Missouri River Adopt-A-Fish

Missouri-Yellowstone Adopt-A-Fish

Letter to teachers and kids – April 17, 2008

Smokey knows where he’s going to sit.

Dear teachers and kids,

Have you ever had to go on a long car or truck ride somewhere? Before the vehicle rolls, there always seems to be some kind of an argument about who is going to sit where. That’s exactly what I’ve been going through with Smokey and Bandit this week with my boat.

We have yet to launch the boat on our first fishing trip of the year, but my two dogs are already in a hot dispute.

Smokey, the big old dog, is holding his ground. “I get to drive the boat and sit by the motor,” he told me. “That little dog is too young to drive. And, between you and me, I think he’s crazy.”

Bandit, the young Lab, hops up and down a lot. He jumps around. And he says, excitedly, “Go, go go! Drive, drive, driver! Faster, faster, faster! We’ll get to the fishing spots real fast!“

The problem with my boat – or maybe it’s a blessing – is that seating is limited back by the big outboard motor. There’s just one chair. The other two are further to the front. And, usually, I’m the one to drive the motor.

Neither dog thinks it’s acceptable that I run the boat.

“Hey you, old bald guy,” Smokey says, showing his usual lack of respect for me despite the fact I give him food and water every day. “I think you’re too old to drive. And with that sun glaring off your bald head, you’ll be blinded.”

“Old, old, old,” Bandit chimed in. “Old fuddy-duddy boat driver. Won’t go fast! Wanna go faster!”

I suppose that I could steal the key out of the starter on the boat motor. Then I could tell them that only I had the magic to make the motor run. But they’d probably just laugh at me. Or maybe I could leave them behind and go fishing myself? But without Smokey, the fish pointer, and Bandit, the fish pointer trainee, I probably wouldn’t find anything to catch.

I’ve got a little time yet before I head out onto the waters. Maybe I can get them arguing about something else, like who’s best at identifying the different fish species. Maybe they’ll forget about boat driving. But I doubt it.

If you want to learn about the different fish species you’ll find in the Missouri and Yellowstone rivers, this would be a good week to look through the fish species pages on the Adopt-A-Fish website. Just go to the home page at www.pikemasters.com/adopt-fish/home.html and click on the link that reads “Fish species.” You’ll find there are 45 different kinds of fish that live in the lower reaches of the two rivers. Just click on the links and you can see them all.

Until next week, wish me luck with my dogs. And wish for a good hat for me to wear, too. That sun gets blinding out there on the waters when it glares off my old, bald head.

Signed,

Mark, the old guy who doesn’t want to swim
Smokey, the fish pointer
Bandit, "Faster, faster, FASTER!"

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