Pages

Monday, October 1, 2012

In Search of Walter...

A newly svelt Jane Fonda tries to get her cranky, crotchety movie star father to love her in some meaningful way and all he really cares about is Walter.  In the movie On Golden Pond, Walter is giant trout that eludes the fishing hook time and time again, despite the daily efforts of Norman (Henry Fonda) to catch the big one. He trolls out in his little motor boat, fishing poll beside him and sits for hours waiting for Walter.

Skip ahead to real life. Me on Shasta lake with my hubby, two-day license in hand, for my first ever fishing excursion. He's been trying to get me to go with him for years, but the 4:00 a.m./freezing cold/wigglyworm vibe just never struck a chord.

"Should I take my knitting?" I ask innocently.

He looks at me like I just asked him who he wants to win the Superbowl this year. He grabs a couple of Buds for the ice chest...I grab my stylish sun hat, some iced hibiscus tea and a little bottle of hand sanitizer. He laughs and starts the boat.

"Want to drive?" he asks. I had only driven the boat a few times, but since we were going to be on the lake for four days, I'm thinking I better start perfecting my boating skills, if I'm going to become a fisherwoman.

I have to admit, there was something magical about being on the lake as the sun was coming up. In fact, the whole experience changed my view of fishing.  I was pretty sure that "trolling" for trout and salmon would be a total boring drag...but alas, I was proven wrong.




My new best friend...a Lorance fish finder.
"Wait for it..."
Obviously, there's a trick to putting along at less than 2 mph,
watching for the shallow parts, watching for fish below and watching your pole at the same time.
 


I guess there's some rhyme or reason as to why you use a certain tackle...
but this one was pretty, so I thought I'd use it.


Okay, so I didn't rig my own tackle and I can tell you, I wasn't about to
bait my own hook...
"EWE........." 


He told me it would be fun, but it's a lot of waiting and watching...
I should have brought my knitting...


What was that...did I see that pole do that "dipping" thing????
"Yank it fast", he says.
"Bring in some line."
"Is he still on?"
"He's gonna start going crazy when you get him near the boat!"
"Hang on, let me get the net under him!"
 
(...me, squealing with delight...)
 

My first ever fish caught on a trolling line.
Now I'M HOOKED!!!!!

 
By the end of our "Three Hour Tour", I caught three more.
 


Beginner's luck...or just that Laurel "magic"???


Needless to say, by the second day, I am ready at dawn...
 Bud's in the cooler, sporting baseball hat and fishing attire and
on a mission to catch Walter.
I drive the boat, negotiating the shallow parts, bait my own hook...
I still can't "whack" them in the head to "put them out of their misery" (???)
But I'm a fisherwoman looking for Walter.
 


 
I know he's out there somewhere.


 
Laurel. I understand, honey. I get it.

7 comments:

  1. Please tell me you ate those fish and they didn't die for nothing. I bet you did.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I will eat them all. We always do. One of the biggest one had a parasite though, and we won't eat it. I tried to toss him back in, but it was belly up.

      Delete
  2. Nicely done ! Was the Shasta Lake ? I'm sooo jealous, I will show your blog to my husband and see if he will take me fishing ! Cynthia

    ReplyDelete
  3. Nice trout!

    Hubby gets so frustrated with me fishing. I bait my hook, cast the line, place the pole between my toes and lay back and read a good book. I always outfish him.

    Water is a relaxing place to be.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I really believe that fishing is about 30% "fishing" and 70% "waiting for the fish" and admiring the views. It's all good. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh I love fishing and I do it all. I never thought about knitting LOL. I don't knit.
    They look delicious to me I love I assume trout.
    Love the top photo.
    I am so glad you are hooked I was hooked the first time also. It is also about being with the one you love too. Great post. B

    ReplyDelete
  6. "Witching" or "dousing" works for anything you are looking for. I used two pieces of Lshaped stiff wires and hold the short end in each hand level with thumb on top. You visulize what you are searching for and the rods will point the general direction you should go. For me they cross when I have reached what I was seeking. Many use forked limber limbs and hold the forks in each end and the other end will tip. Dad always used a peach tree, many swear by willow. Play with it. According to the book I was reading at the time, whatever you use you must practice and establish what is a "yes" and a "no". My yes is the wires make an X and spreading out in a no.

    This is nothing supernatural or anything bad. I do believe it is some gift all humans are born with...we just have to listen. When I began, I pictured water in my mind. In the house I imagine it would point me toward the bathroom. Nope, I kept walking and asking for water. It kept crossing in the same spot in the living room. I would back up and it would uncross. I'm thinking this is crazy, it's not working. After this same thing being repeated several times. I went to ask how the water pipes lay. My rods were crossing where the main water line comes under the house!!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for visiting my blog. I appreciate all those who share and leave their comments very much. Laurel

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...