[fojoloy]

During the mid 70's my wife and I bought our first beach home, a one bedroom mobile home located on the main highway just off Ocean Isle Beach. While here, we honed our experience on surf fishing, throwing cast nets, clamming, gathering oysters and generally having fun week ends.

There was one interest that we needed to fulfill and that was flounder gigging. I knew just about enough about it to be dangerous. I knew you needed the following equipment:a flounder gig, flounder light, waders, battery, and in those days you needed an inner tube lashed to a circular piece of plywood to tow the battery and catch of flounder. Of these materials, I only had a battery and it was in my truck. Next, I set about improvising materials I could use. For a gig I used a 4ft. piece of 3/8 inch re-barb, flattened one end , drilled a hole for a string and ground a sharp point on the other end to make a spear. That took care of my gig and fish storage. Didn't need waders , just wear shorts. For a light I would just have to break down and buy one. Now comes the hard part, how to carry a car battery. I had the bright idea that I could use my old military surplus back pack to carry the battery.This turned out to be an event of much discussion as to who was going to carry the battery. We finally agreed (a little bit) that man should be the hunter and woman should carry the fire wood and stuff. After all , she had already spent most of her adult life carrying all of our kids, usually two at a time, one on each hip and she was more accustomed to it.

Now comes the actual event. We drove down to Shallotte Inlet, I took the battery out of our truck attached the wires for the light, then put the battery into the back pack and lashed it to the Good Wife's back. Her legs immediately buckled from the weight and she fell. I helped her back on her feet and with much encouragement, off we went to the water. All the time she was grumbling about the weight and feeling like Egor the monster I assured her she only resembled the Hunch Back Of Notre Dame, then we both had stop and rest to get tears out of our eyes from laughter. After regaining our composer, we waded out into the waters edge looking for flounder. I kept reminding her to be sure to follow in my exact footsteps, because if she should accidentally fall into a sink hole, I would have a hard time explaining to the Brunswick County Authorities how she got strapped to our car battery. I took a close look at this beautiful woman and the predicament she was in and thought to myself, either she is one of the best sports in the world, worships the ground I walk on, or I am one sweet talking lucky dude. Believe it or not we speared one 4 lb. flounder.

Next evening we were eating fried flounder with all the trimmings when the Good Wife started complaining with a back ache. I immediately told her that I knew exactly where the old Ocean Isle Healing Hole was located (legend has it you can soak in the water there and it has healing powers) and since we are going to be there anyway you might as well tote the battery with you, as there is probably flounder there also. Oops! I never ever know when to leave well enough alone.