staring at something in the water near the shore. She meandered over their way. �What are you looking at?� The youngest replied, �That small school of minnows.� Millie�s eagle eyes took a look. She pointed out that was not a nature pattern for the minnow to be swimming in and was most likely several fishermen, using minnows as bait. Looking from another angle they could she the thin fine fishing line in the water. The group swam away, grateful for Millie�s eagle eyes. Stewy Sturgeon had tried to lead a group of walleye into the a muddy area where fisherman laid in wait. But a wise old walleye had spotted the fisherman�s lures and warned the group and admonishing Stewy for his evil ways. It was late evening when Willie and Millie were over by their favorite rock, discussing the day�s events. They were sad at the number of walleye that had been caught that day, but felt they had done a good job at protecting most. Suddenly, they spotted young Blinky darting in an out of the reed waters. He dived deep and then came up quickly and stole a minnow from a fisherman�s hook. Mille exclaimed, �Damn fool!� In agreement Willie said, �That young daredevil is gonna get himself caught one of these days.� The words had no sooner escaped his lips than he saw Blinky go after a big juicy leech, just a few feet away. Both Willie and Millie yelled out to warn him, but it was too late. In the wink of an eye Blinky was gone. A short time later Billy came looking for Blinky, and Willie had to give him the bad news. Billy went tearfully home, to mourn his friend. Midway through fishing season, Stewy Sturgeon showed up warning everyone to stay away from Harbor Bay, �Big fishing contest going on over there today. Better you stay in Jackfish Bay.� A number of walleye started to head to Jackfish Bay. Wilsy Walleye asked where everyone was going. Millie told them what Stewy had said. Wilsy became mad. �It�s a trap! I got caught by one of those catch-and-release fishermen a couple of days ago.� He pointed to his hook wound. �They were all talking about how they were going to make a killing and win the fishing contest at Jackfish Bay. I tell you it�s one of Stewy�s traps!� Millie quickly recruited a number of fish to help warn everyone. It was a close call for a number of fish, including Millie herself. It was near the end of fishing season and Willie was feeling proud of his group�s efforts. They had lost several, but for the most part they had saved their friends, and dear ones from the fisherman�s hook. Blinky and a young miss named Sweet Fin were sadly two exceptions. Billy was feeling exceptionally playful that day. Soon the fishing season would be over and things would quiet down. He was with some friends swimming near his home, in a cabbage bog. He playfully snapped at a crawler. �Holy Mackerel, I�ve been caught.� Billy was terrorized to find himself being pulled rapidly up from the water, into a fishing boat. Pictures of his life flashed through his mind. He had the agonizing thought of being a filet on someone�s dinner plate. Suddenly he found himself swimming in what one of the fishermen called a live tank. Billy�s friends quickly swam to Willie to tell him the dreadful news. Willie nearly had a heart attack. �Not my Billy. My dear sweet Billy. How could he fall for a fisherman�s hook?� Billy�s mother, Stella, was uncontrollable sobbing. �Those murders killed my son!� Millie had heard the news and come to console the family. After spending some time with Billy�s family, she said she would pass the word and help make arrangements for Billy�s memorial. A few minutes later Millie came rushing back to Willie�s home among the rocks, �Good news! Good news!� Everyone gave her a stunned look. �Billy�s alive! He was tossed back.� Willie and Stella could barely believe their great fortune. They swam out to meet Billy, who was exhausted from his gruesome adventure, and ailing from the hole in his jaw. Doc Walleye was sent for and after examining young Billy he proclaimed, �Billy will be up and swimming in no time. He�ll have a wicked scar, but will live to tell the tale for many seasons.� Billy spent hours that evening telling all about his near fatal journey aboard the fishing boat. After fishing season was over, a celebration was held to honor the end of fishing season and Billy�s survival. Willie Walleye announced that he was turning the reins of the Fisherman�s Class over to young Billy. �He�s experienced the worst of fates and survived to tell about it. He�s wise beyond his years and will make a great leader. It�s time for this old walleye to live out his remaining days in leisure.� The End Copyright �2007 Kenna Marie Clayton |
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