Edited by Mark Daul
(Outdoors Niagara Webmaster)

PEACE OF MIND

The fishermen and a fish's heart are like one in the same, just like two peas in a pod. Sometimes all of a fisherman's money is spent on a rod and reel just to catch a fish's hungry heart!

The afternoon sun was shinning brightly with it's hot rays forcing Leroy to find shade under a tree. The shade enabled him to put the anchor at his fishing spot in the Niagara River. The shaded spot near the Wagon Wheel's, let Leroy cast for a hungry fish in comfort. Battling a fish in 20 feet of water, it was his prize winning Sheephead. This was the only fish for the day. He named this fish "Old Shep". Old Shep said, "Its time to take a trip down that blacktop road and catch some bass just for peace of mind." After a while, Leroy's fish spoke to him again, "You're acting like a puppet on a string, and stop worrying what happened today, just pull up your pants for the future" Leroy eventually released Old Shep. The rest of day slipped by leaving Leroy thinking about what Shep said while he was watching a video on TV.

In the middle of watching his all time favorite video "Pure Country" starring George Strait, Leroy decided to pull up his pants like Shep said, to fish his heart out at the base of the Schoellkopf Plant in the Lower Niagara at the end of that blacktop road. Knowing it is going to be his first adventure down there, the Sheps words made him think hard about this fishing excursion.

The next day was the first day of summer, and Leroy's first ever fishing trip to the powerful waters near the Schoellkopf Plant. The blacktop road is all gravel from the parking lot that had glass all over it from broken bottles. Leroy hopped out of his car to gather up his lucky gear. He made sure his backpack had drinks packed for his nine hour planned trip. With this being the first time down there, Leroy pulled up his pants and forgot the past only to worry about what is going to happen today.

Walking the stone road that led to the steep path down by the waters of the Schoellkopf, he manages to digest the butterfly feeling in his tummy. His handling of the butterflies came easy because the tons of experience he had all over different areas of good fishing the river had given.

Finally reaching the water, he put his killer jig on and made several casts. Fishing was lousy. No hits and no strikes. Leroy's bad luck forced him to get

adventurous and to move up river farther.

After gathering up all his gear to start his long hike on a path that was not quite in full growth, steam flew from his ears shortly after the journey began. The steam thickened when Leroy could not see what is ahead of the beaten path. When he finally reached the end of the path that seemed like an eternity to him, Leroy set his eyes on the scenery that took his breath away. Old Shep is right! Leroy thought this is a good way to forget the bad days.

Catching his breath, Leroy sought a spot that all his Smallmouth Bass were to be battled in with a view that knocked his socks off. It's the Niagara Falls, Maid of Mist, trees and rocks combining a background, that made the air smell like a rose, and birds that sing like Dixie. It made Leroy a proud fisherman. Catching and releasing all of his Bass with a view and scenery that takes the breath away sure gave Leroy peace of mind with style.  

THE END

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