Happy Birthday......Where's the Camera!!!!

I took the family out fishing on the Mississippi today, a fish story unfolded right before my eyes and I didn't have a camera!  Here's the story....

Monday is my youngest son's birthday (his 8th), so we decided to take an early fishing trip.  Headed to Monticello, MN to fish the Mississippi River.  We heard the river could be high, but we decided to go anyway.  We packed some snacks and drinks, worst case we would watch the boys play on the playground and maybe look for crayfish.

We ordered a pizza and took it to a picnic shelter.  I rigged one fly rod and 3 spinning rods with a bunch of top water stuff.  I pulled a shiny Tiny Torpedo from the box and tied it on my youngest son's setup.  The Tiny Torpedo came from Fly Box Hero, Dick Gross.  A floating lure would surely not get snagged, giving ME more time to fly fish.

In route to the water I stopped at my car, looked at the water and tossed the camera and phone on the seat figuring "The water is high....we aren't going to catch a thing..."  That was the biggest mistake I have made in years.

We fished for about 15 minutes and God was the river high!   Thoughts of packing up shop just entered my mind when I heard a small voice yell "I think I got something!"  I turned to see a massive fish jump out of the corner of my eye.  I thought "Oh....Elliot caught a pike..." and I started walking over to my son (about 150 yards).  My wife was fishing with him and yelled "It's a huge smallmouth!"  I looked again and saw the fish clear the water for a second and third time.  It all happened so fast!

I ran over, set down my rod and saw my son step in my water and lip the smallmouth and it WAS BIG!  I reached in my pocket for a camera.....phone....anything....Nothing was there!  I felt for a tape measure and had it in my top vest pocket.  Pulled it out to get a number on the fish....22" even!  What a fish!  I removed the treble hooks and Elliot put her back in the river before she got too tired.  Like a little pro he rocked her back and forth in the water and Bam! she was off to her favorite hiding spot, alive and healthy.

I have hauled my camera around for every single trip and the one time I left it in the car a trophy was landed.  The whole family was there, but I would kill for the picture.  Elliot was so proud - As were we!

Well Elliot....Happy Early Birthday!  Hopefully we'll catch a bigger one next year and I'll have the stinkin' camera to capture the moment!