This is my father Captain Sherman I Helmey!



Here’s what I know about this particular picture. To the right of my father is what he called a number three wash tub, which he used to wash his engine parts in and also to haul ice to the boat. The stool he is sitting on was made from as old deck chair. He cut the top off added a few 1 bys and then there was an instance stool. I know you can’t see it, but daddy is sitting in front of a V-8 engine. He always had an engine in the garage, which he could tinker with and occasionally crank up. He would pour gas into a bucket and that would be his gas tank for the moment. I am surprised that he didn’t have a cigar sticking out of his mouth!
Dell Bishop Story

The first time I meet Mr. Bishop I didn’t. You didn’t read or I didn’t write that last statement wrong. It’s a true one for sure. My father always took his so-called “velvet drive transmissions” when broken to Mr. Bishop for repair. The reason I said, “I didn’t meet him, I didn’t!” Mr. Bishop had a strange set of rules when he worked on something. You were to drop the item that was to be repaired at this workshop and then you were supposed to leave promptly. And by the way, what you dropped off had better not be leaking oil or making any sort of mess, because if it did he wouldn’t work on it. When it was fixed somehow word got back to you that it was done. At this time you drove to his house, put the repair funds in the tin can marked “for money,” picked up the now repaired piece, and leave as soon as possible.

There is one thing for sure when it came to such dealings as this. Whatever Mr. Bishop fixed, “worked and well!” There was never a question about that! As a small child I just figured “an elf” fixed it or something! Heck, I never saw anyone so therefore it couldn’t be real in the first place at least not to a six year old. At any rate, there are many great entertaining stories that I could tell about Mr. Bishop. I will leave the rest for others. However, there is this one more that I have to share with you.
Many years ago while waiting for my to-go breakfast from the Sunrise Restaurant I sat down a bit with “Bootsie” Fischer and Warren Mathieu. As I walked up I heard them both complaining about their eggs. One had too much while the other had too little. I guessed changing plates was out of the question. At any rate, I sat down and the conversation we had was what I as well as anyone else would call “definitely priceless!”

I started out talking about all of the whiting that I had been catching while bottom fishing in front of Chuck Fischer’s dock. Both looked up and started explaining why this area was so good for whiting fishing. Here’s the story that they told me….Apparently one day while collecting oysters in the back marsh Dell (Mr. Bishop) had made quite a haul. His 16-foot outboard boat was full to the brim. His boat, according to the story told, wasn’t the only thing “full to the gills.” In this case, I didn’t ask, but alcohol most likely might have been involved.

As Dell made his way back to the dock he encountered what only could have been called an “inshore rouge wave!” At least that’s what I am calling it! The wave capsized his boat throwing him into the water. His boat was filled to the gunnels with live oysters and it sank right away along with the old motor-a-running. Dell swam to the Fischer Dock, climbed up on it, and watched as his boat completely disappeared down under. According to the story, there were many attempts to find the sunken vessel. However, it was never found.

Now this brings me back to this day and time. The place that I have been fishing is indeed made up of a big pile of something and it’s holding the interests of some pretty nice fish. However, since all parties searching for the sunken vessel have quit and no one seemed to be interested in its whereabouts there really isn’t any reason to give them the coordinates…what do you think?

Thanks for reading! Captain Judy