That time again...

Well, the last time I went fishing....... wait a minute - that first part needs clarification. Fishing is fishing, but there is absolutely a difference between "fishing," (as in: taking the kiddo to the local kiddie pond to catch untold hordes of planter trout on worms, powerbait, marshmallows or velveta cheese drenched in WD-40) and "Fishing" (as in: Heading out with 1 or 2 fellow anglers on a trek that may require 3 hours of gear prep, a 4 hour drive, perhapse a 5 mile hike in only to find 6 other guys in your hole. Then your re-tying every 7 casts (if youre lucky), hoping that 8 lb mono is strong enough and wishing you had another 9 of that fly you only tied one of, but had 10 hits on just before you broke it off up in that pine tree on your back cast). You see - very different. So when I say, "The last time I went fishing..." I want to clarify that I am speaking in regard to the later "fishing," as apposed to the former. Got it? Okay, so........

The last time I went fishing was in April I believe. We fished Riggins, ID for Springers. Fun trip for sure, but hard fishing due to high flows, high pressure and most of all, high expectations, which always seem to make it tougher to get into'em for some reason. Prior to Springers, we had a couple of good steelie trips on the Salmon but that has been it for me. Okay, okay - some may argue that I recently traveled to Nor. Cal. to fish the salt for rockies with my brother. This is true. However, I would like to submit that trip as one of the former types of fishing trips, rather thant he later. Reason: My 5-year-old came alng for the trip. Poor kid was miserable after only 10 minutes at sea. I sat and held him for the first 90 minutes of what turned out to be a 3 hour trip (and we boated over 130 fish in that time!). Truth be told, I got a little sick myself. Note to self: No breakfast burritos before heading out to sea! Eventually I did get a line in the water and, wanting to make it a good experience for my boy, I handed the rod off to him just about every time we hooked up. And it worked, by the way. He loved it.

So case in point, it's time. It's time for a hard-core, dedicated, stand-in-the-rain all day if you have to, serious fishing trip. Oh, the roomis booked already. Time to lube the reels, pre-tie leaders, watch flow charts and water temps, cause it's on! Summers on the Salmon, here I come.

More on "fishing" and "Fishing."
I love both types. I love taking my boy - and soon both of them - out to the bass pond or to the local kiddie pond. I love it mostly because he loves it. His enthusiasm and excitement are priceless to me and I look forward to each and every opportunity to get him/them in the outdoors to experience what God has done for us. On the other hand, there's an theraputic element that comes from those intense, serious trips that may not even result in fish in the cooler. I find myself driving home from those outtings feeling... I don't know.... put back together? I guess that sounds strange. Oh well. Thats about as good as my fried brain can do right now. Tight Lines!