Smile 14

For me theres no bigger compliment than to be taking out local folks fishing. This week I had two groups out of  four and it worked out magically. With families I always ask first thing in the morning who needs a King the worse. Of course nobody really 'needs' a King but theres usually a guest everyone would like to see hook up first. So on Tuesday I met a guy named Thurre Johnson who was born and raised here in Soldotna and who knows a lot of people but heard about me in town. His father in law Howard Volz got into the seat closest to me in the Stern and walla, he caught this beautiful salmon. Thurre has caught lots of Kings so if we could only get one the right guy got it.  I don't know what it is but I suspect its because its the rod that I watch the most and guide my boat speed to get just the right seductive wobble on the Kwikfish lure.

Then a few days later I have Jack Kliensmith and his friends out who are a father, son and grandfather team. I get Tom into 'the' seat and with all the confidence in the world we troll the sonar site several hours before the tide with not a single boat in sight. Jack is holding his rod and has a bump but no pull down. Just when I think its over Tom's rod goes off in the holder, and it goes off spectacularly hard. The fish runs himself out of gas and in no time we've boated the second 'who needs it' fish of the week.

Through the years theres no doubt that I've become a salmon expert. After all its my life's work and I've applied all I have to it. But as I was getting to know the salmon I guess I kind of learned a lot about other things and maybe I'm just a bit of an expert on the river in general....which brings me to noticing the unusual behavior of these juvenile Bald Eagles that have adopted us here at Mile 14. They're constantly around, we hear them night and day with their shrieking calls and they scare the dog from time to time. They walk across our yard and that's the part that's so unusual and drives Jet-dog crazy. That's right, they walk across the yard, these Eagles are ground dwellers. Look close at the pic below and you'll see one on each side of the frame.

Now I've never seen Eagles that didn't perch. These kids just don't fly so good so they're always on the ground and I think in most places besides my yard this would be kind of dangerous. Its funny to watch them, they'll try and land in a tree then loose their balance and soar off to try again...then they just give up and rather than watch the gutting table from a tree on the distance they'll take a stump 30 feet away. I don't know what the deal is, maybe poor parenting, maybe they got mad and left home to soon or maybe they're a new sub species, who knows.

Speaking of parenting, this weekend we got invited to a party with some of our oldest and most favorite friends. I met James Lott when he came to work for us framing houses when he was right out of high school. He credits me with teaching him carpentry but what ensued was that his family really taught me about love and parenting. That guy between me and my friend Sam Menopace is James' dad Matt Lott. He was a welder and oilfield hand here and his wife Tish and him had 4 girls and 3 boys, I really don't know the girls so well but I know the guys for sure.

All kids love their parents, respect their parents and maybe even cherish their parents. I don't even think I have words for it but Matt's kids don't just love him, they revere and worship him, its a ton of love. Being an Italian family the affection is outright and visible. Like a lot of successful people if you asked Matt the secret he probobaly couldn't tell you, its many thing but these are what I noticed.  His kids weren't perfect, none are. But when they were young and you had a problem with a Lott kid you'd better bring it to Matt. One person and one person only talked to those kids of important things, he was the ultimate protector. He loves to have fun, his kids, his friends, his friends friends are all treated the same. I'm a friend of James, thats all he needs to know.  Tish has been gone now for a few years but she and Matt were a couple of my first music fans. They love the country music and have made many pilgimages to Nashville. Many a winter night in the early 80's found us at the Lott house playing music and having Hamms beer, they inspired me to play and play and well.....play. A Lott family function is nothing without a hundred or two pounds of roasted pig. Heres a pic of James running the show on a rotisierre that Matt welded up for him 30 years ago....man thats good stuff.

During the party I was talking with Matt Jr. (Tugger) and I was lamenting the fact that MP and I really don't have a retirement plan. Well he mentioned that his mom and dad didn't either and it worked out just fine for them. As I drove home I related that conversation to MP. She was right on when she said that surrounded by that kind of love why wouldn't it work out. The kids help build a lake house, and I mean they built it with their own hands. Somebody drove dad to Alaska, somebody else will drive him back. So in the pic below I guess you can pic up on the vibe. Matt Lott is one of the best people I know and I'm honored to have watched him and tried to be like him......It was his daughter Jackies 50th birthday party and a reunion. A lot of pictures were being taken and finaly Matt said "enough with the picture *&%@"..... and then he added " but all them faces sure makes mine look good"....I love you too Matt.