STORY PAGE
Lure of a Lifetime
Carl Island is the name of the island off Green Point. It was near Carl Island that my wife and I frequently fished for black bass and rock bass. A
spinner known as a #4 Mepps Bucktail was a favored lure for fishing bass; we always purchased two of every lure we both liked. One day we were having
exceptional luck, but decided to leave early because the fish had bitten the bucktail off my spinner. All the local sporting goods stores were sold out, so that
night I cut some hair from the tail of my dog, Holly. I took some regular red sewing thread, attached it where the bucktail had been, and placed some epoxy on
it.
The next day my wife told me that since I had the lure that lost the hair, I
should use the imitation. I did. Was she sorry! That day I caught fish almost
every cast. Hank, “fisherman extra ordinary”, moved his boat to be near me. Shortly he was casting where I was. I caught five to his one. I
switched sides of the boat. I looked up and there he was again. He asked what I was using. I told him a Mepps #4 Bucktail. He asked me if I was doing
something different or if I had placed fish oil on the Mepps. I told him no.
My wife was getting tired of me catching most of the fish and wanted to return to camp. As soon as we returned, she asked me to take the bucktail off her
spinner and add some Holly Hair to it. That night I had a visit from Hank, who finally got the secret from me. If I agreed, he would have purchased every
hair Holly I could produce. I did agree to provide him enough hair to do one spinner each year free. He in turn would not divulge where it came from.
Over time, members of my family with little fishing experience became experts. I remained faithful to Holly and only took that which her tail would
reasonably provide.
A few years down the road I moved and started work in Fulton. I needed an apartment and I could find no one that allowed dogs. A friend offered to keep Holly
until I could find a place that would, or until I moved to the Pond that spring.
Shortly thereafter, Holly ran away. We searched everywhere, placed ads, checked the Humane Society and I ran the roads for weeks
looking. We never found her. A few of years later, there were no Holly Hair
spinners remaining.
Many years passed. When my dad was diagnosed to have colon cancer. He was told he had about six months to live. I was the oldest of his children and we talked often about what he would
like to do. His first need was to get his affairs in order and he wanted me to see that his wishes were adhered to. Next he wished to finish his life as long
as possible as if he was healthy. He then held a little party for a few of us at Sandy Pond to tell us old stories, why he had done certain things, and little
secrets he thought we should know. That day he became more outgoing then he ever was, before or after. He also told me that after his services, he wanted the
first of his monies to be spent on a party for all those who attended those services to celebrate the good things in his life.
Finally, he said he had something special for me, but that I would have to promise to use it and not place it on the mantle somewhere. You guessed it – the
last Holly Hair. It isn't on the mantle. What is left of it is in a square, white marble urn.
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