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Thursday, December 25, 2008

My day

I had a good Christmas today. Hell it would've been a good day even if it wasn't Christmas.
I rolled my butt out of the rack at 4 AM, grabbed my trappins and headed for the lake in search of the elusive Big Ass Trout. I knew it was going to be rough when I threw my cooler in the back of the truck and it hit with a splash instead of a thud. No big deal, I've been wet before.
What I didn't count on was the wind. A cold wind. An ass numbing wind, even with long johns, insulated bibs and rain gear.
When I finally got there it was still dark and the wind was just howling across the water. I'm not joking when it was howling, there were 3 foot whitecaps when dawn broke.
I tied on a spinner and headed down to my favorite spot. It was so windy that when I cast, my lure landed at my feet. Hmmm, this was going to take a little timing on my part, so when the wind would die down for a moment (and I do mean a moment), I'd cast, retrieve, then wait for it do die down again.
I caught 6 fish over 4 hours although none were what I would call BATs. The smallest was about 15 inches and 2 1/2 pounds, 4 were right at 18 inches and 3 pounds, and the biggest was 22 inches and might've gone a tad over 4 pounds. All were hooked cleanly and released for me to catch next year.
I got back home and showered, then went to Mom & Dad's for some dinner. Mom always puts on a good feed for Christmas and this year was no exception. Wild Boar tenderloins, ham, chops, thick cut bacon (Bacon. Mmmmm, bacon) for me, venison steaks, potato salad, macaroni salad, finger foods, fruit salads and about 5 different pies.
Even though I asked them as I have for the past 25 years to skip getting me gifts and spend their money on their grandbabies, Dad handed me a box. Inside was a balaclava, some thick wool socks and silk liners to keep my footses warm when I'm freezing my ass off fishing, and some cotton PJ bottoms.
PJs? I gave Dad that WTF look while hugging Mom. Shit, I haven't worn jammies since.... Hell, I ain't never worn PJs. Dad told me to shut the fuck up, they were "lounging" pants to wear when I was relaxing around the house.
That's what I got my cammo pants for, but I got 'em home, washed 'em and yes, I'll admit I'm wearing them now and I'll be damned if they don't feel surprisingly fine.
I ain't answering the door in them though.

10 comments:

  1. "Lounging pants"? YOU? Those pants are really fancy dancing pants - lots of ball room. Are we going to get to see a picture of you in your fancy dancing pants?

    Mr. Man wears 'lounging pants', or what he calls sweat pants to sleep in. He won't answer the door in those. What is it with you guys? I have no problem wearing my brown fleece jammie bottoms with the gold bear paw prints on them out to walk the dog (at midnight).

    Merry Christmas!

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  2. LOUNGING PANTS Dammit!!!!
    You can wear your brown fleece jammie bottoms with the gold bear paw prints on them in public if you want, but if one of my friends from work see me in my lounging pants, it could get brutal.

    Let me get hammered tomorrow night and there may be a picture. I could always claim that it was photoshopped.

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  3. I just FedExed you a case of Maine's best potato vodka and a case of Shipyard Ale. I'll be looking for those photos tomorrow night.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Tater whiskey and Ale.
    Almost as good as Bacon (Bacon. Mmmmm, bacon).
    Looks like I owe you a picture.

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  5. great story, my friend! and in these parts, those sound like some mighty fine trout you caught. Average size trout around here is a measly 12 inches.

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  6. Yeah, when I was a kid fishing the streams I thought I hit it big when I caught a 14 incher. But after they dammed the river and New Melones was formed, for some reason the trout got huge. I don't even fuck with the 18 inchers - I want 'em bigger than 2 feet.
    So far this year, there's been a 12pound brown trout got and a shitload of 8 pound rainbows.
    And the bass grow huge too. The official lake record is 15+ pounds and a guy that I was talking to last weekend at the ramp said his buddy caught a 19 pound largemouth just off the ramp a couple of hundred yards.
    I'm headed back up in the morning - this bite only lasts for about 3 months.

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  7. why is the vision of
    Vanilla Ice in his
    parachute pants
    dancing through my mind?!!!

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  8. So if you answer the door with no pants on we'll know that you were wearing your lounging pants?

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  9. Oh Jesus. I never should've mentioned my new britches. That'll teach me to post after I've had a few.
    I might as well go whole hog and post a picture of me in them, even though I haven't gotten Deb's tater whiskey and Ale yet.
    The trick is gonna be to post it when I've had just enough to loosen me up, but not so many that I pose topless and lose all my readers.
    Fuck, man....

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  10. Sounds like you had a great day!

    My husband received his first pair of "lounging pants" this year too....and yes, I received a slight look...

    I told him if worse comes to worse, I will steal them and wear them to bed myself!

    ReplyDelete

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