Got Carp

At the northern end of Pymatuning Lake lies one of the strangest tourist attractions known to man, the Spillway. I attempted to do some research on the spillway (I always want my readers to be accurately informed) but its history is sketchy.

The northeastern portion of the lake is mostly conservation land. The level of the water in this location is slightly higher than the larger north/south portion of the lake. At some point a "spillway" was built which allows the water to spill over the edge of a large concrete bowl into the lower side of the lake. For some unknown reason back in the 1930s fish began to congregate in this area and people began feeding them bread. I use the term fish lightly as the only fish I have ever seen are carp. Thousands and thousands of bread sucking carp too lazy to forage for food on their own lie in wait for the free meal they know will arrive on a daily basis. There are so many fish located in this small area that it is billed as the place "where ducks walk on fish." Which they do from time to time in an effort to beat the carp to the bread.

I visited here as a child on more than one occasion. At that time there were a couple of outhouses, a parking lot and a crumbling walkway that led to the "bowl." And it was always packed with people. People who hoarded stale bread for weeks and gathered to toss it, slice by slice to the waiting fish. Today there is a modern bathroom, paved walkways and a concession stand. (I guess the state decided if you can't beat em make some money off of em.) Along with the typical tourist trap souvenirs of t-shirts and shot glasses, loaves of bread are sold for $1.

We took our children to the spillway when they were young (there is an infamous family tale involving Stephen, his grandfather and an outhouse but I'll spare him the humiliation today and just get on with my post) so it was a given that we should take our grandchildren as well.

When the appointed morning arrived there was so much of interest happening around the cottage (like mowing the yard) that no one but me could muster much enthusiasm for the outing.

But remember I'm stubborn, and persistent, so eventually everyone tired of hearing me whine and piled into the car for the short drive north.

No one was disappointed. Listening to the squeals of delight from Allie & the G-man and seeing their broad smiles as they tossed bread to the open mouthed carp was priceless.

Pappy showed the kiddos how to work the fish into a chaotic frenzy by heaving as much bread as possible as quickly as possible over the side of the fence.

More squeals followed along with excited pleas for "more bread peas, more bread."

Of course there was the usual adult discussion about what would happen should a human accidentally toss himself over the edge in his excitement. Some thought he would be sucked to death by the heaving mass of carp.

Me I just think he'd have a lot of explaining to do when he got home covered from head to toe with carp hickeys.