Uncle Raymond with my blackfish!

Back in the late 1940's I was asked to go flounder fishing with Uncle Raymond, as he said the flounders are now biting off City Island in the mud flats. I was very excited about this opportunity to be with Uncle Raymond as we never had time to spend together at that time. Later on in our careers we had the time to go weight lifting in the Bronx near Yankee Stadium; and he also took us to A pool in Westchester County near Harrison, close to where Uncle Winston lived. But at this time, to go fishing with a great fisherman was really very exciting for this teenage boy.

Uncle Raymond had explained to me that the flounders in the springtime are not far off shore and should not be any trouble to find and catch. The day finally came and we drove off to City Island to rent a boat. We brought my friend and neighbor Rudy Ott along as he also enjoyed fishing. Whenever you went out to City Island you always had to make sure there was a boat available for you to rent. This time we had no trouble and I believe Uncle Raymond may have had a motor but I am not quite sure at this time 50 odd years later.

When we left the dock Uncle Raymond headed for an area he knew the flounders were gathering, just waiting to be caught by three hungry fisherman. We spent some time there with no luck at all. We did not even see a flounder in the water which happens frequently. It was like they knew we were coming and decided to move on.

Before heading back to the docks and calling an end to the frustrating day Uncle Raymond moved the boat to still another location of mud flats which might have some potential. We spent some time there, and whamo! I got a hit on my line that fought back as I was reeling him in, with plenty of enthusiasm from Rudy and Uncle Raymond. When he was safely on board there was an excited statement from Uncle Raymond or Rudy that you can't catch a black fish in the mud flats -- they live in the rocks off shore! But in fishing everything is possible, which I have proved in later years, and will tell you about at another time.