We moved from our native state of Iowa to Michigan in 1987. That moved necessitated another move 7 years later, (staying in Michigan-much to our surprise. We thought moving from our beloved state would last a maximum of 3-5 years) about 175 miles to the western shore of Lake Michigan where we stayed for 22 years (still perplexed by the length of that stay too).

Our move to the west shore was minus a kid-almost 2. Shannon was finishing college at Michigan State while being mom to Ariana who was 3. Joshua was about to start his first year at State, so only 15 year-old Adam called our new house, home. Tough time for him to move at the end of his freshman year. That summer before school started he knew absolutely no one. But we had never lived on a lake before so that was unique. Our house was 2 years old and located on a private drive consisting of 4 homes, with the addition of 8 dogs, including our cockapoo, Chico.

Still, a long summer for Adam. One of the first people to befriend him was a guy 2 doors away. His name was Dale and he was a few years older than us. He and his wife Carol had a beautiful home with a permanent dock and a 2 year old black lab named Junior. Junior loved lake life like no other. He would fetch sticks thrown (FOREVER) out in the water until he drowned-if you didn’t stop. He would wander in our backyard, carrying a rather, thick branch in his mouth and practically knock you over until you started throwing. By the end of an hour he would be full of seaweed. His ‘mom or dad’ would bathe him before allowed in the house again (however Junior considered the house his). They had an outside faucet with warm water for this chore, which wasn’t necessary because Junior swam in the lake until it was solid ice. Carol was an excellent seamstress and quilter. One summer day Adam was visiting with Graham and spotted a newborn fawn under our boat lift. John snapped a picture and showed it to Dale and Carol. Carol scanned the photo onto cloth and stitched it on a pillow for us.

Besides spending time with the neighborhood dogs, Dale taught Adam how to fish. They were fishing buddies through and through. While they caught pan fish to eat like perch, sunfish or walleye, the most enjoyable time spent fishing was catching junk fish like dogfish, sheepshead or gar pike. Those species put up a good fight and it was advantageous to remove them from a good fishing spot like Muskegon Lake. Dogfish (bow fin) especially, who ate more than their fair share of fish, including babies, Mallards and Canadian geese. Really anything they could get in their mouth-they ate with gusto.

Dale gave Adam advice on lures, weights of fishing line, poles, bait, and to always use metal containers for bait or the dogfish would chew right through it. They had weekly Thursday night contests (most of the neighborhood guys throwing in 10 bucks each) who could catch the biggest dogfish by dusk. Dogfish have nasty teeth and one bit right through Adam’s thumb. And ‘Doggin’ for Dollars” was initiated.

Every Thursday, “Doggin’ for dollars was the highlight of Adam’s week. He won frequently which royally pissed off a couple of guys (dedicated sport fishermen). Getting beat by a 15 year old (smartass rookie) wasn’t appreciated. Dale didn’t want the dogfish thrown back in the lake because it was bad for fishermen, the lake and any baby fish) so Carol suggested they be buried under one of her many flowerbeds (which were spectacularly beautiful) the next day. The caught nuisance fish would lay on Dale’s backyard through the night (still breathing) until he would carefully dig a hole for deposit. Win-win for Muskegon Lake! Dale was happy to oblige for the Mrs.

When Adam started his sophomore year he said, “who would have thought when we moved here my best friends would be a 54 year-old-guy and his dog?” Dale and Adam remained fishing buddies and good friends until Adam moved to Kalamazoo to finish college a few years later. The black labs changed over the years with Dale and Carol, but they all loved swimming, fetching sticks and calling the house their own.

We moved from North Muskegon almost 11 years ago. Our then 10-year-old granddaughter Peyton, while anxious to have us move closer was devastated when we put the house on the market. Dale was famous for his “Million Dollar Fudge” and gifted us with a platter each Christmas. “How are we gonna get our Dale fudge,” she pleaded? We’ve since stopped a couple times while we were in town but it’s not the same as being neighbors. Sadly, Dale passed away a couple of years ago. He’s moved on to the best fishing holes in heaven. Adam graduated from Western Michigan, moved to Ann Arbor, got a terrific job as head chef at a fancy steak house, plus gave us an incredible grandson, (Graham, who is also a great fisherman).

Adam still reminisces about his first summer of fishing with his friend Dale, playing with Junior and how much that summer meant to him…