Fish Tales

Fishing is a big sport around here, as many of you may know. My family fished a lot when I was a kid. We did most of our fishing at Smith Mt. Lake when family campgrounds outnumbered houses. My Grandparents and my Uncle both had lots they rented at a campground there called Indian Ridge (now a fancy subdivision). We spent so much time there, camping and fishing and just getting together with friends and family! My family loved to fish. In fact, my Uncle Jerry was so passionate about it that every year he would save his Christmas trees and then bring them to the cove and dump them in his favorite fishing spots. This was supposed to attract fish. And it worked for a while until the fish finally got smart and realized that there was just NEVER going to be presents there! And, of course, they stopped coming around them… But seriously, these trees really did attract fish.

One species we tried not to attract, however, were Carp. Have you seen these things? They get huge! My Granddad calls them "water pigs". If you have ever been to Smith Mountain Marina you know what I mean. Around the dock of this marina swim hundreds of Carp. Some get nearly 4 feet long, and people go there and feed them popcorn that you can buy inside the marina’s store. These Carp literally clammor over each other to get the popcorn, some completely out of the water at times with their big mouths open. They don’t have teeth, so you can even hand feed them! Well, I was there once as a teen, no joke, and there was a lady there watching the fish and she was holding this little fluffy, white miniature poodle (you know where this is going, right?). Poor little thing -- looked just like a giant piece of popcorn! So tragic, really…. No, just kidding! She didn’t drop the poodle, just relax! But my warped adolescent mind was imagining how awful, yet strangely cool it would have been to see!

And now there are these things called “Flying Asian Carp”, have you seen these? They were imported from Asia back in the 60’s and 70’s and are causing a real problem in the Mississippi basin. Apparently, these fish, which can get to be 45-50 pounds actually leap out of the water when startled, and you see videos of people out on their boats trying to steer through the water and these Carp are literally jumping out of the water, dozens of them, and landing in the boat! And the guys on the boat are waving their arms around trying to avoid being slapped in the face by these things! This is not a joke! It’s like Alfred Hitchcock meets Monty Python! You just can’t make stuff like this up. Experts are trying to figure out a way to get rid of this invasive species, but they just don’t know how. Well. . . I think they should save up all their Christmas trees and dump them in the river! And when the Carp all gather to see where the presents are, they can net them, BAM!, right there, while they’re all together! Oh, come to think of it, that won’t work because they’re Asian Carp! I don’t think they celebrate Christmas in Asia, do they? Well, that’s probably why they haven’t tried it. (groan) I’ve recently heard that Mississippi is now really trying to use this epidemic to their advantage (true story). They’re now promoting the flying Carp to hunters and other sportsmen who are being escorted on big tour boats with bows & arrows (with line attached)! So, we wish them luck with that. . .

All this silliness aside, many of Jesus' friends and disciples were fishermen, and of course He told Peter that He would make him a "fisher of men." Like I tell my kids, Jesus is pretty smart. He used the widley known image and experience of fishing to communicate a profound truth. Christ told Peter to let down his nets again after many failed attempts. Peter complied, and you know what happened. The nets were so full, Peter had to call for another boat to help haul away the catch! For most sports fishermen, it's not the catch that's most enjoyable -- it's the attempt. As disciples of Christ, we are to fish for souls. The catch is up to Him! He will lead us where and how to fish, but we need to be ready with our nets!

(Want to see a video of the Asian Carp epidemic? Check this out!)