I only had one day to kill so it was going to be a relatively short trip. Four hours to the nearest trout stream...three hours to my favorite smallie creek or two hours and some change to check out the white bass situation. While all of the choices had upsides (and downsides), in the end I chose the white bass gamble for several reasons. First of those being that, if you hit it right, the whites are usually around in numbers and are relatively easy to catch when found.
The second reason was that I wanted to take my best buddy along and he just doesn't do well with extended car rides or long, tough hikes anymore. At 14 years old (what's that, like 100 in people years!) he's to the point where short trips to the local lake and laying in the grass under a shade tree are his idea of a good time, and we get out and do just that as often as possible.
That being said, I know I sure miss those long roadtrips together with nothing to do but enjoy each others company on a quiet riverbank, and I sincerely hope he does too. On this day, the weather was mild and the trip relatively short and since I didn't even know if the fish were up in the river yet I was fine with calling it a day whenever my old buddy got tired and was ready to head home. Just two old guys with a day to kill.
We hiked...we sat on the bank and listened to the water meander by...we gave a piss poor attempt at chasing a couple of mouthy red squirrels in the field edge as we were hiking from one spot to another...and we even managed to throw a few flies as time permitted.
We snacked on peanut butter crackers (Joes favorite) at almost every stop and we had our usual fried chicken tailgate lunch.
While I can't say that the fish were ever found and caught in any numbers, we managed a few small males to hand and lost a few others.
That being said, it still might have been the best trip I've had in quite awhile. Sometimes the company you keep outweighs the end result achieved...here's to many more fishless trips with my old friend.
Jeff, my heart is breaking. I'm glad you're taking the time to spend with him doing something he obviously enjoys. We just had to put our boy down a month ago and even though we got a new pup to pal around with, we'll miss bubby's particular personality.
ReplyDeleteWhat is it about a good dog that can bring a grown man to his knees with tears in his eyes? They're all special in their own way but certain ones just seem to grab your heart and run with it.
DeleteI know that all of our time here is limited but the thought of losing a friend like Joe (or Bubby) is enough to make me cry like a little girl...I guess the best advice is just to enjoy every minute you have with them and make sure they know how much they're loved.
Great stuff, Jeff. I remember when I first started following your blog, and reading bout and seeing, Joe. Still has the same affect on me, which is great. I wish I had a 4 legged fishing buddy like him. Good to see you're still getting him out, and simply enjoying time spent with him.
ReplyDeleteThanks Justin. It's good to know that Joe brings a smile to others faces as well as my own. Fishing buddies that help pay for the gas are great...but a four legged fishing buddy that is always there for you, no questions asked, is the ultimate friend to have!
DeleteAttaboy, Joe.
ReplyDeleteHe's my hero Jim, I figure if he can still do what he does at his age then I've got a chance!
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