Cell Phone Separation Anxiety

It has been a while since this thirsty fisherman has done any writing. That’s because this thirsty fisherman has been too busy to get into any trouble. Thankfully tonight changed that. I finally got a free night where the weather wasn’t too hot, too windy, or raining.

As soon as I got home from work I changed my clothes, grabbed my gear, and hopped into my old truck. Halfway to my favorite fishin’ hole I realized I forgot my phone. A wave of panic fell over me.

“What am I going to do without my phone?” I thought to myself.

Then I remembered… I am going fishing! Fishing is what I do to get away from the world, and the last thing I want is a phone buzzing in my pocket.

In this world we live in we think we need to be connected 24 hours a day, 7 days a week… but what is it that we are connecting to? The world isn’t going to end if I miss an hour’s worth of Facebook updates.

I say that as if I can actually check Facebook on my phone. I can’t because I happen to prefer vintage cell phones… but that is beside the point.

If someone calls and it is important, they will leave a message. If it wasn’t important… well then I am probably better off having missed the call.

Yes, a phone would be nice for the day my rusty old 4x4 doesn’t start… when I am in the middle of nowhere with a stringer full of ‘gills. But then again, the walk could do me some good… especially the way I got so excited about my new pants with elastic in the waist.

So I offer you this challenge: next time you head outdoors leave your phone behind… you just might find you enjoy the connection to world around you.

Don't Let Small Waters Stunt Your Growth

I just got back from one of my favorite fishin’ holes: a 1 acre farm pond a few miles down the road from my place. It’s a great place to fish because not many people know of it and there is almost no fishing pressure. There is nothing I like better than to sneak away and enjoy the silence of pursuing largemouth bass on a Sunday evening.

This body of water isn’t what it used to be though… At one time there were lots of bluegills to keep the bass population in balance. These fish are no longer present and the bass population has exploded. Weather has also been a factor: we have had a couple of hot and dry summers followed by one of the longest and coldest winters I can remember. All of these factors have been detrimental to the health of the fish.

In its heyday it was common to catch several keeper-size fish in an afternoon, some of which were very respectable. The lack of proper management has made these fish a thing of the past. Lately I have caught mostly fish of mediocre size which often appear stressed. There simply isn’t enough room in this pond for the bass to grow the way they should.

If you took a fish from my favorite pond and put it into a 43,000 acre lake it could very well grow to be the fish that is talked about for generations. Take Table Rock Lake for example… This lake is legendary for fish that are worthy of residing in Texas. Large fisheries like these are monitored by biologists and maintained by fishermen to keep fish populations in check.

It is amazing how much we can learn about our own lives by looking to nature… This same phenomenon happens with people. When constricted we are not able to reach our full potential, but when given room to grow and proper guidance it is amazing what can be achieved. So get out there and use what you learned in the farm pond to get you out in the big water!

You Ain’t No Cowboy If ‘An You Ain’t Got No Horse!

Today’s post really has nothing to do with fishing… It’s just one of the many funny stories from my not-so-distant shady past when I moonlighted as a farmhand. Actually, to be more accurate I was the assistant to the farmhand.  In other words, I was the one who got stuck doing the jobs nobody else would do...


Most of my duties on the farm centered on the heard of almost-purebred Angus and Heinz 57 variety steers. Over several years I became quite accomplished at calling cows in for their morning feed and fixin’ fences.


Of all my adventures, moving the herd from one wooded “pasture” to another was the most eventful!  My job was always to bring up the rear, keeping the herd together and moving along.  I was also the one keeping an eye on the misfits of the group, and there was always at least one… a blind calf, a bull that injured himself in the line of duty, or a cow with an infected foot.

I would like to say that my stint on the “ranch” qualifies me as a cowboy. All of this wranglin’ would have been much easier with a horse and a lasso. Sadly, that wasn’t the case.  On countless occasions I stumbled for miles through thorn bushes, ‘cross creeks, up and down hills… all on foot!


At the end of one drive, after counting the cows about ten times (because counting 80 head of black cattle is like counting 80 identical marbles that never stop moving) we discovered one calf was missing.  So back to the woods we went…


Fortunately, it didn’t take too long to find the poor little thing that got lost in the timber.  This little feller had been badly injured and was pretty scared.  Catching an animal that doesn’t want to be caught is not an easy task and it eventually came down to us cornering it in a particularly nasty patch of multiflora rose.


Finally my associate tackled the calf and exclaimed, “Damn, I wish we had a rope.”  Then he looks up at me and says, “Take off your belt… we’ll use that!” Farmers are resourceful people who will use just about anything that will get the job done and this was no exception.

So here I was leading this wounded calf with my belt in one hand and the other holding my pants up.  After the longest half-mile ever I have ever walked we got him back to the barn.  The vet took care of him and he ended up being just fine, the only reminder of his injuries was a patch on his hind end that didn’t have any hair. For the rest of the season he was known as Patch.


Sure it would have been nice to have horse, and believe me I pleaded with the boss for an equine assistant many times.  We didn’t have a rope either, so we just used my belt and made it work.  So it is in life, sometimes ya just have to find a way to make do with what ya got…

Quit Worrying About the One That Got Away

All of my fellow thirsty fishermen out there know the story well… You’re sittin’ on the bank, just about to doze off, or maybe you’re in a heated argument with your fellow fishermen about which is better: stink bait or livers. Then all of a sudden the tip of your rod starts violently jerking towards the water, resembling an angry goose pecking into the air.

The fight is on and your heart starts pumping! There is nothing more exhilarating than gettin’ a big ‘un on the line. Playing and landing a fish is a fine art, unless you are a bass fisherman with 100 pound braided line, powered wench, and a telephone pole for a rod. (I can say this because I am a closet bass fisherman!)

You do your best not to reel too hard, which will surely cause this whale to snap your line. Yet you are dying to see what your next wall mount will look like. It’s a fine balance and patience is definitely a virtue well used in these types of situations.

All of a sudden there is a “snap” and a frayed end of line comes sailing back to you in the wind, settling around your hat like a halo. “Well, shucks!” you say. What could have been a state record, or at least a year’s worth of bragging rights with the boys down at the coffee shop, is now gone.

This happens often and it is easy for us anglers to immortalize that fish, creating stories of legend. One must be careful, as this thinking can be unproductive and even detrimental to your success… Yes there are lessons to be learned, but that fish isn't worth obsessing over. The important thing is that you were out fishing. So now the only thing to do is get back out there, get your line on that water, forget about the one that got away, and go catch the next big one!

What Does It Mean To Be Thirsty?

I thought to myself the other day, “What does it mean to be a thirsty fisherman?”  Well, let me give you some background on how it started.  At work I write a blog and one of my posts was describing an experiment using ice and our insulation product. This experiment left me with a 2.5 gallon bucket that was essentially a cooler which happened to be perfect for holding my favorite bottles of beer on my tiny tin boat.

I spent father’s day out on the lake with my bucket full of Leinenkugel’s.  I took some pics and wrote a post under the persona of The Thirsty Fisherman.  “Thirsty” started off as a coy way of suggesting I was longing to be happily under the influence.  I loved writing in this suggestive and humorous voice, however it was not well suited for selling insulation products.

That is why I conceived of this blog you are currently reading.  I wanted a place, a platform, a venue if you will to make witty observations about fishing and life.

Why am I a Thirsty Fisherman?

Life is not possible without water.  We need water to survive and our bodies tell us when we need more.  Without thirst we would not know when we need to replenish our systems with much needed moisture.

Fishing makes me very thirsty, so it is important to stay hydrated by drinking water when out on the water in the sun. Of course it doesn’t hurt to have a few barley waters now and then.

Many times it isn’t just our bodies that need replenishment, our souls need to be fueled as well.    When I am fishing I enter a frame of mind in which there is no time and space and the worries of everyday life disappear.  This is exactly what my spirit needs to rest and recharge.

I love fishing because it doesn’t matter if I am good or bad at it and nobody cares whether I do it or not.  For me there are absolutely no strings attached.  I do it for the pure joy of doing it regardless of the outcome.  How many things in life can we say that about?

I admit I am always thirsty for a good brew, but what I am really after is that moment of peace when angler and nature merge into one and time stands still.  This is what replenishes my soul, this... is what I thirst for.

Ignoring the Experts Can Catch You More Fish!

Last night I ran into a fishing acquaintance and we got to talking, as fishermen do.  We fish the same river and we were comparing notes.  This river is great because you can catch channel catfish, flathead catfish, carp, freshwater drum, northern pike, smallmouth bass, and walleye.

Its backwater lakes also have crappie, largemouth bass and bullheads in addition to the other species.  You just never know what you might get.

Of these fish the walleye has the reputation of being the most finicky, dare I say smart.  They also happen to be the best tasting by far of them all.  Many of my fishing mentors in the area spend a great deal of time in pursuit of the walleye.

I was telling my friend that my son and I usually get up around 5:00 am to go fishing.

“Why on earth do you go fishing at 5:00 am?”  He asked.

People, as well as books, tell me that walleye don’t like bright light and that the best time to fish for them is early or late in the day.

“I catch most of my fish between noon and 2:00.” he said,

“Are you crazy?” I asked

“It’s a great time to fish because nobody expects it to be.  Don’t listen to the people that say walleye won’t bite when it’s sunny.  Just get out there and fish."

Although it seems fairly obvious and simple, this advice seemed extremely profound.  Possibly the best fishing advice I have ever heard.

Everybody has their idea on how fish should be caught.  There are volumes and volumes of books out there on catching every imaginable species of fish.  Trust me, I have read many of them.  They are all full of great information and techniques that will most likely make you a better fisherman.

The problem is that fish are unpredictable and they don’t always do what we think they should do.  I don’t know how many times I have heard guys say, “Aw man, there should have been a fish there.” After casting to the “perfect” spot.  

If you limit yourself by others’ experiences you might miss out on an extraordinary day of fishing.  You can set yourself apart from the competition by thinking outside the box.  Do something unexpected and you might just catch one to hang on the wall.  You might not catch anything at all, but you never know until you try.

Go fishing whenever the mood strikes even if it contradicts what the “experts” tell you. Sure you may not catch anything, but you just might find that they are on a feeding frenzy and you get your limit in no time at all.

So what are you waiting for? Get out there and fish!

Confessions of a Fidgety Fisherman.

This weekend I was on the river fishing for channel cats, which is something that I don’t do very often.  I am rather fidgety, I like to be doing something at all times.  Had I been a kid in school these days I most certainly would have been on some sort of meds to calm my mind and body down.  This is why I am not a very good bait fisherman.  It just isn’t in my nature to sit and wait. 

Bass fishing really fits me well because bass fisherman are very busy.  Cast and reel, cast and reel.  Change the lure then cast and reel.  Change the lure again and cast and reel.  There are times when the bass fisherman is looking for an immediate reaction from the fish and if it doesn’t happen the goal is to get that lure back to the boat as fast as possible. 

I don’t catch a lot of bass, but I am an excellent bass fisherman.  I love to fly fish as well, but that level of craziness is a story for another time. 

So you can imagine what I am like when I am fishing with bait.  One pole would certainly not be enough, and if I could legally have more than two I would.  This gives me the chance to fiddle with something and always have one line in the water. 

Here’s the problem: the hits ALWAYS come on the rod that is not in my hands.  To make it worse they always happen when my hands are covered in slippery, slimy stink bait.  If I am not re-tying, searching for the last worm, then it happens while I am taking a sip of my favorite beverage. 

Every once in a while I get a big one on and I have almost lost a few rods to fish.  One particular occasion I literally dove from the front of my boat to the back just in time to save one.  It’s a good thing I have a tiny boat, or I would have had one less rod in my collection. 

Back to my current story… Of the two fish I caught, one was a small but feisty carp that picked up the worm and stayed motionless.  I didn’t even know I had one on until I picked up that rod to fidget with it.  I routinely do this to make sure the bait is still there or that the current hasn’t washed off all of the stink bait. 

I could have brought home a feast of fish if I had hooked up with only half of the fish that tugged my line in the hours I was on the water.  That is assuming they were good sized fish, which they probably were but I am going to justify my losses to the fact that they were little fish just “pecking” at the bait. 

There is a lesson to be learned here…

That lesson is that if you are focused on too many things you might be missing out on something.  What is true in fishing is also true in life: spread yourself too thin and you might miss a wonderful opportunity.  I think we all could benefit from thinning things down a bit.  So next time I go out, I will only take two rods instead of six. J