By Bill Quain
You may be wondering about the title of my column this week. Some of my younger readers may think, “Of course your flounder sleeps with the fishes. It’s a fish!” However, many of you will remember the epic movie “The Godfather.” Two New York Mafia families are at war. Don Corleone (played by Marlon Brando) receives a package of dead fish. His men wonder what this message means. But the Don knows it’s a sign that one of his top lieutenants has been killed by the rival gang and dumped in the river. His man now “sleeps with the fishes.”
Well, I’m talking about real fish
I am writing this column on May 4, the opening day of flounder season here in New Jersey. Like thousands of other anglers, my friend Herb and I braved frigid cold, stiff wind, and stinky bait in an attempt to catch a flounder dinner. It was a bit too rough and cold to go out in my boat, so we joined 40+ other anglers on The Keeper out of Margate. I will sum up the results of my day with the following six words:
My dinner sleeps with the fishes
That’s right, the fish that I intended to dine on is still out there. While a few other hardy souls did catch sizable flounder, nothing even bit my hook. I didn’t lose any bait. I never got any slimy fish on my hands. Tonight, I’m having pizza.
It wasn’t for lack of trying!
I have been getting ready for this day for months. Bud’s Outboard Marine in Ocean City stores our boat for the winter and then gets it ready in the spring. Bud and his brother Jason do a fantastic job! They paint the bottom, recharge the batteries, check out the engine, etc. It is a big ordeal – but not for me! By the way, thanks Bud and Jason, you guys are the best!
I don’t want you to think that I leave all the preparation up to the professionals. Every year, I have a specific list of items I’m hoping will appear in my Christmas stocking and underneath the tree. This year, besides the gift cards to Fin-atics in Ocean City, and assorted hooks and swivels, I got two brand-new fishing rods! The amazing thing is that Santa Claus knew exactly what I needed. He had the right model, length, and flexibility of the rods. Thanks, Santa!
About 10 days ago, Jeanne and I dragged everything out of the storage sheds, including boat cushions, more fishing equipment, boat fire extinguishers, etc. Our dining room table was covered with a vinyl cloth, and became “Quain Fishing Central”. Rods, reels, and lures were spread out on the table. Reels were switched to different rods, new rigs were tied on, and tackle boxes were examined to make sure we had everything we needed.
We were all ready to take everything to our boat so we could shove off early this morning. However, when the weather turned bad, my friend Herb and I decided to “play hooky” on The Keeper. Some fishing plans took a slight detour. But I am not deterred! You’ll soon see me out on our boat, the “Thanks Frank”, on the hunt for flounder.
And we aren’t the only ones
Folks, it’s that time of year! Our focus right now is on the fishing season. Jeanne and I go as often as possible. We keep track of the number of flounder we land, and how many “keepers” we catch. This year, each fisherman/woman is allowed to keep three 18-inch (or larger) flounder per day. Jeanne and I have been “flounder pounders” for years, and we have never reached our limit on any trip that we can remember! We catch a lot of flounder, but many of them are throat-backs. We are excited if we come home with even one keeper on a trip. But we are out there for the pure fun of it, not to feed our family.
What are you getting ready for?
Here in Ocean City, the town is starting to come alive. Today was the annual Spring Block Party. While Herb and I were desperately trying to catch dinner, Jeanne was strolling Asbury Avenue to pick up “just a few things.” She saw friends that she hadn’t seen since last fall. Merchants were selling beach chair covers, sunglasses, and gorgeous spring flowers to brighten up the front porch. Summer is just around the corner! Maybe the weather hasn’t started to heat up yet, but the anticipation has.
How about you? What’s your summer pleasure? Are you a fisherman, beachgoer, family reunionist, bar hopper, entertainment seeker, golfer, bicyclist, runner, surfer, or swimmer? Are you a boardwalk stroller or an amusement rider? Do you have children, grandchildren, relatives of any kind, or close friends that you can’t wait to be with this summer? We’ve seen you getting ready!
Share your anticipation with all of us! I want to know what you are looking forward to this summer. Drop me a line at bill@quain.com.
As I say each week, “I’ll see ‘ya in the papers!”
Bill is a Professor in Stockton University’s Hospitality Management Program. He is the author of 27 books, and a highly-respected speaker. Even though he is almost totally blind, Bill is a long-distance runner and runs the Ocean City Half Marathon each year. He lives in Ocean City with his wife Jeanne, and his Guide Dog Trudy. Visit www.billquain.com or email him at bill@quain.com.
