By Capt. Cefus McRae • NutsAndBoltsFishing.com
Sometimes, your wish can come true.
I have a couple of the “Fishing Santa” ornaments we hang on the tree each year. I’m sure you’ve seen them. It’s the one that has Santa dressed in a Hawaiian shirt with white sunglasses and short pants, and for as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to fish with Santa.
This summer, my Christmas wish materialized a little early. As a matter of fact, it was one of the hottest days in August.
Kris Kringle, as he is called the rest of the year, showed up on a warm summer morning. He was dressed exactly as I expected in a Hawaiian shirt, shorts, and those white sunglasses. As we left the dock, he reminded me that he was used to driving the sleigh. So, we put him up top in the second station, gave him some reins, and the ShearWater sleigh came to life. Instead of eight tiny reindeer, we had 500 Honda horses propelling us down Lake Hartwell at 50 miles per hour.
At our first stop, a school of stripers came out to play. They were nothing huge, but nevertheless, a lot of fun, especially for someone who typically fishes ‘hard water’. Whenever a rod would bend, Buck the Wonder Dog let us know, and Kris handled the fish like an old pro. And speaking of old, some say Kris is 1,751 years old. Imagine how many cookies he’s eaten over those years!
As the day wore on, we wrestled with stripers, hybrids, catfish and even a gar or two. Although the fishing was fun, the best part was simply having someone so full of joy on the boat. With each fish, I could see Kris’ eyes light up, his grin got bigger, and the belly-laugh got louder. By mid-afternoon, Kris had some nice catfish filets to take home for dinner, and I had experienced an adventure like no other. For a few hours, I removed logic and practicality from my brain, and simply reveled in the moment. I was five years old again. I believed.
In this era, it’s nice to have something to believe in, maybe not the reality of the person, but the spirit that person represents, and I do believe the spirit of Christmas lives in each of us. We just have to let it show. A kind gesture, a warm greeting, a helping hand, and the remembrance of what Christmas is really about is something we should exhibit throughout the year. I think the world would be a better place as a result.
Stay tuned for a new season of Nuts & Bolts of Fishing adventures on FOX Sports, CarbonTV and coming in 2022 on Amazon Prime. If you’d like a sneak peek at the Christmas in July episode, just drop by NutsAndBoltsFishing.com and get your Christmas started a little early too.
From our family to yours, we wish you the happiest and most joyous holiday season. Tight lines and calm seas.