Memories for Brookhaven residents

[Hamilton Reef]

This is one of those 'feel good' articles, but note the White Lake musky comment at the end of the article. My father and uncle also noted muskies in their early fishing days on Muskegon and White Lakes.

Trip brings back memories for Brookhaven residents

http://www.mlive.com/news/muchronicle/i ... xml&coll=8

Thursday, September 01, 2005 By Federico Martinez CHRONICLE STAFF WRITER

During her youth, Jeanette Coors used to reel in bluegill by the pail full.

When he was a little boy, Paul Donohue says his string of fish was so hefty he could barely lug it home so his mother could cook them.

Margaret Hakes used to catch enough fish to feed her whole family, which included 12 hungry brothers.

The tales being told were bigger than the actual fish being caught when nursing home residents from Muskegon County's Brookhaven Medical Care Facility went fishing Wednesday.

But about 12 nursing home residents, their spouses and Brookhaven staff had a fun time fishing for two hours in the Muskegon Lake Channel, on a dock near the USS Silversides. The trip was an opportunity to get residents out of the nursing home and have fun, Brookhaven staff said.

"It's not about fishing," said Kathy Riggs, a licensed practical charge nurse at Brookhaven. "It's going somewhere and being normal. It's a piece of the life they used to have."

The trip prompted favorite recollections from many Brookhaven residents.

"I was brought up fishing with my brothers," said the 90-year-old Hakes, who hooked a medium-size sunfish moments after dropping in her fishing line. "You'd go fishing and catch enough for a meal."

She said she grew up in a log cabin in northern Wisconsin with 12 brothers. Deer Lake was her favorite fishing hole. Her least favorite was anywhere in Ohio.

"It was like this damn place," said Hakes, motioning her hands toward the lake. "I'm sorry, I'm not supposed to swear. But I'm 90 years old. Whose going to tell me what to do?"

A few feet away, Paul and Diolinda Donohue of North Muskegon were still awaiting their first nibble.

"Am I getting any bites?" said Paul Donohue, repeating the question just posed to him. "Yeah, mosquito bites."

Despite his gruff demeanor, Paul Donohue showed great patience and affection while teaching his wife how to fish. It was her first time. Diolinda, who was in a wheelchair, has been living at Brookhaven for the past four weeks after suffering a stroke, her husband said. The two have been married 59 years.

"You getting anything, mama?" Paul Donohue asked, as he adjusted the large floppy hat his wife was wearing.

When he was younger, Paul Donohue would often take his aluminum boat and fish in Middle Lake in Dalton Township.

"I'd go out there for an hour or two on Sunday and catch a nice pike and we'd fix it up and eat it," he said. "Fresh fish is always good."

Coors recalled spending her childhood fishing in White Lake with her sister. Her parents lived in Montague, right on the lake.

"We used to sit on the dock and catch a pail full," said the 90-year-old Coors. "I used to go spearing. I just loved it."

Later in life, she and her husband would head out on his "fish tug" at 4 a.m. and go for bluegill, Coors said. The memory of her husband prompts a throaty guffaw from Coors.

She often teased her husband about the one that got away.

The two were fishing and a very large muskie swam right by her startled husband, who just stood there in awe. "Why didn't you do anything?" Coors later asked him.

The next day, the couple returned to the same spot. The muskie returned, and again her husband froze.

"Why didn't you tell me? I could have got him with some buckshot," said Coors, laughing again at the memory.

Even though she didn't catch anything Wednesday, Coors said she had a great time.

"This is the best therapy there is," Coors said.