Reeling it in for the winter
Toolbox
Published: November 15, 2008
"T
his weather is doing a lot to make me think this might be the last week of the season for me," I shouted.
It didn't take too long for me to decide it. Something about 30-mph winds whipping against my face and ice cold rain pelting my exposed brow brought the idea to mind. (My hair was so cold even it was hurting me.) I looked over at Mike Pollica, as we rode into the four- and five-foot waves and could see him thinking the same thing.
"I think I might be agreeing with you … maybe, perhaps, possibly."
We had a nice brown trout in the box, but after finally finding the fish, Mother Nature threw us a little wind and made things difficult. While my toes and fingers remained warm, my desire to fish through the winter quickly waned. It's cold out there. It's windy out there. I really should sleep in once in a while, maybe go into town on my day off the next few weeks, and read the paper while enjoying a warm breakfast. There are warmer things to do.
The five funniest things that happened this year
5. Fishing Keeler Bay with Pete Rogers this spring I slowly picked my lure from the water to have a large pike erupt on it. Shooting from the water the fish missed my lure and hit the side of the boat with a thud. With the fish momentarily stunned, I could have netted it for a picture. Instead I watched as it slowly recovered and swam off with a violent flick of the tail, dousing Pete and I with droplets of water.
4. Dad catching two fish on the same lure. Those perch can be pretty aggressive when there are 50 of them and only one lure.
3. Forgetting to take the straps off the boat one evening at Waterbury Reservoir, and wondering forever, why the boat wouldn't float off the trailer. (Yeah, I still forget things)
2. Standing in four inches of snow with Pete on the last day of trout season. Who knew the shoreline at Lake Eden would be a winter wonderland? (I should've)
1. Dad, falling in the boat … more than once. (Yes, I have pictures)
There were plenty of new adventures. From making the trip all the way down to Harriman Reservoir/Lake Whitingham, to getting a handle on salmon and lakers, to learning some of the finer points of downriggers, planer boards, and divers. (I am so smart, ess-emm-are-tee)
Tons of new contacts have been added to the cellphone directory. (It's my electronic Rolodex); some professional and some personal. Most importantly, all helped me become a better fisherman.
Tips from Tony Bushway and Shawn Hayes helped get me smarter about salmon, tips from Pat Church helped me get my head around downriggers and their releases, and tips from Ron Winter gave me an education on boats and engines.
I can thank Mike Pollica for his years of experience and getting me out for the coldwater experience late in the year, and to Frank Miller for finally breaking the "Willoughby Curse."
(This is starting to sound like an Oscar acceptance speech.)
As in year's past, the important thing is that some friends came along for the ride and there will be some stories and memories to be reflected upon. My dad caught both the largest trout (laker) and pike of his life this year. Joe Yoder finally got more fish than I did on a trip, in fact he also got bigger fish. Pete Rogers learned the finer points of "power fishing" and the arm soreness that comes with making 10,000 casts per hour. I got Pete Hartt out for some topwater smallmouth action, and the fish cooperated.
Getting Mike Czok out for a day on my home waters was a highlight.
My daughter, Lindsey, boating a giant laker was another.
Having mom out on Lake Champlain was pretty sweet too, especially when we finally found some schooling smallies.
There were also the trips that didn't happen. Pratfalls, mishaps, misunderstandings, and outright failure. Engine trouble and July's rain had me grasping at straws when it came to where to go. Rivers were high and sitting in a boat that would slowly be filling with rainwater didn't exactly excite me. Where there was a will, there was a way.
If the day ever comes that I'm able to get Montpelier girls hockey coaches Chris Turley and Rob Banfield out (perhaps two of the most patient coaches ever to sit on a bench) I'll probably be able to write a book. Good news guys, (I think) I'm getting a bigger boat. And yes, it will be hooked up, pimped out, and ready for anything. Sponsors anyone?
If anything, I'm a bit disappointed that I didn't get to do a bit more shore fishing. Or fly fishing. Or get to the Connecticut River. (I'm working on all of it though). I'd also like to take a closer look at angling for some of the state's less pursued fish, like sheepshead, bowfin and carp.
Maybe I can twist my brother-in-law's arm and do a little fishing with the bow and arrow. I'm not running out of ideas, that's for sure.
For the short term though, I'll wait a few weeks and do a little ice fishing … maybe checking in with a "Shoestring Special Delivery" too.
Quick Strikes
(totally unrelated to fishing)
The New England Patriots' season, while not the stompfest the games were last year, is more interesting this year. Matt Cassell has proven a fairly good backup and maybe even turned a few heads in the NFL looking for a potential starter. The fact that the team can't depend on Tom Brady to bail them out anymore speaks volumes about the defense being able to keep the team in games. Will they win the Superbowl and hoist Cassell up as MVP? I doubt it. But they are more interesting. BenJarvis Green-Ellis looks like an old-school downhill runner with patience too … something that Lawrence Maroney hasn't been.
The Red Sox have a nice little cache of money to spend in free-agency, thanks to Manny Ramirez and Curt Schilling moving on. There a few names out there that are intriguing (Ben Sheets?) but I doubt they'll pull the trigger. I expect them to swing a deal for a young catcher and maybe another premier bat that they can extend for a long term deal. The fact that they got as far as they did with the kids instead of trading them for old talent (as in years past … so did the Yankees) proves they're making a commitment to player development.
And finally…
Good luck to all those hunters headed out today. Stay warm, stay happy, and most of all, stay safe.
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