Dave's First Peacock

This story is reprinted with the permission of the author Arnie Markowitz.  The story is about my brother David.  Love you Bro. Thanks Arnie, great story and great pictures!

To all appearances, Dave Johnston seemed to have it made: good job, good woman. He owned three boats and he caught lots of fish. But there was a dark secret. Although he apparently had a good life, there was a hole in his soul.  His heart bore a heavy burden.

Realizing he could not make it alone, Dave enrolled in a 12-step program. At his first meeting he stood and, with voice trembling, said "My name is Dave, and I have never caught a peacock. Help me. Save me!" The others laughed and booed. Dave ran out, crying. In desperation, he turned to me. I promised to help him catch a peacock.

November 7, 2013, a day that will live in, in, in I dunno, whatever. Anyway, today was the day he got Dave his first peacock. Here's a picture. See that smile?

After the successful initiation, I assured Dave that he was worthy to catch bigger peacocks. As we approached a spot where I knew big ones lurk, I instructed him exactly where and how to cast. He obeyed and caught this fish. After that,  he caught some more like it. I should mention that Dave was casting my Marsh Minnowitz fly, the silver and black version.

At last we repeated an earlier drift. This time, we saw a small disturbance on a shoreline but could not make out what was causing it. Just to see what would happen, Dave cast a Rapala Skitter-pop lure, fire tiger pattern, with the spinning rod  he had brought along as a backup. Here is what he caught with that. It was the last fish of a 4 hour trip. I have certified Dave as a skilled peacock angler and cancelled his application  to the Secure Institution for Depressed Fishing-Doers. Please join me in congratulating him on a major achievement.