The little things...

[damifino]

I recently attended my 15 year highschool reunion, and while talking to an old friend I was asked "do you still spend alot of time at the coast?" Obviously the subject of my response was pretty much all about fishing and he responded back that he had never been fishing in the ocean. The more that I thought about this, the more that it dawned on me how fortunate I (and all of us here) really are. This guy lives 2.5 hours from coastal NC and had never been fishing there. Now this cat may have no desire what so ever to fish at all; I have no idea- but it has caused me the last couple of days to think about how fortunate and blessed I am to have experienced all of the things that I have experienced while spending time on the ocean every year of my life. Then I started to think about all of the little things that I take for granted that is "greek" to soooo many people who have not spent any time fishing!!! Some of mine follow- everybody has them- what are yours?

-the sound of an outrigger clip pop before a rod doubles over and starts screaming
-the feeling of sticking of the first fish of the day with the gaf and bringing it over
-the smell of an outboard engine under pitch black skies 4 hrs before sunrise
-scattered grass (who else even knows what this means!!)
-ballyhoo sludge under your fingernails
-the feeling of a good weather report on wednesday
-the feeling of that same report gone to shit on friday
-throwing a cast net and watch it try to swim off full of bait
-my wife meeting me at the dock
-feeling the temp drop 10deg where the ditch narrows on your way home
under a full moon
-idling through the no wake zone staring over the stern more than the bow
because it is a natural feeling at that speed
-talking to a friend on the vhf
-late night canal cruises before a day of fishing

-seeing my 13 month old daughter scurry around the boat (my new favorite)



I could go go on forever........... I am sure we all could!!!!!

[clt_capt]

I think you hit it on the head - here are a few more

Watching the first rays of the sun peek over the horizon
having porpoise ride your bow wave, then fall back and surf your wake
seeing a whole school of bait below the weed line
having a whale surface next to your boat
seeing a mola mola
seeing a huge turtle
The amazing deep indigo color of the water
Watching the flying fish fly away from the boat as you pull the throttles back
Seeing an airborne wahoo come down headfirst into your gear
seeing an acre of tuna busting
the flash of the lighthouse when you are limping back at 6 kts on one engine

[FASTWATER]

The one that always brings a tear to my eye is when I watch the land just slip off into the horizon!!!PEACE

[WAHOONBOX]

RIGHT NOW......................


EHHH................JUST READING THIS COOL THREAD.

[Karl]

The smell of NE North Carolina marsh on the first day of duck season.
Seeing your buddies running lights heading to the blind before sun up in a rough sea.
The first shots of the morning.
Fresh burnt smell of a shotshell in a dove field.
Getting your party that first fish or first good knot of ducks to commit.
Turned peanuts.

[BTH284]

The sound of the spray as it peals off the deadrise of the boat on a calm day. Nice work on the lil things bubba.

So tell me old friend can you go this weekend? Lets get some of these favorite things back in your head It has been too long since we have fished together.