Uncle Jasper had a whale of a time catching a big Pike

WELL it's the rainy season again. If it keeps up we'll all be able to fish out the windows of our houses. When your Uncle Jasper was a boy, and that's a few years ago now, he lived by a lake. It was a lovely lake with woods all around it and lots of small islands. We could fish for Pike and Perch but back in those days nobody ever ate these fish. This was such a pity because when anglers came from France and Germany they thought they were lovely â€â€ and they are. I have grown to like Perch, except they can be a bit bony and I've even had Pike in a restaurant in Tuam on more than one occasion. I was quite the little fisherboy when I was small. Once I was out fishing at my favourite spot on the lake. Prince my Golden Labrador was with me and we were having a great time. I caught a few small Perch but threw them back as there was no point in keeping them. It was getting near teatime and I was planning to finish up when I had one last cast and pretty soon there was a pull on the line. I Caught a  Huge Fish This was no small Perch, I knew straight away. I played it for a good half an hour before I could reel it in, and what I surprise I got. At the end of my line was the biggest Pike I'd ever seen. It put up a great fight but in the end I landed it. It was just massive. I had to use both hands to carry it home. When my father saw it he reckoned it was a record for the lake and possibly for the county. I was so proud. All the neighbours came around and said what a great little man I was for pulling in a fish nearly as big as myself. Then someone said I should contact the local newspaper and get a photo taken. I'd never heard of this being done before but I persuaded my Mammy to make the call. A few days later a photographer and a reporter arrived at our house. I had to hold up the Pike which really was as big as myself. I can still remember the strain in my arm as the photographer fiddled about getting his picture. Well the excitement was massive in our house. We just couldn't wait for the paper to come out and to see my picture in it. I arrived home one day from school and Mammy said there was something for me on the kitchen table. I rushed in and there was the Telegraph open and my photograph holding the big Pike up for all the world to see. Jasper was in the Newspaper And it was like all the world saw it. All my friends came to look. The adults in the area all smiled and congratulated me. Johnny the Blacksmith said he thought it might be a world record and I would be in the Guinness Book of Records but that never happened. When I went to school the next day my teacher had the photo pinned up on the notice board. I felt I was ten feet tall. But the thing I remember most was the excitement over being in the paper. It was then that I decided that one day I would be a newspaper journalist. I would get to go out and about and write stories about little boys catching big fish, lost dogs found after a year, important football matches and lots and lots of other interesting things. And here I am doing just that. Isn't life just great? So if any of you boys and girls want to be Junior Reporters just write in and tell me your story and we'll see what we can do. Bye for Now Uncle Jasper CROSSWORD KEEP those entries pouring in. The first name out of the hat this week is Kyle Greaney from Corofin. Well done Kyle and say hello to Nathan for me. Across 1. A county in the North of Ireland Arâ€â€-H 2. We all live in one of these. 3. Water comes out of it. 4. A fruit you have to peel beginning with O. Down 1. An island in Mayo Aâ€â€Ã¢€â€l. 2. Mammy screamed when one ran across the floor. 3. Despicable Me is just a Gâ€â€Ã¢€â€ movie. 4. A fruit that grows in an orchard.