My grandfather owned and operated a block & tile company in Spencer, and adjacent to the manufacturing plant he had a gravel pit dug. Grandpa died, and my old man bought the company, and when I was a little boy, I’d go with my father and fish on the shores of the pit. The pit was stocked with carp and bullheads and catfish and the largest goldfish I’ve ever seen. My brother was driving a truck for my father at that time and he would stop and check on me and see if I was having any luck.
I don't remember how many days I'd fished before I caught my first catfish. My father and brother were concerned; I think they felt that a little boy has an inherent right to catch fish, something in the lore of America--the Huckleberry Finn syndrome. Close to sundown on a day that was hot and breathless, I began to reel in my line, and my rod bowed, and I figured that I was snagged on a submerged log. It must have been a light log, because I could move it slightly with a smooth, hard pull toward me. My rod would bow some more and I was afraid that I might break it. I decided the best way to avoid breaking the rod would be to point the tip towards the point where my line entered the water and hold on tight and back peddle my way up the bank, and quickly return to the shore reeling in the line as quick as I could possible reel. This was done two or three times before I spotted the log in the water. I edged In towards shore and waded a few feet out to retrieve my line and when I reached for my line, I noticed my log was a fish--I figured a very lazy fish, but wow, was it ever large. I'd never seen a fish that size. I tugged and scooted him ashore and heard my brother descending the bank behind me. His verdict was final--"catfish".
My brother put the fish on my stringer and told me to get on home. I found out later that my brother took the fish to town and bragged to the boys in the pool hall that he caught the catfish. Mom and Dad were happy for me and the next day I caught a fish the same size. This time I gave the fish back to the water.