Chandler speared his first fish last night. He got a spear pole and goggles for his pre-birthday (the real thing is on Monday) and has been living this moment in his mind for weeks. So when he brought it home, something had to be done.
Marti was leading the charge on the excitement and pictures and such, but when it came to what to actually do with the thing, she retreated to the bathroom and texted family and friends:
“Ok. I am drawing the line,” she wrote. “My children brought home kittens and spare children. Chandler speared a fish, a 19-inch real fish with those dull eyes after something is no longer alive. Now Christopher’s friends smelled after a time, but never as much as this little critter. It is 10:25 p.m. and instead of being off to bed, Chandler and his 2 buddies (really sweet brothers) are waiting to filet — thanks to my ever ready and most patient husband — and cook over coals this non-flipping and probably radioactive creature of the sea. I know I am going to have nightmares from this evening. I just heard John say, “Oh no.” I think I will remain in the bath a little bit longer …”
So this is now the “ever ready and most patient husband” with the rest of the story. I have experience gutting, cleaning and preparing pan-sized trout from the lake on backpacking trips, but this is a foot and a half long spiny tough creature of the sea and I am trying to do the job with dull kitchen knives in the kitchen sink. There’s nothing in this house sharp enough to filet this fish so I ended up closing it up in foil with chopped onion and lots of lemon juice and cooking it over the coals outside.
The end result was something that tasted like fish when you first put it in your mouth but it finished with the texture of a rubber band. Needless to say, I was glad the local Jack in the Box is 24 hours. I ate more of it than anybody (Chandler and one of the brothers had a bite) trying to convince them that it was good. (It’s probably just in my head but my stomach is a little queazy this morning.)
I think we’ll do a little more research next time on what to actually spear out there that is worthy of being eaten, but there’s no way I could have gotten out of cooking and at least preparing to eat this fish. Next time, however, I think we’ll find out what it is. Maybe one of you can identify it from the picture.
As to my ever-present spiritual conclusion? I’ll leave that up to you this time.
John Fischer The Catch 
It looks like a “smelt” to me
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smelt_%28fish%29
That being said, it is food for trout!!! Looks like the only way to fix them effectively is to fry them whole…
It could be a mullet. Distinguishing characteristics: 2 dorsal (top of the back) fins (couldn’t tell from the photo) and no lateral line (the line along the middle of the side of the fish…which I didn’t see). A hundred years ago when I was in college, I used to pole spear mullet in Florida and grill them on the beach. Ah…the good ole days.
I was one of the lucky recipients of Marti’s “tub mail” – she can tell you what I THOUGHT I read… the important thing is that you were THERE and experienced the moment with your son. I remember my first fishing trip with my dad – cane pole variety – I caught 14 teeny brim – no bigger than my 6-yr-old palm, but I wouldn’t throw them back, My dad faithfully cleaned every one of those little things, and Mom fried them up – the original “fish nuggets” I suppose. What a wonderful memory of my folks this is for me. Makes me realize how much they loved me and how blessed I was to have them. Well done, John! You AND the fish!
Sin is kind of like a bad fish – it looks good at first, but afterwards it’s like rubber bands in your mouth.
there ya go!
Spiritual lesson, hmmm. As fisher of men just like fishermen, not everything you bring home is going to be worth cooking?
LOL, What a great story to end the week with. You painted a wonderful picture of the life of a real family!
How many times has God allowed me the thing I most desired and after receiving it my eyes are opened to the true nature of it.
Good one!
At 10:30 in the evening you are allowed to wrap it in tin foil and place it in the freezer for a “rainy” day, and thank the Lord, there are not many “rainy” days in Southern California. And as much as I appreciate you sharing life with us from Marti’s hiding to your handling knives at such a late hour, we all know the real story is: “THE CATCH” – kudo’s Chandler
I’m pushing 58 and still remember when I was 7 years old and I pull in my first fish. When I got it up on the dock, I was in ah that the fish on the end of the line had two eyes. But they were both on one side. I thought it was deformed. My uncle said “this a great fish, its a Flounder”. So being such a special fish, surely it would be a great pet. Needless to say after about three day, it made it to the landfill. I didn’t go fishing again until my late teens, and sense then, few and far between. I think I could enjoy fishing, I just don’t seem to be good at it. It sure is hit and miss.