Blast From the Past: Remembering Harvey Garrison

[joe klaus]

I happened across this email this afternoon from my never to be forgotten friend, Harvey Garrison. Since I know many on this board remember Harvey, I thought you might enjoy reading about a couple of his fishing experiences. Not written up to the standards of Bob Miller....but fun stories. (Notice that this email was written more than 11 years ago)
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Subject: Re: Spotlighting Bass in Arkansas
Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2006 12:12:40 -0500
From: harvey garrison <haregar@worldnet.att.net>
To: joe klaus <jklaus@houston.rr.com>

Joe,

Have no idea what kind of fish they are. Never was much of a bass fisherman since around 1968 I came to Florida for a visit and found that a 3 pound fish were used for bait. That kinda put a limit on the enjoyment of bass fishing.

Here are a couple but that has happened to me over the years. Nothing compares to that video but they are memories of strange times.

Back when I was a kid, a neighbor took me fishing on a lake outside Indianapolis. Great Crappie lake. As we were taking shelter along a shore line from a thunder storm, the fish started doing the same thing. Hundreds of them. Jumping onto the shore, into the boat or just up in the air. The limit was twenty five fish per person and we had caught some but filled our limit by just picking them up or netting them. I have told a few people this story and all said I was lying. I have said in the past, if I just would have had a video camera I could have proven it. (But, video cameras were not around at the time and it would had to have been on 8MM film. (remember them???) LOL.

One time, my lady friend and I had been fishing up on Indian River north of Daytona. We were heading back to the dock and she was setting in the front seat of my boat. While cruising along about 30mph, a Mullet jumped in front of the boat. It smacked her right in the kisser. Scared the hell out of her and put a nice little gash in her upper lip. She never sat in the front of the boat again. We have had mullet jump in the boat when they were being chased by Jacks but only one at a time. Not a whole school of them like that video shows.

One of the funniest thing that happened to us was one time we were over in the Ten Thousand Islands and was anchored up in a pass fishing for snook. Some one drew our attention to an Osprey that had snatched a good size Sheepshead and was trying to gain altitude flying with the wind. He was flying straight toward the side of the boat about two feet off the water. We started watching him as he came closer. He didn't have enough speed to turn away and couldn't gain any height. The closer the came, the more worried he looked. SMACK!! Right into the side of the boat. He hit the water and was trying to get back airborne but didn't want to loose his dinner. He flopped around in the water as the current took him away from us. All three of us was laying on the bottom of the boat dieing laughing. He finally let the fish go then retreated to a tree limb and set up there and squawked at us for five minutes. I guess he figured we took his fish.

Harvey

[wrong99]

We need to keep remembering, so people like Harvey remain with us. Never saw or spoke to Harvey before, but I think I knew him. Thanks, Joe.
Mark

[RAM]

Great guy Harvey. Neat stories. Would like to kid him about them. Really Harvey? They just jumped into the boat by the dozens?

Bad Bob

[john elder]

Really miss old Harvey...just proved the point that there is a Hoosier at the heart of all that's good!

My favorite line from him was after I made a post about a rather drastic attempt to repair an old Pflueger saltwater reel, involving the explant and replant of a main gear. The quote, "Remind me to not ask you to fix my watch!!"

[john elder]

Some more Harvey stories here:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4321&hilit=garrison


And the original post re his passing:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4320&hilit=garrison

so for you that never had the privilege of talking with him, this will give you an idea of how a person can impact on the lives of others, just by being a decent person.

[Brian F.]

He certainly was a one-of-a-kind guy and someone I always looked forward to talking with!