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Merwin: New Year's Resolution
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December 30, 2009
Merwin: New Year's Resolution
By John Merwin
Like to put yourself in this picture? I don’t post many hero shots on this blog, which would be a little unseemly and there aren’t all that many of them to begin with. But there’s another point to this big Manitoba pike I took on a fly rod some years back.
As many did (and still do), I grew up reading various fishing books and outdoor magazines, including this one. I distinctly remember seeing photos back then of Tom McNally, the late, great outdoor writer, holding up big Canadian pike that he’d taken on streamer flies. And I thought to myself often: Someday, I’m going to do that.
It took me a lot of years to get there, but eventually I did and caught the fish and got the photo I’d dreamed about for so long.
You can, too. As the old year ends and a new one begins, take a look ahead. Even if you don’t travel to some exotic fishing destination, somehow, somewhere in the new year you’re going to catch a memorable fish. A bigger than usual bass or maybe a redfish. Salmon, steelhead, or trout, or perhaps even a giant bluegill.
Hopefully, you’ll then get a photo of whatever that fish might be. So put yourself in that picture. And in that case, by all your angling hopes and dreams, the picture will be of you holding what fish?
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Comments (10)
I've got a couple of fly fishing resolutions this year, they are to actually go to a fly fishable trout stream. Catch a state line class record for either bass or bluegill with one. thirdly it's to just get out and do it more.
too many places in colorado i haven't fished which means too many fish i haven't caught. this year i want to get more than one photo of a great fish that will mean years of memories. i sent my 11 year old daughter a pic of a really nice 5lb bass i caught this year and was so proud of it. she e-mailed me back saying "you can do better." of course she still lives in alaska! my bass is bait up there.
my resolution is to catch a record-weight fallfish or brook trout, whether line class or not. also I would like to catch a muskie, making it so that i have caught all warmwater species in maine
Great picture John. I sure do miss flyfishing for those giant Manitoba Pike.
I want to catch friends...and "the" good one.
A fat pike in a small boat somewhere up north sounds just about right. That's realistic. The brown trout in the Alps is a little more distant.
I also had a dream of catching a pike on a fly. It was September 1989 in Quetico. We had canoed deep into the wilderness area and camped on Alice Lake. I will never forget the swirl the size of a washtub when the pike struck at my gaines popper. Today it remains one of my favorite photos hanging on my wall.
This year...I have discovered a swamp (I think I have mentioned before) that I have a legitimate chance of taking a 8+ pound bass which is very good for Ohio. I say an 8lb largemouth with a gaines popper.
I'm not going to be so aloof as to wish for a world record but I'd like to be considered for a state record crappie (possible) or small mouth (very possible).
I've been fishing Reindeer Lake for the past 7 years and fishing it lots in the past 2 and have caught lots of good sized pike but I still have my dream of a 50". i know they are there and dont plan on stopping till i get it.
Who am I kidding even after I catch one I will keep trying for more.
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Great picture John. I sure do miss flyfishing for those giant Manitoba Pike.
I've got a couple of fly fishing resolutions this year, they are to actually go to a fly fishable trout stream. Catch a state line class record for either bass or bluegill with one. thirdly it's to just get out and do it more.
too many places in colorado i haven't fished which means too many fish i haven't caught. this year i want to get more than one photo of a great fish that will mean years of memories. i sent my 11 year old daughter a pic of a really nice 5lb bass i caught this year and was so proud of it. she e-mailed me back saying "you can do better." of course she still lives in alaska! my bass is bait up there.
my resolution is to catch a record-weight fallfish or brook trout, whether line class or not. also I would like to catch a muskie, making it so that i have caught all warmwater species in maine
I want to catch friends...and "the" good one.
A fat pike in a small boat somewhere up north sounds just about right. That's realistic. The brown trout in the Alps is a little more distant.
I also had a dream of catching a pike on a fly. It was September 1989 in Quetico. We had canoed deep into the wilderness area and camped on Alice Lake. I will never forget the swirl the size of a washtub when the pike struck at my gaines popper. Today it remains one of my favorite photos hanging on my wall.
This year...I have discovered a swamp (I think I have mentioned before) that I have a legitimate chance of taking a 8+ pound bass which is very good for Ohio. I say an 8lb largemouth with a gaines popper.
I'm not going to be so aloof as to wish for a world record but I'd like to be considered for a state record crappie (possible) or small mouth (very possible).
I've been fishing Reindeer Lake for the past 7 years and fishing it lots in the past 2 and have caught lots of good sized pike but I still have my dream of a 50". i know they are there and dont plan on stopping till i get it.
Who am I kidding even after I catch one I will keep trying for more.
Post a Comment