On Big Fish

 As I prepare to jump the jet in 10 days for Mazatlan I've been thinking a lot about my hobby, my vocation and my quest to be a better person and have a happy life. And it occurred to me it's all the same thing. All that I know applies to all I do....make sense ? So, I was thinking about how big fish really define the quest and I have a few insights to share .

This summer on one of the really good days we had one of my fishing buddies said something to the effect that he never really expects to do as good as we did that day, he was surprised. Well, for me I expect to do well every time and each next fish is going to be the big one . Through my years of guiding I even came to the point where I enjoyed the slow fishing better than the fast and furious fishing. I'd look at it as more of a challenge, a bigger mystery to solve....I've never caught  a ' fish of a lifetime '  because my lifetime ain't over .  

Here's pic of the first grande King Salmon I ever wrestled . Me and my friend Paul Kelly went fishing until 4:00 a.m. to get him. Paul who had lost a hand in an industrial accident got him in the net and it was ON...and the outcome was in doubt for quite a spell.

So here's list of the things I've noticed about big fish....You know how I like a list, it's as close to having any order as we ever get here at Mile 14 , Montana Bureau.

1. you hear in fishing circles " the little ones taste better than the big ones "....well, you hear that from people who don't catch the big ones.

2. You hear " I like Red Salmon better than King Salmon ".... well you hear that from people who don't catch King Salmon.

3. And ouch....when somebody loses a big fish you hear " well I was going to release him anyway "....get your pic first, then release....

4.  If you're going to spend your life chasing grande sized slimey's ya gotta take the time to learn the fine art of the pose. My buddy Lowell knows the way and I personally think he should have had and Adjunct Professor position at the Kenai River Guide Academy .

Now for the nuts and bolts of the chase.

5. Now this might sound stupidly obvious but...Fish where the fish are !  Lots of fish = lots of big fish. Few fish = few big fish .

6. No Laziness. Fresh leader, sharp hooks, fresh bait , start at sun-up , end at sun-down . In Montana if you use wigglers, make sure they're wiggling, ol slimey can tell the difference me thinks.

7.Those that know me know what's lucky number 7...eat Licorice. 

7 . A ....use scents. Shoot the locks off that wallet and support Phil at the  Pro Cure Company.....you're going to need Anise oil , sardine butter  and here in Moootana if you ain't got 40 bucks worth of Berkley Gulp products you're wasting time and maybe oughta take up golf.

8. Mental  imaging . I learned this from a friend who kicked field goals for a living . He told me about a kind of self hypnosis drill he would do and see himself accomplishing what he wanted to do....Well I do that daily now and wallla, no surprises because I've done it all before .

9. Don't brag.....ever....bad ju ju to follow if you do.

10. Being confident is not bragging....Ali said " it ain't bragging if you can do it ".

12. Share all and any things you know. Share lures, I love to give away the good stuff, makes me feel like a missionary. Oh....and share your licorice. 

13. Catch and release.....the bigger the better....salmon have between 1500 and 3000 eggs of which one of your buddies just might catch as an adult in a few years.

14.  Notice the small things. Many small things = a big thing. Notice trends, notice fellow fisherman's success , or lack of . Notice the environment. to hot, to cold . Hot wind ? or a steady breeze...it all shapes the day.

15. Show respect. I've seen Humpies kicked back into the water many a time. One day  in Mexico on a hot Toro bite people were throwing the released fish back into the ocean. I quit fishing so people wouldn't think I was a part of that. So just be gentle , bend over , place old slimey in the water until he's feeling like swimming and give him a big ol smiling adios. 

16. Have fun. Through the years I've heard professional people advise to not mix business with pleasure. Well, I respectively and strongly disagree. I think you can make anything, and I mean anything better by throwing in a healthy dose of levity . In my career the thousands of people I've fished with might tell you they don't remember the fish exactly but they certainly remember having fun....and laughing .

17. Any questions ? 

Well , if you're still reading this I'll leave you with a short song from the Movie Tender Mercies  with Robert Duval . I played this song just a couple times before I sang it for you, it was like I just new it . I've had that experience a few times in my life....when ya just know and that's simply magic. So I guess let's all just let it ' flow ' and I'll  post pics from Mazatlan real soon , hope ya come back to Mile 14.