I’ll never forget this day in late 60s. That’s the first fish I ever caught and removed from the hook, under the watchful eyes of my Uncle Chuck and my Dad. Naturally, my Dad is smoking a cigarette, although he quit shortly after this due to the arrival of my youngest sister.

We were on Bone Lake in nearby Minnesota. I’m wearing my favorite shirt emblazoned with “here come the judge” from the TV show “Laugh In.” Besides the fish, this trip was memorable due to the car accident we were in on the way from our home in Wisconsin. I was lying in the back of our station wagon on a sleeping bag, and my sister was sitting on my Mom’s lap in the front seat. Holy projectile, Batman! This was in the pre-car seat era! Nobody in our family was seriously hurt; I bumped my head, but was mostly just scared as someone in another car died.

I also caught another fish that trip, a “keeper!” I caught it with a worm and a cane pole.

Knowing what I know now, I wish I could go back in time and ask a lot of questions and REALLY talk to my Dad. We weren’t especially close and he passed away before I had a chance to become a friend and not just a daughter. ~shared by @nancydickens