BAIT

The better bait for bass is helgramites.
We found a few for sale and took them all,
But after an hour of casting on Madagascal
Pond, we’d had no nibbles, let alone bites,

Cy had a friend who was lucky with little green
Frogs, so we rowed us over to a cove he knew
And hopped in waist-high water to net a few.
The frogs were dumb. They’d poke their eyes serenely

Popping to where a scoop could whisk them in.
We knew the bulls had bigger, blacker snouts,
Easy to spot, but Jimmy called, “Look out!”
He’d seen a monster snapper’s happy grin.

I wish you’d seen my barefoot buddy hurtle
His way into the skiff to thwart that turtle.

(107, May 30, l993)

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