Trying something new
It’s never too late to enjoy a good day of fishing
At 87, Mabel Redden tries her hand at ice fishing.
It took 87 years to get her on the ice, and the threat of rain to get Mable Redden to finally call it a day.
She fishes a lot in the summer, but this was the first time Redden went ice fishing, and she was determined to make the best of it.
“I trout fish and have my favourite fishing spots, and I go down to the wharf and fish for cod. But it seemed over the years that I never really had the opportunity to go ice fishing,” she said. “It was such a beautiful day Wednesday and out of the blue I said to Jim (her sonin-law) let’s go ice fishing. He was game, so we geared up the poles in my living room. I had the chance, and was dressed and out the door. I had the time of my life.”
MacNeil jokingly added that when they arrived home with their catch, which between them came to about threedozen, his mother-in-law was ahead by four smelt.
“As the fog rolled in over Whycocomagh Bay, and all other fishers went home with their catch, Mable stayed content and determined sitting on a cooler. There were about 15 other people when we arrived. At the end of the day she was alone on the ice,” MacNeil said. “One of the smelt she caught was so big, at first I thought it was a trout.”
Redden, who raised a family of nine, five boys and four girls, said she is hoping to get back out on the ice this winter.
She plans to drop a few hints about ice fishing gear for Christmas, maybe even a fancy new rod.
“It was such a great day. I cleaned the smelt as soon as I got home,” she said “I put them in flour with pepper and salt, and fried them till they were nice and crisp. Oh my, they were just awesome,” she said. “I like smelt too much to have anything else with them, just bread. Jim and my daughter Donna had a feed with me.”
Redden, who likes to keep active, is in the middle of planning her flower gardens.
“I counted over 50 geraniums that are up and I only planted them a few days ago. They are perched on the dining room window ledge taking in the sunshine,” she said. “I mowed my own lawn all these years, and do all my flower beds. Right now I’m in the middle of housecleaning.”
She will be 88 on Nov. 11, and has no plans of slowing down.
“My mother lived to be 94, and I had two aunts who lived to be 99 and 101 years of age. Maybe I’ll make it to 102,” she said with a hearty laugh.