Author Archives: veloxseeker

I’m not sure that I should be writing this, in fact, I tried to get her to do a guest post but she declined.

Her frustrations revolve around the availability of fishing goods and apparel specifically for women. Or should I say, “mature women.” She’s not a fan of “pink it and shrink it” that so many gear manufacturers do. It comes across as a lame and half-hearted attempt to appease women. She is technically proficient at fishing. She KNOWS what she’s doing and KNOWS what she wants when it comes to gear and apparel.

She has class, poise and grace! That usually comes with age. “Booty shorts” and “low cut tops” are not her thing. She wants form and function…NOT FASHION. She completely understands the economics of fishing. She knows that the majority of humans live along a coastline. She “gets” it! Pink, Yellow, Turquoise etc etc do not blend in to the areas we fish. Muted, soft, earth tones do. That’s what she wants…that’s what she can’t really find.

Make no mistake about it…she has a discerning eye and knows what she likes. She’s not a fan of wearing Men’s stuff as it doesn’t really fit. (NOTE: Me…waders are not sexy, never have been, never will be.)

Admittedly, some manufacturers are getting the picture and starting to take women seriously. All I can say is…ABOUT TIME. I’d bet a paycheck that there are women out there just like my wife…wanting quality gear for mature women and not having to buy it at the “Victoria’s Secret Women’s Fishing Department!” End of Proxy Rant.

This blog post approved by Mrs. Velox Seeker….. : )

Why do I say that? Because I am married to a beautiful woman who loves fishing as much as I do! We plan trips together, research gear together and shop for gear together. I admit…it’s kind of weird buying two of everything, but hey, it’s worth it.

The trust level we have in each other is amazing. When I wander around the next bend leaving her behind, she knows I’ll either return or will be waiting for her. Usually I’ll scout out a riffle or pool, make a cast or two and wait for her so she gets a shot. If there is a tricky river crossing she knows I’ll stop and help her across. Her comfort level at stream crossings isn’t the same as mine.

Above all, she is patient with me. I am not a great teacher and she knows that. She also knows how to ask the right questions to get the answers she needs. Many times I stop just to watch HER fish. Offer up words of encouragement or pointing out prime spots for her to cast to. And for the record…she caught the biggest Velox I have ever seen (a little over the 3lb mark-a real trophy for these waters). The smile on her face was worth more to me than the fish! Needless to say, there’s a framed picture of the moment hanging on the wall.

Imagine fishing several miles of river…just two people who deeply love each other, not another soul within miles, in-tune with each other, laughing together, immersed in the moment and focused on each other and knowing that nothing else matters at that point in time.

So yes…I consider myself a lucky man.

I’m not going to “wax poetic” on the topic. But I fish for several reasons. Simply put…I ENJOY it. But it goes deeper than that for myself and I’m sure for almost everyone else.

I enjoy figuring out “THE PUZZLE”. Where they are, what depth, what speed, what color etc etc. It is truly a multifaceted sport. I am not in it for the pictures, in fact, most fish are released immediately. To me, getting set up to take the perfect picture ruins the experience. Not to mention that to me, it seems as if the pictures I take do not compare to what the human eye takes in. It seems too contrived and catapults the fish into a “status” rather than where it belongs…as a worthy adversary that demands respect.

I remember an old saying…”no man fishes the same river twice” and likewise, “no man catches the same fish twice”. Or at least that’s how I see it. Time waits for no man and more and more I find myself slowing things down. Focusing on the fishing and tuning out the mundane things in life that are nagging and ever-present. It’s a nice break from reality really.

I find that the location is equally as important to me. I mainly fish in places that aren’t saturated with people and takes a lot of effort to get to. No cell phone reception is a HUGE bonus. My trips to Canada entail lots of paddling and portaging to get to where I want to camp and fish. The less people the better. I used to carry an axe to chop firewood but found that the noise that the axe made disturbed the silence I was in, some unknown violation of Wilderness Sanctity. I switched to a saw just to be less obtrusive in my environment. It’s about the entire experience, not just the fish.

Perhaps that’s why I am drawn to JDM gear? Maybe they “get it”. They know that quality supersedes quantity everytime. It’s the experience and the reverence for the quarry that combine to make lasting memories…or maybe I just think too much…”Fish Reverence”…is that a thing?