While driving home from New Haven last night, a memory from years gone by entered my head. I often think about dad, and the times we went fishing together, many, many moons ago. It seems like another lifetime, a time when younger and free from the anxieties that one has. Years ago, my dad had a boat in Sheepshead Bay, Bklyn. In the summer dad would take out charters, and i would mate. I loved this opportunity to get out on the ocean and fish. I have developed a strong passion for being by the water and doing what I love to do, that being fishing.

So, last night was no different than other times, thinking about days gone by, and my fishing times. But this night I thought about a cold day in March, with my kid brother Tommy.
During the winter months, dad left the boat in the water, as many at the marina did. Dad would go down to the Parkway Marina every weekend to check on her, it was what was done. It was a decent boat as boats go, a 35' sports fisherman. It fished six comfortably.

On this day though, in March, I wanted to fish, as a I always did. So dad got us some blood worms, a can of corn and a therom of Dunkin' Donuts coffee. We always had the DD coffee on those cold days. Back at that time there weren't many DD's around, but the one on Emmons Ave. was the one we all knew.

It was pre St. Patricks day, the official/unofficial opening of flounder season. A time when there weren't the opening and closing of season's like we have today. One wanted to go fishing and they just went. What a blessing that was, especially for a youngster with the urge to fish!

Dad dropped us off, on the Manhattan Beach side of the walk bridge that spanned the bay. A spot that we knew was productive this time of the year. There were a few locals lined along the rail, all braving the cold. We baited out hooks with the cut up blood worms, and topped the worm off with a couple of corn kernels. And as soon as the bait hit the bottom, it was, tap. tap tap. I thought, this is gonna be a good day. I myself had high hook, with the locals just looking on. A wonderful feeling for a youngster with a passion for fishing. The flounders were fat, with a couple of herring mixed in.

I think back of these times, with less regulations, more fish and just a different feeling about this thing we do. A time when the fish were more abundant than they are today. I thank God for the fond memories, of the days gone by. Carefree times of my youth.