Step two...

The next phase of online self indulgence.
I made the mistake of monkeying around with my original BLOG located here http://here2ventandwine.blogspot.com/ and ruining it.
I am useless.
I am starting over..and here we go.

Friday, December 28, 2012

THE END

Da Da Da DUN!!!

It can sneak up on you.

..and it did this year.



My Steelhead season is over...in Ontario anyway.
I am sure I will fish with Brian in Michigan over the winter...but considering the kind success ..or lack of success I tend to have over there on those mean spirited rivers it could very well be it til next fall for float fishing





I was hoping to get out today one last time. I did this weird back and forth thing in my head/heart..

as in... 'forget it I am out'...'nope, go..or you'll regret it'...'too cold , fuck it'...'go, or you are admitting you are old and smashed'...

I was still on the fence until late last night when I finally decided...it shouldn't be this difficult!!!



So I just went to bed...shut off the alarm...slept in and spent the day with the family.

I am sure that there were people on the river today and I am sure that there were some fish caught.

In a way that pleases me...I mean , I like to think there there is some hard core dude in his late twenties cutting his teeth on this sport/activity out there forcing it just because he truly can't get enough.

I was that guy...but...sigh... I am not anymore.

..and you know what?... that's Ok   ..

I had a great day today. I enjoyed my coffee at home with the kids and wife. The day had great pace. Very relaxing.
Picked  my guitar up a couple of times.

Did a little tobogganing this afternoon.

Very very nice....

Maybe it's time to hand the Steelhead maniac torch to the next wave..

In a way the last day in was a perfect end anyway.
It was a tough day against some less than favourable conditions where I had to muster as much mojo as I could just to get anything to go.



I had to wait patiently for a some crusty old turd to walk away from a run that I wanted.

Took forever but he finally gave it up.

So I walk in there and take my awaited turn.

Float drops and I set up...main line snaps and I am pulling line from the bushes...'Norland'.

I could hear Morin in my head...'Doesn't hurt to retie once in a while you useless prick'...'Check your mainline...that last fish took you through a bunch of rocks'...'ever hear of frayed line??'

I hate that pos..


So I retie.. ..can't leave on that note.

Tying frantically...looking over my shoulder..figuring at any moment to hear the crunch of boots in the snow..



The river has seen a lot of pressure and there really is no fighting that. I am trying to lighten up a bit and just roll with it.
It sucks ...but our pressure is way better to deal with than the apocalyptic pressure you can find in Michigan...so I count my blessings and try like hell to do what I can to find my little piece..

Back into the water I go..nobody shows up to bug me...few drifts in and down she goes again...
BIG FISH...( for me anyway )
Great fight...really great moment...the shoulder burns ...fish does everything right but I miraculously gain the upper hand and have myself a beauty of a Buck beached!!!










Probably my coolest fish of the season.


Few pics and gently released. I even unhooked my original line from his mouth as well...same fish..no shit!


Great way to cap off a great day.  ( go home..NOW!! )

But no..oh no...greed...

I walk back up... re-position myself on the same line thinking that maybe there is a big hen in there that was paired off with that fish ..seems logical..

First drift.

This fish dwarfs the buck and goes completely apeshit...up stream down stream around logs...rapping knuckles..frantic attempts to get line on the reel as it swims for my feet only to have it turn and tear out the chute and down through the rapids...At one point I was running as fast a s I could to catch up to this thing..
Certainly one of the biggest fish I have ever connected with on this river...EVER...

But I'll never know for sure...came unbuttoned right when I began believing that I had a chance...lol..



That is how this season will end for me...and you know what?...that is probably as close to perfect as this sport can get.

Now on to other things.

5 comments:

  1. She was a good go back in that heavenly escape. It's always hard to come to terms with the end. She has always been too kind to our undeserving souls.
    We will get you a couple of days on the water this winter over at the cabin! We might even get you into a few fish...who knows...maybe this is your year to shake that MI funk. I got some Wax worms that resemble caterpillars!!!! The river is fishing as difficult as I can remember over here so it would only figure that this year you shine and take names. Maybe I'll even get you fishing a bead ;0) now that I am totally bead gay!

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  2. I see Stuhan was on the PM recently. We need to make that happen... I would love that.
    I'll bet you it is nice over there right now with all the snow.
    Happy New Year Mfer.
    You need to find us some hardwater action over there.

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  3. Hardwater? Funny you should mention that! That is all I thought of on the ride back this morning. I have a another Michigander I have been chatting with that has been pounding some decent pike though the ice. i would love to find some cold water pike action...then head back to the cabin and deep fry up some fresh cut fries and beer battered pike goodness. Mmmmm LETS DO THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  4. Toboganning and steelheading. Nice!!! ( nice fish too!). I can't wait for your first " bead " post!!! ;)

    You guys getting hard into the hardwater angling?

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  5. Beads...never....sometimes the fish just can't be caught...I have my dignity...and besides...I am straight

    Happy New year

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