I cleaned some “stuff” off the dresser at home.  Found some newspaper clippings I wanted to keep.  While I was filing them away at the office these old clippings fell out:

GMaRothPike

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Those would be my maternal grandparents.  The clippings were from the Atkinson Graphic.  I love looking back at those old pictures; love remembering times spent fishing with my grandparents.  I am betting I know the exact farm pond Gramps caught the bass from.  Wonder if he caught it on the ole orange Flatfish with black spots?

He did.

The framed Master Angler Awards for both of those fish now sit in my office.  They are right behind me as I type this.

GrampsMA

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I have been promoting our third year of our Take ‘Em Fishing challenge.  Being eligible to win prizes, including a fully-rigged boat, is a great incentive to get folks to find someone new or someone who has not fished in a while and get ’em back on the water.

But, it is much more than that.  The rewards are a lot greater than prizes.  It is the time spent with family, friends, loved ones.  It is about traditions passed along.  Big fish lost, and the ones that did not get away.

It is about the memories.

You better start making yours.  One day your descendants will look back.  A smile will cross their face.

Big fish never die. . . .

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