'Twas the Day Before Christmas

In the December 2013 issue, Larry Whiteley shared some great holiday gift ideas for the angler on your list. Here, he channels his inner Clement Clark Moore with a fun poem about fishing on Christmas Eve.







‘Twas the day before Christmas as I snuck through the house
grabbing my fishing stuff as quiet as a mouse.

My fishing buddies were waiting as I closed the door with care,
we were all excited about the good time we would share.

While everyone was nestled all snug in their beds
visions of a lunker danced in our heads.

We got to the lake as the sun started to rise,
unloaded the boat and stared at the sky.

What a great day to catch a big mess of fish.
The good Lord had granted me my Christmas wish.

Away from the dock we flew like a flash,
we were all in a hurry to hook a big bass.

We tied to a tree and started to rig,
trying to decide on spinners or jig-and-pig.

When what to our eyes should appear,
but a bass boat pulled by eight reindeer.

With a little old driver so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

As we sat there staring, he made a great cast,
then let it settle and reeled it back fast.

When out of the deep the monster did come,
swallowed the hook and started to run.

But the jolly old man had done this before
and he fought that fish until it couldn’t run any more.

He won the battle and let out a big "Ho ho ho,"
then released the fish and told it to go.

He then turned to us and said, “Times a wastin’,
I would like to stay but I really must hasten.”

But I heard him exclaim as he left on his mission,
“Merry Christmas to all, and good luck fishin’!”