Gone Fishing????
The other day, I was discussing going fishing on our July vacation. We're going to be on the Texas coast, just like last year.
Bay fishing...pier fishing...its all good.
We were talking about salt water rods and reels and the like. Someone mentioned that most of the reels you buy come pre-loaded with 20 lb. test line, which of course wouldn't be enough.
???
And I started thinking...hmmm, do I really want to land a fish that is bigger than or about the same size of my beagle. I'm thinking that beagle size is plenty big for me to land and have to handle...and probably too big at that.
Here's how I picture it...
It's dawn. I'm standing in three to three and a half foot of bay water. The sky is pinking up. The next nearest fisherman is about 25 or 30 yards to my right. The small boat that dropped me off is another 150 yards beyond him.
I've thrown my third or fourth cast. The air is warm and still. The sounds of the bay awakening around me is one of the best sounds I've ever heard in my life.
Something hits my bait. I set the hook and give the reel a spin or two to make sure its set. Then, I let him run for a moment. I yank back and turn him reeling hard as he turns toward me. I bring him in as near as I can.
He pulls hard bending the rod almost double a few times as he and I go back and forth.
He comes to the surface and I get my first good look at him...
Note: Not me. Not anyone I know. Shown for fish size comparison.
Okay, this one is 25 lbs...now imagine its a shark...now imagine that it is 40 pounds because as we previously discussed 20 lb. test line is for wussies.
Well call me a wuss then, I don't want to catch a fish that is the size of a ten year old, when I'm standing thigh deep in bay water with my nearest assistance 25 yards away and the nearest boat 150 yards away. Just doesn't sound safe.
Of course, once I'm standing in the water, with the sun just touching the horizon, I'll forget all about this. And then there's the rush you get when something hits your bait. There is that zen moment when you pull the fish from the water and connect with the whole history of humankind. And the thought of that fish with lemon, butter and pepper sizzling lightly in a skillet. Mmmmmmm, makes my mouth water.
I still have misgivings about a fish that is halfway between the size of my beagle and my ten year old, but what the hell, you only live once. I'll just keep a sharp knife nearby so that when the bastard surfaces, I can cut the line, if he's the size of a Volkswagen or a couch. Gotta draw the line somewhere.
And I'd rather think about it now...rather than when the bastard surfaces 15 feet from me in Corpus Christi Bay.
puff
Bay fishing...pier fishing...its all good.
We were talking about salt water rods and reels and the like. Someone mentioned that most of the reels you buy come pre-loaded with 20 lb. test line, which of course wouldn't be enough.
???
And I started thinking...hmmm, do I really want to land a fish that is bigger than or about the same size of my beagle. I'm thinking that beagle size is plenty big for me to land and have to handle...and probably too big at that.
Here's how I picture it...
It's dawn. I'm standing in three to three and a half foot of bay water. The sky is pinking up. The next nearest fisherman is about 25 or 30 yards to my right. The small boat that dropped me off is another 150 yards beyond him.
I've thrown my third or fourth cast. The air is warm and still. The sounds of the bay awakening around me is one of the best sounds I've ever heard in my life.
Something hits my bait. I set the hook and give the reel a spin or two to make sure its set. Then, I let him run for a moment. I yank back and turn him reeling hard as he turns toward me. I bring him in as near as I can.
He pulls hard bending the rod almost double a few times as he and I go back and forth.
He comes to the surface and I get my first good look at him...
Note: Not me. Not anyone I know. Shown for fish size comparison.
Okay, this one is 25 lbs...now imagine its a shark...now imagine that it is 40 pounds because as we previously discussed 20 lb. test line is for wussies.
Well call me a wuss then, I don't want to catch a fish that is the size of a ten year old, when I'm standing thigh deep in bay water with my nearest assistance 25 yards away and the nearest boat 150 yards away. Just doesn't sound safe.
Of course, once I'm standing in the water, with the sun just touching the horizon, I'll forget all about this. And then there's the rush you get when something hits your bait. There is that zen moment when you pull the fish from the water and connect with the whole history of humankind. And the thought of that fish with lemon, butter and pepper sizzling lightly in a skillet. Mmmmmmm, makes my mouth water.
I still have misgivings about a fish that is halfway between the size of my beagle and my ten year old, but what the hell, you only live once. I'll just keep a sharp knife nearby so that when the bastard surfaces, I can cut the line, if he's the size of a Volkswagen or a couch. Gotta draw the line somewhere.
And I'd rather think about it now...rather than when the bastard surfaces 15 feet from me in Corpus Christi Bay.
puff
posted by Mark "Puff" Anderson | 5:38 AM
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