Bubba & Rambo Go Fishing

Bubba, Boudreaux and Rambo Go Fishing

It was a beautiful late spring morning and Bubba woke up early. The alarm still had another 30 minutes before it would go off but Rambo was laying on the bed with his head on Bubba’s tummy. His morning urge to go make water was getting intense so he woke up Rambo and got up from bed. Rambo went over by the camper door and was dancing around whining at the door to the camper waiting for Bubba to get his jeans on and take him outside.

They got outside and Rambo found a suitable bush VERY close to the camper truck. Bubba wasn’t paying much attention to Rambo because he had a tight grip on Rambo’s leash, just in case. He was looking around the campground noticing the fresh new springtime growth on the local bushes and trees in the area. He didn’t notice that some of Rambo’s business was splashing off the bush and onto the air vent intake to the air conditioning and heater on the lower edge of the camper. The weather was a balmy 75 degrees here this morning in the swamps of Louisiana. 

Boudreaux Comes Over

When they were back inside the camper Bubba started fixing breakfast for them both. Bubba had his usual scrambled eggs and bacon and Rambo had just finished his usual “Doggie Crunch-n-Munch” with a half cup of chicken broth when there was a knock at the camper door. Bubba opened the door and there was his old Army buddy, Boudreaux from years ago and he was about a half hour early. He was invited inside and sat at the table while Bubba handed him a cup of coffee and Rambo hid. He was peeking out from under the bed with just his nose and eyes showing. Boudreaux noticed Rambo out of the corner of his eyes but didn’t look directly at him and didn’t say anything to him.

Rambo had just finished his breakfast and really wanted his Greenie Treat but was just a little too scared to come out from under the bed with a stranger in the camper. So he just lay there watching Boudreaux intently. Boudreaux smiled at Bubba and said, “It sho is good ta see ya again Bubba.” They chatted a little about the “good ol‘ days and traded fishing stories. ALL of them “true stories”, of course. They talked on the phone a few days ago and set up a date to go cat fishing in the bayou. Boudreaux had a favorite fishing spot he was going to share with Bubba.

That Sheriff

“Now, Bubba, there’s a couple o’ things you gotta know before we get there.  Dat’ Shereef, Mr. Tom, don’ like me much. He gets real upset real easy like. So if you see him comin’ while we be fishin’ just follow my lead cuz I don’ have a fishin’ license and I bet you don’ neither.”

Bubba looked at him, grinned, and said, “Just like that time we went fishin’ in the Rhine River when we were in Germany, eh?” They both laughed and Boudreaux said, “Zactly like dat time, but dis time, no pretty French cuties waving at the local Police to distract them. Just don’ worry and follow my lead.”

Cajun Jerky

About then Rambo heard the word “fishing” and was afraid Bubba had forgotten his Greenie so he started whining to let Bubba know he forgot. “I’m sorry Rambo, but you ate up all your greenies on the drive down here” he said. Boudreaux reached in his shirt pocket and pulled out a piece of Jerky and held it out in front of Rambo’s nose. “Here ya go lil buddy. Try some o’ dis Cajun jerky.” 

Rambo took one sniff then grabbed the jerky and ducked back under the bed with it. They could hear chomping and slurping sounds coming from under the bed as Rambo devoured the jerky. Bubba asked, “What kind of Jerky is it?”

“It’s Cajun jerky, ya ninny. What kind o’ jerky did ya expect?” Boudreaux said with a smile on his face.

Bubba said, “I figured that, but what is it made out of?”

Boudreaux replied, “Oh it’s a lil o’ dis and a lil o’ dat. Whatever we could catch. It’s probly mostly Mud Bug meat.” 

Bubba nodded as if he knew what a “Mud Bug” was. He said, “Well I hope it doesn’t make him sick, let’s get my stuff loaded and go drown some worms.” Boudreaux assured Bubba that the Mud Bug Meat was the best thing in the world for little pup-dogs. 

Time to Go Fishing

They packed up the ice chest with a few snacks, a couple of large water bottles, and couple of beers, then grabbed the fishing tackle and loaded it all into Boudreaux’s boat that was floating in the bayou. It was tied off just a few yards from the camper. While they were loading stuff Boudreaux reminded Bubba, “Keep an eye out for da Shereef. Remember, just follow my lead if he comes round”. 

Bubba went to the camper to put Rambo on his leash so he could come too, but as soon as he opened the door, Rambo spotted the boat floating nearby and took off like a shot toward it. He jumped up on it and into the driver’s seat. He didn’t need an invitation because he was determined he was going with them. Rambo sat there grinning at them both with his tail wagging excitedly waiting for them to get aboard.

Boudreaux laughed and said, “Scoot over Rambo. Gotta make room for all us fishermen” as he pushed Rambo over a little on the seat to make room. They got in the boat and when Boudreaux started it Rambo was just as happy as he can be. He loved boat rides and remembered all the times he and Daddy would go out in the boat on Coronado Lake back in the Village. 

The Fish Weren’t the Only Ones Biting

It was about 15 minutes before Boudreaux pulled ashore and tied off the boat to a nearby tree stump. They unloaded all their gear and started fishing. Boudreaux showed Bubba where all the choice deep spots were in the bayou and soon the hooks were baited with frozen shrimp from Boudreaux’s favorite bait shop and their lines were tossed into the water. The fishing was pretty good. They were catching about one fish every half hour and after the first hour, they had four fish on the stringer. Fifteen minutes later there were four fish halves on the stringer. 

Baby Gator Season

Boudreaux said, “Nutz! I clean fergot it’s baby gator season. Springtime is here and them baby gators are fresh hatched. Dey be super hongry when dey first come out. We gotta use a ice chest to keep the fish in.” So they took all the munchies and beer out of the chest, then dumped the ice on the ground and laid the beer bottles on the ice pile. Water was added to the chest until it was about two thirds full. There were only two beers left but it was almost 11 AM by then so they decided to eat their baloney and cheese sandwiches with the beer.

Of course, that was about the time Rambo woke up from his nap in the boat. It’s funny how just the very faint, distant smell of cheese wakes him up so quickly. He was off the boat and wagging his tail in front of the guys with his best “gimme a cookie” look on his face and started licking Bubba’s face. Bubba flinched and shied away from Rambo saying, “Holy crap Rambo. Your breath smells like the bottom of the ape cage at the zoo!” The horrible smell made him wonder exactly what a Mud Bug is. But, about then the fishing picked up.

Them Fish is Biting

They were soon catching another fish every ten minutes. The sandwiches were gobbled down between reeling in fishes and they didn’t even give Rambo a bite of sandwich, or so they thought. Rambo was pretty well educated about how to sneak off with part of your sandwich whenever you weren’t looking. Then curled up between the guys to take another nap.

Here Comes the Sheriff!

Soon they had eight fish swimming around in the ice chest. Life was good, until Rambo’s ears perked up. Boudreaux said, “Rambo isn’t gonna bark is he? I hear dat Shereef comin“.

Bubba whispered, “No he won’t bark much”, and that is when Rambo went nuts with one of his barking fits. Bubba was running around the camp chasing Rambo and saying over and over, “Rambo inside voice, Rambo inside voice…” and Rambo just kept running around and barking even when the Sheriff pulled up in his boat. He parked it along side Boudreaux’s boat and climbed out.

Meanwhile, Boudreaux just sat there and laughed at Bubba chasing Rambo around the camp.

The Sheriff walked up, shook Boudreaux’s hand and said, “Whatcha doin’ Boudreaux?”

Boudreaux replied, “Howdy Shereef Tom. Good to see ya agin.”

Sheriff Tom smirked and said, “You’re fishin’ aren’t ya!  I seen dem fishes in yer ice chest der” and he pointed at the ice chest with the eight fish swimming around in it. “Lemme see yer fishin’ license Boudreaux, and don’t tell me ya don’ have one. Cuz, if ya don’ have one it’s gonna cost ya $100 a fish for da fine!” He scowled menacingly at Boudreaux and said, “An I see ya got eight nice cats too. It’s gonna cost ya $800.” 

Itchy and the Seven Dwarfs

Boudreaux just smiled at Sheriff Tom and said, “Oh heck no, Tom. We ain’t fishin’. Dem are my pet fish. I even named ’em all after the seven dwarfs, plus one I named Itchy. He’s the one dat has all dem spots on his back. I bring dees lil guys out here to let em go swimmin’. Yer just in time to see.”

Tom scowled at Bubba and asked, “And who might you be?” Bubba said he was an old Army buddy and Boudreaux had asked him to help take the fish out for some exercise.

Something Seems Fishy

Now this sheriff was no dummy. He thought Boudreaux was tryin’ to pull a fast one on him. He said, “Don’t gimme dat crap. Der ain’t no such ting as pet catfish.”

Boudreaux replied, “Sure der is, Tom. I take dees guys for a swim almost every day cuz my fish tank at home is too small for ’em since dey growed up like dey have. I just let em go swimmin for a few minutes den I whistle to call em back to the ice chest layin’ unner water and dey swim right into it.” 

Tom wasn’t buying this story at all. He said, “Boudreaux, I wasn’t borned yesterday. I don’t believe you.”

Boudreaux got up and said, “I can prove it to ya Tom. Wanna see?”

Tom Takes the Bait

Tom said, “Okay, go ahead and show me how yer trained pet fishes come back when you call em.”

Boudreaux picked up the ice chest, carried it over to the water and said, “Just watch dis, Tom.” He proceeded to pour the fish along with all the water back into the bayou and set the ice chest down. Then Tom and Boudreaux watched the “pet” fishes swim off. They waited for a little while. Then waited a little longer. Sheriff Tom was standing with his hands on his hips and patiently tapping his foot.

Finally Tom ran out of patience and asked, “Okay, when are ya gonna whistle dem pet fishes back?

Boudreaux replied, “Huh?” and Tom repeated himself, “When are you gonna call dem pet fishes back to the ice chest?”

Boudreaux got a puzzled look on his face and asked, “What fishes, Tom?”

The Fish That Got Away

About that time Rambo let out another string of barking and Bubba said, “Rambo! INSIDE VOICE!” and Rambo shut right up then sat beside Bubba with a little grumbling and growling. Then Bubba said, “What fish are you talking about Sheriff? I don’t see any fish.” And he smiled innocently. 

Tom’s face started turning red with anger and frustration because he knew he’d been had. Bubba covered Rambo’s ears because he was too young to hear such language as what came out of the Sheriff as he got back in his boat. You could still hear him cussing as he drove his boat off through the Bayou. 

Driving Off

When they could no longer hear the Sheriff’s boat motor in the distance, Rambo and Boudreaux looked at each other and burst out laughing until they had to sit down. After all the laughing was over they picked up all their gear and loaded it back in the boat. 

Boudreaux grinned and said, “Bubba, you played dat just right. You sure you don’ have any Cajun blood in yer family?’ 

They got back to Bubba’s camper and Boudreaux drove off into the Bayou singing that lovely old song, “Put me in the water”. Meanwhile Bubba put all the gear away in the camper and fired up the heater inside. It was getting a little chilly. 

What’s That Smell?

Bubba climbed into bed and Rambo jumped on the bed to do his foot-warming act. Then Bubba noticed an odd smell inside the camper. It smelled like burnt doggie pee. He groaned and said, “RAMBO. Did you pee in here?” Rambo gave Bubba his best innocent look then curled back up on Rambo’s feet. Bubba grabbed his t-shirt from the floor and put it over his nose before he rolled over and fell asleep.

I hope you liked this little story about Bubba and Rambo. There is always a surprise when they go somewhere in Bubba’s old 1957 Ford pickup with the camper on the back. 

I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Regards,
Bubba McGillicuty aka Frank Shears, Managing Editor