FISHING WITH DOUG BY JOHN BERRY

The other day I got a call from my old friend, Doug Berry. I have known him for over thirty years and he was one of my first guide clients lo these many years ago. Despite the same last name, we have no direct knowledge that we are related, although we both believe that we are somewhere, in our past. Both of us have a connection to Belle Starr, the notorious outlaw, in our family oral history. My paternal grandfather was orphaned at birth and raised by Pony Star, Belle Starr’s brother in law. In addition, Doug reminds me of my father, due to his mannerisms.

Doug wanted to take his grand children fishing on Dry Run Creek. The idea was to drive from his home in Jackson, Mississippi to Memphis to pick up his younger grandson, Jeb, and bring him here to fish on Mondayand Tuesday. He would return to Memphis drop off Jeb and pick up Luke, his older grandson to fish on Thursday and Friday. This sounds like a lot of driving but it makes perfect sense. This way each lad gets a lot of individual attention on stream and spends some quality time with grand dad.

 I picked up Doug and Jeb at 7:30 AM at River Ridge Inn. I took them to the wader room and got a pair of waders, for both of them. We then drove to Dry Run Creek and began fishing. It took the ten year old a while to get the hang of it. He was starting to get a bit discouraged. Then right before lunch he landed a fine twenty two inch brown trout. He was enthused from then on. After lunch, we went back to the creek and he caught two big browns (23 and 24 inches long) back to back. We fished till 4:00 PM and then I invited them to my house in Cotter where my wife, Lori, cooked a nice pot roast Dinner. Doug brought a couple of bottles of fine red wine and a bottle of Scotch. It was an excellent evening.

The next day the plan was to fish for a half day and try to hang another big fish. Around 8:30 he hooked up with a huge trout. It made several long runs. I chased it up and down the stream. It was moving, at will, despite the drag being set extremely heavy on the reel. Somehow Jeb hung on and I was able to net the monster. It was a thick heavy brown that went about twelve pounds. It was the biggest brown that one of my clients had landed in several years. Doug had videoed the entire fight and took several photos of Jeb with his monster trout. We finished the day with a few more trout but nothing like this fish.

I started the process again on Thursday morning with Luke, at fourteen, the older of the two boys. I must say that I was a bit apprehensive with the prospect of taking Luke out. I had so much success with his brother that I did not know, if I could produce another trophy like we had caught earlier, in the week. In this business, you are only as good as your last trip.

The day began slowly. As luck would have it, he hooked a monster about9:30 AM. It came in fairly quickly but was big. It was a rainbow with a huge girth. I had never seen a fish with as large a girth for its length. It looked like a permit (a salt water fish with a big girth) this rainbow was about twenty two inches long but I estimated that it weighed around ten pounds.  

I was greatly relieved to have Luke to catch a big trout, so early in the day. I was able to relax and enjoy the rest of the day. Since it was a big rainbow Luke had managed to catch a bigger trout of that species than his brother giving him bragging rights. That night Doug took me to Whispering Woods for dinner. Lori was competing at a dog show with our fishing dog, Tilley, and could not join us.

We fished a half day on Friday. Luke landed a solid twenty two inch brown. Otherwise the going was a bit slower than the previous day. They quit about eleven and headed back.

A few days later I received a box of my favorite cigars from Doug as a thank you. It was greatly appreciated. It was nice to fish with him again. The boys were great to work with. I look forward to doing it again.