The Adventures of Jack and Billy Joe by A. Jeff Tisdale Read Free Book Online

banks will get us mostly shellcrackers.”
    “We fish creeks all the time,” Jack pointed out. “I had rather look for shellcracker beds around the stumps.”
    “Can you smell the beds?” Red asked.
    “I can sometimes if the wind is still but Billy Joe always can,” Jack said.
    “Well, Billy Joe, you’re in the front of the boat,” Red said. “Let’s test your nose.”
    Red guided the boat around the stumps close to the bank and waited for Billy Joe to locate a bed for him.
    “I smell one,” Billy Joe said. “Go a little to the left.”
    Turning a little to the left, Red slowed the engine to a crawl and waited for Billy Joe to give him another course correction, but it never came.
    “Stop right here,” Billy Joe commanded.
    Red reached out and grabbed a tree trunk. Using a short rope that was tied to the transom, he tied the boat to the stump, killing the motor at the same time.
    “Where’s this bed?” Red asked in a tone slightly over a whisper.
    “Right there,” Billy Joe said, pointing to the left of the boat.
    Squinting, Red could barely see the water slightly boiling. He knew this was from a fish tail fanning the shallow bottom to make the bed.
    The rain had subsided to a drizzle.
    They each selected a cane pole, unrolled the line, baited the hook and eased it down in the water over the bed.
    Within a minute, they each had a big shellcracker. Being careful not to put too much strain on the cane poles, they played the big crappies to tire them before bringing them in the boat.
    Jack, who was sitting in the center, opened the live-well so they could throw their fish in there to keep them alive and fresh.
    After they had each caught about six or seven fish, there were no more bites.
    “I think we have caught this bed out,” Red said. “Think you can smell out another one, Billy Joe?” Red asked as he untied the mooring rope and started the motor.
    The rain had completely stopped now and the sky looked as if it was going to clear up. “A little sun would feel good and dry us off,” Red said.
    He eased the boat around to continue in the same direction they had been going before Billy Joe smelled the shellcracker bed. After about twenty-five yards, Billy Joe held up his hand to slow down. He pointed to the left and Red slightly turned the boat in that direction. After a few feet, Billy Joe held up his hand, palm toward Red as a signal to stop.
    Red stopped the motor and grabbed another stump and tied to it.
    “You’ve got a million-dollar nose, Billy Joe,” Red said. “You can fish with me anytime.”
    Just as they were getting their fishing poles ready to go again, the sun peeped out of the clouds and lightened the world.
    “That feels good but I hope the fish don’t stop biting because of it,” Jack said.
    As if in answer to that hope, Jack’s bobber went under and he pulled out the largest shellcracker of the day.
    They continued to pull in fish from this bed, but a clay bank with willow trees growing from it caught Red’s eye.
    “Jack, in those crawdads you have—are there any small ones?”
    “Yes, sir, I think so,” he said, passing the crawdad bucket to Red.
    “Oh yeah, some nice ones,” Red said. “Let me borrow your rod and reel.”
    Jack passed him his rod and reel, which was already set up with a small hook, a lead shot weight and a clip-on bobber.
    “Have you got a little larger hook?” Red asked.
    “Yeah,” Jack said and handed Red his plastic hook box.
    “Good. Can I cut the hook and weight off?” Red asked.
    “Yes, sir—sure,” Jack responded.
    With his pocketknife, Red cut the line. He tied on a slightly larger hook, baited it with a lively crawdad and cast it to the edge of the willow trees. The bobber rode lightly on the water since there was now no weight on it. That allowed the lively crawdad to move around a little.
    Red kept fishing for and catching the shellcrackers but he kept one eye on the little bobber over by the willow trees.
    After catching an