Twenty minutes after I finished talking with Elliott Webster Thursday, the 7-year-old caught a northern pike.
Figures. The second-grader is that kind of kid.
Among his biggest fish, he picked a 40-inch pike. Like a seasoned angler, he said it came on a “small firetiger crankbait.”
“He has a collection of lures,” his dad Todd said. “For his birthday, he likes Grandma [Mary Jo Hermiller] to take him to Bass Pro. Evening entertainment will find him in his room going through his tackle.”
This is not a case of his dad teaching him. Instead mentoring came from Jeff Kopa, Todd’s friend since the University of Michigan.
Sharing a boat at Belmont Harbor with Kopa and his wife Stephanie helps, too.
“It’s such a great community down here, then extend it to fishing for the support,” Todd said.
That includes having KingFisher Charters nearby.
”They teach him tying lines and are excited when he comes by,” Todd said.
“He is definitely the real deal,” Capt. Kevin Bachner said. “He probably puts in four or five hours a day.”
The KingFisher crew helped Elliott make flies.
“He has the bug, he has that passion,” Bachner said. “I don’t know that I had that passion when I was his age. He eats and breathes fishing.”
“I like eating and catching the fish,” Elliott said.
Kopa does some of the cooking and filleting; and Elliott is learning to fillet fish.
“The rest of the family doesn’t care to eat fish,” said Todd of himself, his wife Kay and daughter Annabel, 11.
But fishing has connections for the Lake View family. Elliott holds fish for Annabel when they take photos.
Early in the year, Elliott begins with bluegill, then it’s bass and pike. He’s also caught carp and coho.
“The one he is missing this season is the Chinook,” Todd said.
“I like catching king salmon,” Elliott said.
He caught one last year, but has not yet this year.
“You will always notice Elliott has a life jacket on in all pictures,” Todd noted. “I believe it is so important regardless of a child’s swimming ability, that they wear a proper life jacket while around water. (Elliott is a proficient swimmer). I grew up as a swimmer, lifeguard, and swim coach.
“Lake Michigan and water is no joke. It only takes a moment while checking your phone or being distracted for something bad to happen. Life jackets save lives and it is always amazing to me to see the number of kids who don’t have a proper one on.”
In memory
Bob Maciulis, 76, died Sept. 29. Services were held Oct. 6. Mr. Maciulis left teaching in 1972 to start “The Outdoor Notebook;” his writing also appeared in suburban newspapers; and “The Outdoor Notebook” show ran on WJOL-AM for more than 30 years, according to the obituary for Petkus Funeral Homes.
Illinois hunting
Forecast seems apt for duck and Canada goose seasons to open Saturday in the north zone.
Wild things
Robert Roche emailed on Monday a photo of woodcock in his north suburban backyard. Signs of seasonal changes mount, including a spurt of fall color.
Stray cast
Gray mist Monday reminded me why I hate fall. I already miss even bad Sox baseball and kayak fishing early before summer heat builds.
