Winter Thoughts

Winter forces fishermen into downtime between storms and blown out rivers. So how do fishermen pass the time between outings? They think about being on the water while tinkering with rods and reels. I don’t know about you but my mind does not work in a straight line. In fact, I think it needs its own GPS. Somehow an ADD diagnosis was missed. Here are some recent thoughts.

When a steelhead hits a spawn sac do they want the eggs or the netting?

Almost time to purchase a 2017 license. Can’t believe there aren’t more people fishing. Ohio’s fee is $19.00. No better value exists.

I’d pay more if the Ohio Department of Natural Resources used the money wisely.

I remember summer trips to Canada in the 60’s to fish. There were no electronics on the boats. You had to learn the lake to find the fish. My father and I would troll until we found some fish. Then we tried to remember the spot by looking at the shoreline to pick out a landmark. It made us better fishermen. Now there’s a whole generation of fishermen who just look at a screen to find the fish. I think they are missing out on an important part of fishing. That’s why I like to wade and fish rivers. You have to work to find the fish. Seems more satisfying.

Fishing shows on cable are not realistic. They always catch fish. I guess it would make for bad viewing if they didn’t catch anything, but it would be more realistic. I don’t know of anyone who catches fish every time out. Getting skunked is part of fishing.

It would be great to experience the Cleveland area when it was first settled. Imagine the fish in the lakes and rivers. I’d go back in time if I could take my rods and reels……and a bathroom. Got to have a bathroom.

Pound for pound, a smallmouth bass fights harder than a steelhead.

 I'll take the fight this Rocky River smallie put up over a steelhead any day.

You would think water is the same no matter what river you’re on, but the Grand smell is different than the Chagrin, which smells different than the Rocky. Smell your net and you’ll see what I mean. Maybe that different smell is what locks the steelhead in finding its stocking river.

This country has worked too long and hard to clean up the lakes, rivers, and streams. It would not be progress to eliminate protections in place. Do you really think businesses would have stopped polluting the Cuyahoga had the government not gotten involved?


Go out and fool a fish!