For my wife, Renee, and her mother, Donna Dillon of Jamestown, Mother's Day came early -- way early -- on April 27. It involved a 5 a.m. wake-up call, a light rain and 48 crappies. I decided to "take a mom fishing" this year. (I'm thoughtful like that.)

I was smart, though. Instead of subjecting the moms to a day in a johnboat with the hope of catching fish, I hired a guide to make sure they caught fish. The day proved to be one of our more memorable trips.

A call to local crappie pro Freddie Sinclair set up the trip. Both women love fried crappie (and crappie fishing is a volume business), so the fish choice was easy.

Sinclair also has a nice roomy walleye boat, and he slow trolls with lines trailing the boat, which makes for good angler access. He's a patient man, and though neither my wife nor her mother is a stranger to a fishing pole, trolling 12 lines and dealing with multiple hook-ups can lead to interesting situations (including yours truly getting smacked in the head with crappie horsed aboard too eagerly).

We met Sinclair at the Ebenezer Church access at Jordan Lake about 6:30 a.m., and after a short ride, lines were out. The overcast skies and occasional rain didn't dampen the outing. Overhead, ospreys patrolled while blue herons stalked the shores amid the splashes of spawning carp.

The crappie bite, while not spectacular, was steady, and Sinclair did yeoman's work netting fish, baiting lines (mostly jigheads tipped with minnows) and keeping everyone straight. I tried to assist when I could and let the moms man the fishing rods. At the end of the day, we tallied 48 crappie, two white bass and two channel catfish -- about four hours worth of filleting and vacuum packing.

It's a blessing to marry a woman who likes to fish; it's a bonus to have a mother-in-law who enjoys the sport as well. (This is the same mother-in-law who thought nothing of going striper fishing at Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia in 29-degree weather.)

For the price of three rounds of golf, we spent half a day on the water, shared some memories, created new ones and put a year's worth of good meals in the freezer. And there was no pressure on me to produce fish (just to clean them).

Hiring a fishing guide is not something most anglers consider. I don't know why. What I know about serious crappie fishing I learned from watching Sinclair, Jay Garrard and Rod King of Durham. The fee should be considered part of a fishing lesson. In the Triangle, we have striped bass, largemouth bass and crappie guides. On the coast, there are more species and more guide services from which to choose. Rates can run from about $150 for a half day locally to $600 for a full day on a coastal sound or nearshore trip.

If you're good, hook up the boat, rig up the rods and pick a destination. If you're not (like me), pick up the phone.

Take a mother fishing. It's good times on the water and money well spent.