Maiden Voyage!

Memorial Day weekend….it’s like the introduction to summer for all of us here in the mitten after a long winter of forgetting what it’s like to sit outside, BBQ, and drink beer. Its unfortunate the warm weather had to take a turn for the worse this weekend! Luckily I was still able to get out and get some things done!

                Friday evening was spent wrenching on my car. I’ve been having a lot of trouble with it lately, and dumping a lot of money into it lately for what seems like no results….it’s almost like having a bad girlfriend! So to turn my frustration I decided to wrap that up and head to Bass Proshop and do a little shopping. I recently purchased a fishing Kayak so I could get back out on the lakes and fish, so I needed a few things for my maiden voyage. After spending way more than I originally planned (don’t we all?) I walked out of there an hour later I had everything I needed and more for my trip out on the lake.

                Saturday was golfing with the guys. I’ve recently grown very fond of the par 3 9 hole courses around my area. For 10 bucks you can go chase a handful of golf balls and not have to worry about the typical golf course particulars….it’s actually quite laid back! So we hit 9 there, and had a few drinks afterward….it was a really good time!

                After I had to make it home a little early because I had some fabrication I had to do with the kayak for the next day on the lake. I managed to retrofit a basket with some additional rod holders because I had to accommodate for some extra gear as I was taking my girlfriends little brother, but all in all it went well and it looked great!

                Sunday was the big day! I couldn’t sleep past 7 AM because I was so excited to get going. I had already loaded up my truck and had everything prepared to go. We took off at 9:30 and had to stop by Gander Mountain quickly before we launched. When we got to our first spot it took a few minutes, but I was the first to strike! I pulled in a little 3.5 pound largemouth, and took a picture to keep record of my first kayak fishing catch! After about 6 hours on the water it was time to head back in and relax. The remainder of the night was spent enjoying a bonfire at my parent’s house and getting some much needed sleep.

                Monday was a very chill day with all of the guys, we bbq’q some beer brats, ate chips and dip, enjoyed a few beers and watched the redwings play. All in all it was a very hectic, but fun weekend! I dont have any footage from my trip on the water, but enjoy one of my favorite videos!

               

Here fishy fishy fishy....

In my eyes, every guy liked to fish….whether they know it or not. To me it’s like a rite of passage to becoming a MAN! When you’re younger you think “man, this is extremely boring, it’s nothing like it looks in the cartoons!”  I remember my first experience with fishing. I was watching Sesame Street and Burt and Ernie were in a row boat. Burt was having a hell of a time getting anything…. And all Ernie would have to do is yell “HEEEERRRRRRRRREEEEE FISHY, FISHY, FISHY!!” Sure as hell one fish would jump into the boat.
                Of course I didn’t think that fishing was like that in real life, but I thought it would be a lot easier than it actually was…. Man, was I wrong! Some like to call it the sport of 100 casts, or if you fish for musky you can upgrade to 1000 casts. Fishing to a newcomer at my age would have to be the most aggravating thing in the world.
                You constantly have to assess conditions and change technique and of course it’s always a guess. Now I’m not necessarily a fishing purist, but I do get upset if I have a noisy gaggle of toddlers 100 feet from me throwing rocks in the water. This is my fun, go play on the monkey bars! You don’t see my throwing footballs at you while you’re swinging just because that’s where I chose to do it.
                Don’t get me wrong, im not complaining…..well not too much atleast…. I just like to think of this as just another thing that I enjoy, like a good beer, or a cigar, or a fast car.  This is just another thing that I think makes a man. When im out there I can disconnect from the real world and get back to mans roots of being self sufficient. The hunter and gatherer feeling is my high and I think every man should experience that.
                Sunday I caught my first fish of the season. It was an extremely momentous occasion for me because it marked the beginning of many long fights of strength and wit. Don’t be fooled about this fish story though, it may sound like a whale of a tale, but it definitely doesn’t reflect Sundays catch!!!