What It's All About

I just returned today from my annual muskie fishing trip. It was another tough year with nary a fish sighting all weekend. Much like last year, the lakes were in the middle of what is known as "the turn." I'm not sure of all of the details, but basically, when it starts getting cold out, the warm water gets pushed down and the lakes become clouded with stuff from the lake bottom. This makes the fishing slower until a week or two after it when things have cleared.

Like last year, I'm a little bummed out that I didn't come away with a fish picture. Then, as we were driving home, I got to thinking that the Muskie trip is so much more than just the fish.

It's about

• ...being in a boat with two good friends and laughing until my side hurts.
• ...seeing two eagles perched in the top of a Jack Pine.
• ...having your friend warn you about the rock bar on a new lake while using his boat and then promptly finding the rock bar the hard way. By the grace of God, no major damage was incurred.
• ...your friend giving you one of his favorite Stormy Kromer hat with a Lambeau Field logo on it in exchange for a ball cap with Landwehr Construction on it.
• ...getting a lure snagged on the bottom requiring a U-Turn of the boat, thereby snagging one of the sucker baits on the propeller of the boat requiring death defying gymnastics to retrieve items one and two, then being able to laugh about it and ask your boat mate, "what just happened?"
• ...Fall colors that are absolutely breathtaking
• ...early evening sunsets that cannot be matched anywhere south of Wausau.
• ...playing Stevie Ray Vaughn and Albert King LOUD in the truck and neither of us talking, just listening.
• ...having a side dish of "Hot Corn" prepared by our host to go with our steak and potato.
• ...seeing two freshwater otters playing near the shore.
• ...getting kidded about trying to get a trollign motor out of it's hold, only to learn how to properly do it and then forget how it works again next year at this time.
• ...looking up at the stars last night and feeling small, insignificant and infinitely blessed.
• ...the ride there, and the ride back.
• ...being able to belittle one of your buddies, knowing the third guy will laugh, and the understanding that you will probably be next and that it is all meant in fun and no one takes it personally,
• ...feeling physically sapped because you were outside in the elements all day doing something you love.

So that's what I'm taking away from this trip. Good times with good friends in some of the most beautiful country in the state. These trips are all about that.

Oh yeah, it's about the fish too.

Blogging off...