Fishing

Write Now, Fish Later

mikemjensen Fishing, goals, Life's Truths, Writing Tags: , , , , Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

Today would’ve been a lovely day to go fishing. It rained all day yesterday and this morning we woke to blue skies and sunshine. Of course if I had been going fishing, I would’ve been gone long before the sunshine ever showed up.

I had thought seriously about breaking out the kayak. This past week I had received some new lures in the mail and I’ve been hankering to give them a spin. I watched the YouTube videos on their use, the strategy, and the secret methods. Yes the sunny Sunday was to be my fishing extravaganza.

But there’s this thing about working.whining

I know the day job is Monday through Friday. So the weekends are for fun, right? Except when you have decided to write yourself out of the miserable existence that is working for other people.

So I passed on the angling and took to the writing. Good progress was made and the sun streaked across the sky and back into the western horizon. Day over.

Work is the name of the game. Without it nothing happens; with it, anything can.

There’ll be other days to fish. With any luck, they’ll be during the week between Mondays and Fridays.

 

Post 3-085

Waste Not, Want Not.

mikemjensen Fishing, Useless Observations Tags: , Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

Wasting time is not as easy as it may appear.

It takes hours, days, weeks, a lifetime to learn how to do it properly.

It takes study and a keen awareness of present circumstances to know when to do it.wastedtime

The weather plays a big part as well. How to dress to stay as comfortable as possible cannot be overlooked.

The company you keep is as important as all the rest. Choose wisely.

Equipment: get the best your money can buy.

Location: not all places are created equal.

Now pick your water, grab your rod and reel, sport your sunglasses, rain jacket or hat, invite an equally skilled partner, read the latest reports, and get fishing.

Time is not refundable, don’t waste it not fishing.

 

Post 3-064

Fishing by Film

mikemjensen Fishing, Interesting Stuff (to me anyway) Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

Tonight I’m headed to a film festival. Although not as prestigious or glamorous as the recent Sundance Film Festival, I do expect to be entertained. Tonight will be the Fly fishing Film Festival. The one evening festival consists of about two hours of 5-10 minutes films featuring fly fishing.fff

The films are not all just cast, hook, and catch. Most shorts tell an interesting story that includes casting, hooking, and catching. I have noticed that these films do share certain characteristics:

  • People packing gear.
  • Helicopter or plane ride.
  • Slow motion shots of the cast, hook, and catch.
  • Slower motion shot of angler holding the fish partially in the water cradled in two hands with water pouring out of the fishes mouth as it gulps air. It’s the “money shot”.

Ultimately all tough days are rewarded, shy trout give in to curiosity, and anglers pat each other on the back as they stroll away from the water, rods in hand and smiles galore.

What’s really fun is that with the group of paid viewers, cheers are shared for the hits, and awes for the misses. And when each film ends, the applause is exuberant.

It should be fun.

 

Post 3-047

Do or Do Not

mikemjensen Fishing Tags: Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

Is a fisherman judged by the number of the fish he catches?

Or is it the quality of those fish?

Is he judged by the species he pursues?15-1-effects

Or it by the methods he masters?

By Boat? By shore?

By guide? By self-taught?

The answer is simple: No. Only whether he does.

 

Post 3-046

Making it Known

mikemjensen Fishing, Football, Interesting Stuff (to me anyway), Internet, Life's Truths, Motorcycles, Sports, Useless Observations Tags: , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

It’s political times. 5508Everybody has an opinion and not always based on information, reason, or understanding. Here are some of my political beliefs:

For: American League, American Conference, and Western Conference.

Against: Fan voted All Stars.

For: Motorcycles. They don’t have to be Harleys either.

Against: Gold Wings. Just kidding, I’m for Gold Wings too.

For: Cheap gas and fast cars. Real ones. Classics.

Against: Smart Cars. Not kidding.

For: Buy low and sell high. I don’t do this much in practice, but I’m for it.

Against: Places that don’t have a Value Menu.

For: Lake Powell

Against: Anyone against Lake Powell

For: Fishing. Fly, bait, or lure. If there’s fish to catch, I’m in.

Against: People catching bigger or more fish than me.

For: Free speech.

Against: Long lists of “for and against”.

 

(Please note, I don’t always agree with everything that I say.)

 

Post 3-037

A True Humanitarian

mikemjensen Fishing, Useless Observations, Vanity Tags: , , , , Leave a comment

Hey Kids,

I don’t eat trout.

At least I haven’t for a long time. So long that I can’t even remember when the last time was.

I don’t like the taste of trout. I used to try to pretend like I did. Like I wasn’t a real fisherman unless I caught and cooked my prey. But I’m ok now to admit it.

Nowadays I’m catch and release.limpit

Some make the argument that catching and releasing the fish is crueler than catching and killing. I firmly believe that the fish doesn’t like either method, but if an opinion could be obtained, the fish would prefer living.

I’m only happy to oblige.

 

Post 3-033

Whew!

mikemjensen Cooking, Fishing, kayaks, Road Trip, Twain, Utah Tags: Leave a comment

Hey kids,

I know it’s been like six days since I last posted, but what a six days it has been.

I last wrote on Wednesday, after which I worked my over night job.Walmart-Logo-880x645

Thursday, I made dinner for the kids and Annette.mac and cheese

Friday I went to a little diner with Annette where we sipped sweet tea and discussed and caught up on each other’s lives and jobs. sweet teaEnded up getting a little less than two hours sleep before the Friday over night.Walmart-Logo-880x645

Saturday, got home in the AM, took a quick half hour nap and went to a play.Big-river The play was adapted from Mark Twain’s Huck Finn so I couldn’t miss it. ice creamHad some Ice cream afterwards and then got my sugar crash and two hours sleep before the overnight gig. Walmart-Logo-880x645

Sunday meant Uinta mountain kayaks and a little bit of fishing. lake

Overnight, with three hours sleep.Walmart-Logo-880x645

Monday, at last, it was a holiday and I got some sleep before feeding the tribe and attending a Johnny Cash tribute concert.johnny cash

I apologize that I didn’t slip a blog post or two in between.

Life sometimes comes at you fast; you just have to live it and enjoy.

 

Post #50-70

Covering My Own Bass

mikemjensen Fishing, roadtrip Tags: 3 Comments

Hey Kids,

Texas Bass Fishing.

I had never done it.

It’s possible that the importance is lost on those who are not fishermen.

Completive bass fishing is huge. Big tournaments, big money, and big sponsors.

I’m not claiming expert status but I’ve seen enough shows on ESPN Saturday morning to get caught up in the fervor. I want to catch some of them southern bass too!

Warning: My fish in pictures might be bigger than it appears in real life.

Warning: My fish in pictures might be bigger than it appears in real life.

But I’m from northern trout country.

So when an offer to go Bass fishing came my way, on a bass lake in Texas, on a bass boat; I had to accept.

The lake was Lake Fork, Texas. The method was a Texas Rig. And the target was Bass. Largemouth style.

The wind blew, the fishing report said “tough”, and we got a flat tire on the boat on the way there; but through it all, about an hour and a half into the fishing, I hooked and landed my first Texas Black Bass. Yay!

It turned out to be our only bass of the day.

I’m selfishly and non-repentantly ecstatic it was mine.

 

Day 235

Taste of History

mikemjensen Fishing, Vanity Tags: , , , 2 Comments

Hey Kids,

I bought a gallon of A&W root beer today.

That’s not so unusual. I do it from time to time.

I’ve given up on all the regular sodas; Coke, Dr. Pepper, etc. Never Sprite, however, that stuff has been and always will be disgusting.

Anyway, I enjoy a frozen glass mug of draft root beer on occasion. The taste is soothing and as long as I don’t drink the entire gallon in one setting, it isn’t as bloating as the other sodas.

But A&W soothes on another front.

I used to fish with my grandpa. Many times it would be he and I in the boat. Sometimes my grandmother, sometimes an uncle or two, and even my brother at times. My grandparents had a cabin on the south shore and we spent many summer weekends there together. And for whatever reason, I always drank A&W root beer. From a can, but A&W only. When fishing.

Strawberry Reservoir

Strawberry Reservoir

When I taste that distinctive flavor, it takes me back to that lake. Back to that boat, fishing more than catching. Strawberry Reservoir will always be our lake. My grandpa and I connected out there on the water. Those hours, days, weekends, mean something to me. I miss them.

I miss him.

 

Day 185