The way Matthew Hachigian tells it, his father, Mark,called out, ``Oh, I think I have a perch, too.’’

As the drag sang, Mark, who is blind and fishes once or twice a year, added, ``This is one heck of a perch!’’

Or rather the surprise of a 19 1/2-inch smallmouth bass and one of life’s finest lessons while fishing in St. Germain, Wis.

``I had to guide him to keep the rod down and net the fish, all as the boat was close to sinking because all my boys gathered around him in the front corner of the boat,’’ Matthew emailed. ``That day, my father was a superhero to his grandkids.

``I used it as a teaching moment, explaining to the boys, `This is fishing, it’s not called catching, it’s fishing. You don’t have to catch the biggest or most fish. It is about the memories you make on the boat, fishing.’ ‘’

The grandsons are Nick (red shirt), John (orange) and Michael (green).

FOTW, the celebration of big fish and their stories (the stories matter) around Chicago fishing, runs Wednesdays in the Sun-Times. Submit nominations on Facebook (Dale Bowman), on Twitter and Instagram (@BowmanOutside) or email (BowmanOutside@gmail.com).