Country music song writers have a way of describing things like no one else. The inspiration for some songs could very well have come from the antics of little boys around Myrick's Mill. The mid 1986 hit song by Randy Travis tells of dredging up memories: "digging up bones, digging up bones; exhuming things that's better left alone. I'm resurrecting memories……" The song reminds me of a memory, that's maybe best forgotten, but I've got to tell you about firecracker fish'in.

While firecrackers were available at the store during the Christmas season, Wayne and I would collect and hoard a stash of cherry bombs and T & T bombs and similar large firecrackers. In the early spring when the weather had warmed, we'd pull our stash of firecrackers, carefully open each one and then dump the powder into an empty shotgun shell, close the top, insert a fuse, then seal it with melted paraffin wax to make the super cracker completely waterproof. The process was repeated until we had four or five super crackers ready for fishing. It was near kin to a clandestine operation.

Did anyone know about this pyrotechnic lab run by a couple of 15 year olds out back in the old chicken brooder house now converted to a hobby shop; Of course not? This was a top secret operation. Now, with all parents and grandparents in the comfort of their heavenly homes plus about 45 years as further insulation, I've decided that it's safe to reveal the story, but not without warning to would-be copycats. DON'T DO IT! Times have changed, neighbors have changed. People might not understand and you don't want to be the subject of a desperate reporter looking for a story or a doctor replacing your fingers. Yeah, I know that we didn't blow ours off, but……..

We gathered a few old bricks or heavy rocks, then headed to the pond, took one of the wooden bateaus and paddled to a deep hole near the dam. The super cracker was placed on a brick and tied securely. The brick with super cracker attached was held over the side of the boat. As the fuse was lit the brick was dropped and sunk quickly to the bottom. BOOM!

The boom was muffled by the water, but it could be felt in the boat as smoke and bubbles rose to the surface around the boat with fish quickly following the bubbles. Some of the fish would quietly surface with their bellies turned up, ready for a quick scoop with the dip nets. Others, shocked by the underwater blast, would scurry erratically near the surface. After a few blast and quick work with dip nets we soon had a bucket of fish ready to be cleaned for the fryer. Ah h h h……. another fish fry! Sometimes we fished for the sport of it. Other times we just needed a mess of fish in a hurry with no time for mess' in around with worms and crickets.

Firecracker fishing! Legal? Didn't know; Didn't ask. Oh, there's one more warning to those who might be getting ideas. The law has changed. Andy Griffith ain't sheriff in Mayberry anymore and get' in caught is a whole lot more serious and more likely than 50 years ago at Myrick's Mill. Pyrotechnic experience is generally not suitable content for most resumes' either.

Firecracker fish'in………diggin' up an old bone from the past.

©2003 - William C. Humphries, Jr.