Tony Buzolich
06-15-2014, 07:49 AM
My dad always had time to take me fishing. From the time I was old enough to hold a line and even before, dad had time to take me fishing. I remember tagging along to places he thought were a little too much for me but he'd always take me anyway.
In Folsom above the Rainbow bridge there used to be some kind of old power house that had a deep hole where he'd catch catfish while I played in the dirt and found bits of quicksilver. We used to drive right on down to the water at Negro bar and launch our old rowboat to fish the lake. We watched Folsom, Nimbus, and the hatchery all get built. Folsom used to be really good for blackbass right at the parking lot next to the dam. We used to drive right in to Rattlesnake Bar and fish and swim in all the driftwood as they were filling the lake.
We'd often go to the coast and poke pole around the rocks at Dillion's beach before it was called Lawson's landing. We'd go to fish off the piers at Santa Cruz and Fort Baker under the Golden Gate bridge. There he'd tie a rope around me and then to the front bumper of the old De Soto so I wouldn't fall in. There were no railings and you could just drive right on out there. We'd have a couple of crab traps going while fishing for whatever else bit on cut bait. We caught a lot of dogfish. SHARKS to me as a little kid.
Around ten we started fly fishing shad at the old Fair Oaks bridge. You used to drive on it too. Sometimes we'd drive right on down to the water on Pennsylvania Ave. and over the gravel to launch that old rowboat we had. There was no American River parkway.
The last time I got to fish with my dad was on my fourteenth birthday. He had gotten me a new spinning rod and D.A.M.Quick reel at Sears before there was an Arden Fair. We decided to go try it out at the new deep water channel they had just dug in West Sac. We'd sit on the bank casting chunks of fresh sardines we bought at Romeo's Bait on Del Paso Blvd. My rod was in a holder stuck in the ground. My dad was in front of his watching the rod tip waiting to move. He kept telling me to "watch my rod"," watch my rod", or something will grab it and pull it in. It was'nt long before my new bent over and I landed to biggest striper ever of about 15-20 lbs. What a way to christen a new rod on my fourteenth birthday.
I don't remember fishing with dad after that. He was sick with cancer and I never got to fish with him again.
So today, as you think of yourselves, remember to take time and take your kids fishing, no matter how old they are. And take time to remember your own old dad too, and if he's still around take him fishing as well.
Tony
In Folsom above the Rainbow bridge there used to be some kind of old power house that had a deep hole where he'd catch catfish while I played in the dirt and found bits of quicksilver. We used to drive right on down to the water at Negro bar and launch our old rowboat to fish the lake. We watched Folsom, Nimbus, and the hatchery all get built. Folsom used to be really good for blackbass right at the parking lot next to the dam. We used to drive right in to Rattlesnake Bar and fish and swim in all the driftwood as they were filling the lake.
We'd often go to the coast and poke pole around the rocks at Dillion's beach before it was called Lawson's landing. We'd go to fish off the piers at Santa Cruz and Fort Baker under the Golden Gate bridge. There he'd tie a rope around me and then to the front bumper of the old De Soto so I wouldn't fall in. There were no railings and you could just drive right on out there. We'd have a couple of crab traps going while fishing for whatever else bit on cut bait. We caught a lot of dogfish. SHARKS to me as a little kid.
Around ten we started fly fishing shad at the old Fair Oaks bridge. You used to drive on it too. Sometimes we'd drive right on down to the water on Pennsylvania Ave. and over the gravel to launch that old rowboat we had. There was no American River parkway.
The last time I got to fish with my dad was on my fourteenth birthday. He had gotten me a new spinning rod and D.A.M.Quick reel at Sears before there was an Arden Fair. We decided to go try it out at the new deep water channel they had just dug in West Sac. We'd sit on the bank casting chunks of fresh sardines we bought at Romeo's Bait on Del Paso Blvd. My rod was in a holder stuck in the ground. My dad was in front of his watching the rod tip waiting to move. He kept telling me to "watch my rod"," watch my rod", or something will grab it and pull it in. It was'nt long before my new bent over and I landed to biggest striper ever of about 15-20 lbs. What a way to christen a new rod on my fourteenth birthday.
I don't remember fishing with dad after that. He was sick with cancer and I never got to fish with him again.
So today, as you think of yourselves, remember to take time and take your kids fishing, no matter how old they are. And take time to remember your own old dad too, and if he's still around take him fishing as well.
Tony