A little spot of fishing
Gaheris gets a subtle lesson in catching fish from Philio. (24/2/10)
Camp Willow: Dock
<----> Camp Willow - Dock <---->
As you walk aboard the dock, you can see out around the whole inlet. The wind sways around the reeds and cattails, making them sway in a breeze. Mostly you can here out here is the gentle lapping of the waters against the wood. Peering below, you can find many different fish swimming underneath the dock. Also you're able to see minnows that swim around in schools, mainly around the posts that are holding up the planks. Iron hooks stick out, holding up some canoes and logboats against the dock.
-- Travel: Public Places: Private Adobes: --
-- [O]ut into the [In]let +unavailable+ --
-- [Sh]oreline --
-- --
With:
[IC] Philio
[IC] Gaheris
How can one beast. Be in such a good mood? Well. Phil can. After the dinner last night with Kass. He has been on top of the world. Though he is still kicking himself for not mustering up the courage to kiss her good night.... But still. They are going out again soon. And what can be more exciting then that! He lightly hum to himself as he sits at the end of the dock. His fishing supplies with him. A harpoon. A short net. And of course his lucky fishing pole which he lovingly calls 'sticky'. He is using sticky right now, and the string drapes far off into the inlet. Get some of the bigger fish.
By contrast Gaheris is just in an ok mood. On the list for today is lessons on fishing with nets. Apparently as son of the Skipper it's decided he has to try everything "Hey Phil" he calls out as he gets closer to the docks and spots the otter "Tell me the others have all gone to sea and they're too busy working?"
Philio tilts his ears before looking back, "Hey Gaheris... Yep. They pulled out a few hours before dawn. Pop let me sleep in. So i missed out." he shrugs. He doesn't mind too much. He places sticky on the dock, and then places a rock on top of it. So it don't go nowhere. He gets up to face the other otter, "Why? Whats up? Does Skip needs something?" he asks, tilting his head.
Gaheris grins, his day is taking a turn for the better and he even has a skip in his step as he bounds up onto the docks "Nope. Mum wanted me doing another of those fishing lessons with the boats but if they're all gone then I'm freeeeee" spinning round once before he promptly drops down to sit on the edge of the dock and grin at Phil "Now if only she'd let me sleep in the day might be perfect"
Philio chuckles at his attitude, "Well really. Son of a Skipper, sleeping in?" he laughs, "It might be perfect. But you have about as much chance, as i have catching a whale in a river!" He grins and winks, before going to plop down next to him, "All the boats aren't gone. Mine is still here... Well. not here. Over there..." he points back to shore, where his little boat sits ashore, "Im just saying..." he winks again.
Gaheris rests back on the docks so he's just lying there with his feet dangling off the edge "No it's not! Your boat is clearly getting a fresh coat of paint today and can't go out again until tomorrow at least" he refuses to acknowledge that it's right there, so should everyone else.
Philio chuckles and smiles, nudging him with his elbow, "If your going to lie about something. At least do it right. Its getting a fresh coat of resin... And wont be able to go out again until tomorrow!" he grins stupidly before picking up sticky and giving it a few experimental tugs, "So. Why don't you want to learn fishing? Its lot of fun..." yep. Like a barrel of rats rolling down a hill.
Gaheris smirks back at Phil "See? Now I won't have boat care classes added to the list, thanks" he sits up enough to rest back on his elbows "Of course you'd think it's fun, you're a fisher!...I know how to fish anyway, just don't get on with nets and spears and all that sitting in boats instead of getting out and swimming"
Philio smiles at him, "Oh i like that too. Though there is a problem... Go ahead. Jump in the freezing cold water. Im not going to stop yah!" he smirks and shakes his head, "You would freeze your rudder off before you got to the otherside. Sides. I like net fishing. Catch a whole bunch, and all you really have to do is row..." Secret hidden lesson perhaps? "Your a big silly. You know that right?" he grins looking back at the water.
Hidden so well Gaheris has yet to spot it. He snorts "Right, cold water, catch more than one, I know, I know. It's just not that fun! There's no chase. There's toss out the net, pull it back in again, row around a bit...Sorry, I know you like it"
Philio frowns slightly and he pulls on the line, very slowly back, "There is alot more to it than that. Its a lot more mental. Have to think and stuff... Where the fish are. how they move from spot to spot. What kinda net your using..." he sighs, better not get on the Skippers sons bad side, "Anyway. Net fishing is used to catch the stupid fish... It takes real skill to angle' the smart ones..." Its obvious that there is something pulling back on his line.
Gaheris raises an eyebrow, ok, that has more of his attention "There are smart fish? I know there's dangerous ones but smart ones seems a little...off"
Philio chuckles, "Aye Smart fish, smart guy! The native ones that have been living here before any other beast has, are real smart. And trixy. There is one that has been playing with my hook for the past while... he's a big one... And the reason he got so big, is that he knows to stay away from the nesting grounds... where we net..." he hums to himself.
Gaheris tilts his head "I guess that makes sense...Though won't he know how to avoid hooks too then?...And wouldn't it be simpler to come spring jump on in and chase him down? He can't have learnt to out swim the otters too?"
"You would be surprised" Philio says, "If they couldn't avoid hooks. I would have caught this sucker a long time ago. He has been around the block before... Jsut wait until they slip up..." he pulls on the line again. And it in turn, pulls back. He hrms, "Some of them can. But most only really have to outswim us... just until they get to a hole or something to lose us... they are trixy...Wait... Come on... Come on... GOT YAH!" he pulls heavily on the line, "I got you now!" A fish in the middle of the water jumps. A hook from sticky, caught in his mouth."
Well he's got Gaheris interested for now even if he's still not likely to sit on the bank fishing for hours "Battle of wits against a fish, I am surprised, WOAH!" he quickly scrambles to his feet when the fish jumps out of the water "You weren't kidding when you said he was big"
Philio ergs and holds sticky sidewise twisting it, dragging the line and fish in. The fish continues to jump from the water to try to get the hook out of its mouth, "Ooo.... Native rainbow... Come to me.... Here fishy fishy fishy..." he grins as he lets the line drag for a few seconds before pulling and rolling. Let it drag, then pull then roll, "Line... Dont fail on me now!" he chuckles. Before he is pulled and draged face first to met the dock, "Argh! Help!" Still holding onto the stick.
Gaheris is watching with some excitement as Philio draws the fish in, until the fisher goes flat on his face mind "Erk!" he quickly springs forwards and goes to grab hold of the stick too, maybe two will be enough to keep Phil from being dragged into the river.
Philio holds onto the stick as much as he can. Then the other otter grabs it, "Thanks Gaheri Okay... Help me up..." With his help, he gets up and sturdy's himself, "Dont wanna go quietly does he?" he chuckles. And the pulling and dragging continues to get the fish. The fish is only a few otter lengths away. Phil nods toward his supplies, "See if you can get him..." Both harpoon and net is there. But he didn't specify which one to use.
Gaheris is reluctant to let go of the stick and have Phil pulled over again but he makes a quick dash for the net after a moment "Hang on, hold him there" net got he's back to the side of the docks again and trying to scoop the fish out with it.
Philio is ready this time, and when the other otter lets go. He manages to hold it steady, "Okay..." he pulls back on it hard, bending the heck out of the stick. But that's why its his lucky stick, "He is so near! Just sweep him up!" he ergs, "Just make a sweeping motion! That's it!" he yells out.
Gaheris just keeps sweeping until he has the fish "I got it, no I don't, ok, got him, get him onto the docks quick before he gets away!" he's got the fish pretty much enclosed in net but he doesn't trust it.
Philio nods, dropping the pole onto the dock and running over to where he is. He takes the net, "I got him. I got him...Pull up..." he mumbles pulling the net up. The fish flops around looking for water. Phil is quick. He pulls out his dagger and holds the fish down with one paw. It slaps him in the face once or twice before the otter manages to pin it. It takes the dagger and places it at the forehead and shoves it in with a crunch. The fish slowly stop moving as it dies. Phil sighs and wipes his forehead, "Wheh... Good job Gaheri... Thanks..." he chuckles.
Gaheris keeps the net pinned down, the fish isn't getting away now. All that experience avoiding the nets and they got him in the end. He waits for a second but after the fish doesn't move he slowly straightens back up again "Wow, he definitely put up a fight"
Philio takes the dagger from the fish's head, and makes a few incisions near the gill. His personal trade sign. Then he sheaths the dagger standing up, holding the fish by its tail, "He knew what was going to happen when he got caught! Not so smart. Are yah now?" he laughs at the fish. The fish is pretty darn huge. About a quarter an otters length, "He will make several fine meals!"
Gaheris chuckles "He could only last so long living right next to a camp full of otters. I best he'll taste good too. Put a bit aside for me eh? First successful use of a net in some way"
"Aye. Ill save a bit... First rainbow i've caught this season. He is going to be so sweet!" Phil licks his chops. He looks to the sky, "Hey. Don't tell your mum i said this. But if you want to dodge net lessons. I would leave soon. There going to be back any minute now..." he chuckles, "And i need to gut this fish before it starts to stink. Thanks again for the help"
Gaheris grimaces at the thought of the fishers returning despite the fact he's actually done a bit of fishing now "Thanks for the heads up. I'll find somewhere else to hide out. It was fun, don't let them nick the lot!" he's already scarpering, running off back towards the main part of the camp.
Philio waves as he runs off, "See yah Gaheri!" he smirks before heading over to the barrel and table at the end of the dock, in which they use for cleaning dead fish, "Think im gonna call you... 'red'..." he takes to his fish as he places it on the table. Getting to work on it. He just finishes when the first boats arrive, with a few loads of need to clean fish. And look who is already here!
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