Fishing Off the Causeway

Sitting on a blue lawn chair in sunglasses and flip flops while eyeing a red and white bobber in the dazzling water is relaxing, to say the least – add in a tall boy, Kurt Linczmaier, who is willing to poke and twist innocent wriggly worms, and the day is certain to be ideal – whether you reel in a fish or not.

As Kurt teaches me how to cast a line, fellow fishermen and women come and go on the causeway crossing Kangaroo Lake, a stretch of road that is often dotted with individuals holding a pole, sitting beside a tackle box.

The tension in my forearms and fingers dissipates as our bobbers remain still in the calm, weedy water. While we fish, Kurt and I chat and learn about each other: Kurt tells me about planting hundreds of flowers along the sidewalks of Fish Creek while I recall a grammatical mistake or two; he tells me the Chicago Bears are the greatest football team while I remind him that the Green Bay Packers won the most recent Lombardi Trophy.

After a few bites and tugs on our hooks and the mid-day sun sapping our energy, we discuss the fact that many fishermen and women fish in the early morning or late afternoon/evening…maybe that’s why we do not succeed in snagging a single fish.

“We didn’t catch a thing,” I report to the ladies at Espresso Lane the next morning. Barista Sam Gray pours my coffee and attempts to be sympathetic before admitting, “I hate touching fish – they are slimy.”

So though I can not describe in detail the reeling in of a big catch, I can tell you what many of you already know: sitting for four hours with a friend (or with yourself) on a beautiful sunny day is not a bad way to spend your time. If you really want to catch a fish – don’t come to me for advice.