The cover is battered, the pages smudged, but here in lies the truth. The thoughts of the piscator while in the very act of joy, exultation, suffering, cold, pain- whatever that day or trip held. No benefit of the rose colored lenses looking back, the pure, unvarnished truth we can learn from for this year:
September 6, 2012 (Trip Analysis)
WEATHER: thank goodness for 2 1/2 good days at the beginning and 1 at the end. Middle 4 were horrible combo of rain and wind that we'd never seen. The blow out Monday night was awful- meaning the river being muddy, high- unfishable. I can take all the weather- as long as I can still fish- but if I can't fish- despondent.
TIME OF YEAR: silvers are fun- no doubt. But it's obvious that the bows and Dolly's leave the river after the influx of chum and reds. so go earlier (mid July-early Aug) that's prime or go to a huge silver river.
TAKE A YEAR OFF: This year wasn't up to par, such is Alaska fishing- a big gamble. But taking a year off should make me want to come back and enjoy it that much more in 2014.
TIME TO FIND NEW WATER: Yes, I love the familiarity of O*****uk and want to go back- sometime, but a new river- new adventure would be best for next time.
Read it and weep! I suppose like child birth (our female readers will love that one- except we have none- readers) you forget the pain and only remember the joy. So at some point in AK 2013 I'll be bent over an unwieldy rain shelter, back aching, physically exhausted, emotionally bear weary, shoulder sore and think- why didn't I heed my own advice? I should've taken this year off! But a mouse will skitter across the foam line- an aching shoulder high sticking his gurgling, sputtering swim for his life when an 28" rainbow with dark green back, leopard spots and a fierce red striped lateral line will shoot from under the bank and smash Mr. Hinky and then go airborne and I will know that my Journal of 2012 was full of deceit, falsehood and lies! No way I could sit a year out.
JB- update the gear list, let's get this show on the road. Yipee Kiyah!
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