veloxseeker

Hurry Up Spring…

It’s February 27th and it’s still Wintertime, and we still have to get through March before its safe to say Spring is right around the corner. But I’m ready for it and wishing it comes sooner rather than later.

The picture above is of me from last Spring. I love wet wading a small stream chasing Velox smallmouth. I do other types of fishing; but stream fishing is what gets me fired up the most.

If the world was perfect and I didn’t have to worry about some low-life breaking into my vehicle, I’d stay on the river for days on end. Retirement is years away, but I already know how I’ll be spending my time. That’s where my hope lies…the future. I put up with useless meetings, silly policy directives and questionable management decisions because it pays the bills and grants me some retirement options. I fought the “silver handcuffs” as best I could…but with mouths to feed it was an inevitability.

I’m not complaining; I’m actually content with my decisions. But I always focus on the future and the freedom that I will hopefully have with it. All of life seems to be a compromise in one way or another. Friends say “I’m wishing my life away.” I say, “I’m wishing my work life away so I have time to live.”

Being surrounded by fishing tackle helps me stay focused, it calms me and fills me with purpose and more importantly, it fills me with hope. When I can’t fish I resort to sifting through old pictures and reading my fishing journals, looking at maps and making plans. I wonder if my father realizes how hooked I became on fishing? He got me into it, but I will never place blame on him, quite the opposite. I sometimes wonder if he felt the same way.

So I will “ride the ride” until I can get back out and do some serious fishing. It won’t be much longer…

The Honest 20 That Got Away…TWICE!

I have never considered myself a fisherman that was only after trophy fish. I enjoy fishing and catching fish is always a bonus.

So let me set the backstory a little bit.

We had embarked on a trip to the Boundary Waters and were on Day 2. This was a traveling trip where we paddled all day and set up a new camp every night. The fishermen would have to squeeze in any fishing they planned to do. Camp #2 was set up and all of the chores were done so I had a bit of free time. It was approximately 10:30 in the evening, with fading light.

I grabbed a rod and reel and slipped into a canoe by myself and paddled out to some promising spots for Pike. I had caught a few small pike (hammer handles) and a couple of smallmouth before I decided to upsize my lure to a big Mepps #5 inline spinner with squirrel tail garnishment on the treble hook. I was using a 6ft Medium rod and a 2000 size spinning reel.

I noticed a huge swirl just off a point by some reed beds and made my cast. I felt my lure get slammed and it was immediately followed by an explosion in the water. The line went tight, the rod bent and the drag started screaming. Then the “Texas Sleigh Ride” began. My canoe was being towed all around that little bay as I fought to control that fish.

With a fishing rod in one hand and a paddle in the other, I truly had my hands full. As I was towed a little closer to our campsite I started yelling for them to help me (like a dummy, I didn’t bring a net or even a pair of pliers.) I was waving at them to come help me while they started lining the shore and waving back! To me it was surreal. I waved more frantically and yelled louder for help. They waved harder and smiled more. The American Gothic painting flashed through my head when I saw a couple standing there with fishing poles in hand. OK I thought, I’m on my own!

After about 10 minutes of this madness, I managed to get the fish to the canoe. It was HUGE! At first I thought it was a Muskie but the teeth layout and coloration was wrong. It was a Monster Pike! Next I tried to figure out how in the heck I was going to boat this beast. No net, no pliers. Can’t lip it like a bass! I reached to the head to pick it up by the “eyes” but there was no way my hand could reach across…it was too thick. That’s when I knew I had an Honest 20! A pike that weighed 20 pounds or more. A true trophy pike.

While I was wasting time trying to figure out how to get this monster in the boat..Mr. Pike was using his time wisely! He was resting and regaining his strength. At that point we made eye contact…when you look a pike in the eye, he looks at you like you owe him money and he’s there to collect! In an instant, he thrashed his head back and forth and snapped the treble hooks off my lure. He stayed boat side long enough to smile, give me the middle fin and glide back to the deep. I was stunned. All I could do was sit there and drift.

Eventually I paddled back to camp and gave everybody a good chewing for not helping. They of course couldn’t understand what I was saying and thought I was waving and having the time of my life. UGH! They just started waving back and cheering me on. “Crushed Dreams”…needs to be a lure color!

Fast forward to 2 years later and I was in the same spot ready for Round 2. I wanted MY PIKE!

I made the cast and set the hook. The fight was on and it was a good one, lasting almost 15 minutes. I was pretty certain it was the same fish…I recognized the smile!

Said fish is brought to the side of the canoe and I start trying to haul him aboard. Pike are SLIMY and I lost my grip. And yes…SNAP! As he made a last ditch effort to escape by diving deep…I had forgotten to open the bail on my spinning reel. With my drag setting being too tight, the distance between the fish and the reel being too short and coupled with his surge to escape…the line couldn’t hold and snapped. Again I was stunned to silence…the scoreboard flashed 0-2! My fishing partner in the canoe even had a tear in his eye. It was over.

I never tried for Mr. Pike again…content to leave him be, safe in his little Bay. An old warrior that was best left to history. TRUE STORY

Spin-Fishermen Don’t Get Any Love…

I was at a bookstore the other day and was browsing through the fishing magazines and noticed that there wasn’t much coverage of people fishing with spinning gear. There weren’t any glamour shots of exotic destinations where they were using spinning rods. It was all about fly fishing and a few about bass anglers. To be fair, there were one or two magazine articles showing guys with spinning gear but they were half a world away and out at sea fishing for pelagics. That’s cool and all, but I live almost smack dab in the center of the United States. But at least it was something!

I have searched the Web and have occasionally run across blogs or posts that tout the virtues of spinning gear but they are few and far between. It just seems bizarre that there aren’t any magazines focused on the topic of fishing with spinning tackle.

I know ultralight fishing is huge in large parts of the world such as Europe, Russia and Japan and gaining traction in the US. Bait Finesse Style is gaining in popularity as well. I know for a fact that there are fisherman wading streams and using spinning gear! But still, every publication seems overshadowed by fly fishing. It would be nice to see at least an E-zine covering the sport.

I have nothing against fly fishing, in fact I fly fish myself. However, there are times when I much prefer using spinning gear and it is very effective. It could be that I live in a state that is very windy and therefore throwing a fly can be extremely frustrating. When that occurs I always reach for my spinning gear rather than packing up and going home.

Who knows…maybe I’m just whining, maybe I’m just hoping that spinning tackle will start to get the coverage it deserves. Or it could be that I need to dig deeper on the web. If anyone knows of a good blog or something please leave a comment.

Maybe I’ll start a Chapter of the STEA…Spin Tackle Enthusiasts Anonymous.

After all, I rarely see fishermen showing off their spinning gear and having conversations about it. Are we ashamed? Are we supposed to stay in the shadows? I think not!

Dreaming…

The wife and I were talking over dinner last night. We were having an actual conversation rather than trading text messages across the table like some others.

The topic of winning the lottery came up. To me, it seems like a loaded debate, but it can be fun nonetheless.

What would YOU do if you won the lottery?

I’d become an itinerant fisherman!

Of course, I’d probably build a better, more efficient house…but it would be more of a “home base” of sorts. A spot to come back to for rest and a recharge. Nothing fancy or McMansion-esque. A place to hang pictures and hold memories.

There are many places that I would love to fish throughout the world. Places seen in magazine photos that look extraordinary and epic.

I’m not the “glitzy social butterfly” type. You’d probably find me camped on a remote island having the time of my life. No lodges or room service, just immersed in Nature.

The reality of it is…it hurts my head thinking about all of the money and what to do with it. I’m not driven by money and it sure as hell doesn’t impress me.

I’d probably end up giving most of it away…that’s just how I’m wired.

Trash…WHY?

These two jars contain all of the line I picked up while fishing in 2020. My journal shows 15 trips before COVID changed everything.

ANYTIME I come across line tangled in brush or what have you, I pick it up and put it in my pocket. I have done this for years and encourage EVERYONE to do it as well.

What I don’t have pictures of are the numerous trash bags the wife and I have filled up and brought home to dispose of. Beer cans and broken bottles and just general trash that people are TOO LAZY to pick up. It baffles me to no end. Seriously, you brought it here, take it home. It’s not that hard.

I’m calling out the bank fishermen! You’re PIGS! You leave tons of trash laying around your bank site and can’t be bothered to pick it up. You know who you are! I routinely run across your nightcrawler containers, your beer cans and water bottles, your snack trash, your tackle wrappers etc etc ad nauseum. Pick up your crap and dispose of it properly. LEAVE NO TRACE!

Pass the word, educate your fellow fishermen. Clean up our waters so other people don’t have to wade through your garbage just to fish. Leave it better than you found it. It’s pretty simple…STOP BEING LAZY!

Moving Some Gear on Down the Line…

As the wife and I were going through our fishing gear yesterday, we decided that we needed to move some rods and reels out. We have too many, especially ones we don’t use anymore.

I fired off a text to my best friend asking if he thought a certain someone might be interested. That certain someone is about to get married to my friends grand-daughter. So you know what that means…he is now a member of our little “Fishing Mafia.”

I have met the young man on several occasions and I have to admit, I’m impressed. He’s witty, with a similar type sense of humor, he’s well mannered and above all, he’s keen on fishing.

I know what it’s like to be a newlywed and fishing equipment is NEVER on the list of necessities. So we figured we’d help him out. There has to be around 12 rods and about 7 reels in this stack of stuff. Most are lightly used and a rod or two is brand new.

I prefer to give gear to younger folks to hopefully encourage them into the fishing hobby. More importantly, I prefer giving it to people who will USE it and I know he will. I have fished with him before and he seems to really enjoy it.

So off they go…to a good home where I know they will be used and appreciated. It’s a win-win for everybody. And I hope we get to fish together in the near future.

Pay It Forward…

I hope they have a great life together and a strong marriage with many, many years of happiness. That goes for the tackle as well… 🙂

My, How Far We’ve Come…

I was sitting here at my desk looking at the Daiwa Presso LTD 1025 spinning reel and glanced over at my display case full of vintage reels.

The Bache Brown MasterReel #2 caught my eye so I pulled it out. It truly feels like a “coffee grinder” and weighs a ton, and it has a cork spool hub too. I’m sure it was state-of-the-art back in its day. But there is no comparison to the Presso LTD. The Daiwa feels like you’re “reeling air” because its so smooth and has bearings exactly where you need them.

I’m typing away while listening to Aphex Twin- “Lichen” Extended. If you ever listen to this artist…you’ll have no choice but to be immersed in reflection and contemplation! And it suits my mood today as I clean fishing gear and tackle, re-spool a few reels and check that everything is in order and ready to go.

And I wonder what the original owner of this Bache Brown #2 was thinking. Was he as enamored with his new reel as I am with my new Daiwa Presso LTD? I’d bet even money that he was…

The Black-capped Chickadee…

I have a fondness for the Black-capped Chickadee. I am not a “birder” per se, but I do observe nature quite often.

This little bird is a “beast” if I do say so. And they are quite the characters I might add.

We have a bird feeder that we stock during the winter months. We also hang a suet feeder to supplement their diet.

During the heart of the recent winter storm when the snow was blowing, the wind howling and the temperatures were plummeting…these little guys were at the feeder. I was safely ensconced in a chair by the fire while they were “out in it.” I had a choice, they didn’t.

I would observe them taking turns flying up to the feeder. One would start “shoveling” seed out of the feeder and onto the ground where the other birds were gathered and waiting. This went on for hours.

When the feeder was empty, one would show up on the porch railing, raising all kinds of hell. Then we’d venture out and refill the feeder and things would quiet down. Nature’s comedy I suppose.

I like to think they are “grateful” but I don’t speak Chickadee. I’m not bothered by filling the feeder for these “tough guys” at all, even though they can be demanding. We help out when and where we can…like we’re supposed to do in our role as stewards.

Something to ponder….

The Thin Blue Line…

This is just a random image I found on the web.

But that’s generally how it starts for us. Sometimes when we are driving we will notice streams along the road and make a mental note for later.

We do a lot of exploration, whether in a vehicle or on foot. I call it the “Exploring Gene” because I am always curious as to what’s down this particular road or around the next bend. Invariably, there is water close by in some way, shape or form.

Eventually, we take those mental notes and begin researching for possibilities. We use mapping software to zoom in and out to determine if an area is interesting enough to plan a fishing trip. With technology at your fingertips, it’s easy to drop a pin and mark locations.

We are not naïve enough to think we will discover something no one else has, but it’s new for us and that has its own thrill to it. The fact that “we’ve” never been there has its own charm to it and makes it special and memorable.

And as the process develops, we begin to see the larger aspect to it all. It evolves from an idea, then to a 2 dimensional piece of paper and ends up in a quiet stream nestled in a remote area. Realtime, high-definition, 3D adventure doing what we enjoy most.

It just takes effort…

The Reel Arrived…

So the reel (Daiwa Presso LTD 1025) finally arrived yesterday. In fact, Friday turned out to be a great day, despite a 4.2 earthquake, and with everything else going on. Now we can move on and stop the trivialities…we have more important things to do.

The coldest temperature I registered here without wind chill was -13F which was on a Wednesday if I recall. And next week by Tuesday we’ll be up to 66F. I’m ready for Spring as I’m sure many people are.

We have plans to make, reconnaissance trips to consider and map explorations to do. We’ll have to purchase licenses and get gear and tackle ready. All of which comes from wanting to fish new waters.

Sometimes I sit back and think, “how absurd all of this is.” All of this energy and focus and expense for a fish that rarely grows to 3 pounds! But I can assure you that we earn every single fish we catch. Just getting to these waters takes planning and effort.

We would much rather listen to the river churning and bubbling than to the mindless drivel pouring from a TV. A brief excursion to escape the outside world.

I am reminded of a quote from Charles Bukowski…”We have nothing to lose, But ourselves.”

She’s Still Waiting…

And I’m still “poking the bear”, but I feel her pain.

FedEx is blaming it on the “weather” of course. So I’ll let the readers decide. Feb 16th Delivery Date.

-Feb 12 2:43PM SANO-SHI JP Picked Up

-Feb 12 5:27PM SANO-SHI JP Left FedEx Facility

-Feb 13 1:46AM NARITA-SHI JP At Local FedEx Facility

-Feb 13 945PM NARITA-SHI JP In Transit

-Feb 13 11:45AM ANCHORAGE AK Arrived at FedEx Facility

-Feb 13 2:35PM ANCHORAGE AK Intl Shipment Release

-Feb 13 10:17PM ANCHORAGE AK Departed FedEx Facility

-Feb 14 8:36AM MEMPHIS TN Arrived at FedEx Facility

-Feb 14 5:19PM MEMPHIS TN Departed FedEx Facility

-Feb 15 1:40AM TULSA OK At Destination Sort Facility

-Feb 15 8:11AM TULSA OK At Local FedEx Facility

-Feb 15 8:11AM TULSA OK Delivery Exception, Not Attempted

-Feb 15 8:21AM TULSA OK At Local FedEx Facility

-Feb 18 3:39AM MEMPHIS TN In Transit?????????????

-Feb 18 8:19AM TULSA OK On FedEx Vehicle/Delivery?????

This is what we have been dealing with. I especially like the MEMPHIS TN to TULSA OK then 3 days later it goes back to MEMPHIS TN then back to TULSA! It’s not the end of the World or anything, but when you pay for delivery…they need to deliver. Like I said before, I’m out there driving the same roads they are.

May you have better luck!

My Turn to LMAO…

Yes, you read that right!

When I was waiting for one of my rods and a reel to arrive…the wife was laughing at me because I was mad at USPS for taking 3 additional days to deliver them. And because I was pacing the floor or staring out the window. I’d check the mailbox 2-3 times a day.

Now the shoe is on the other foot! I’m the one laughing as she’s pacing the floor, staring out the window, checking her phone repeatedly for a delivery update and she has even trekked through the snow 3 times to check the mailbox today. I ordered her a rod and reel for Valentines Day and it was supposed to be delivered on the 16th. She’s still waiting and I’m still laughing.

Our local postal carriers are great! They deliver in any conditions. Its the Tulsa hub that SUCKS! Again, I have to get out in this and make my commute on these roads so I’m not sure what their problem is…we drive the same roads so what gives?

And you better believe I’m “poking the bear” and getting her riled up!

Stay warm folks…