Adapting

Well, I’m going to talk about the dreaded elbow and fishing. The picture above isn’t one of my honey holes, well maybe it is but the location is top-secret, but since you are a loyal follower to my blog, I’ll tell ya it is located (computer error, please verify) so there ya have it don’t tell me I never told ya where a honey hole is at.

My recovery on the surgery is slow, alot of sitting around. Thank God for Twitter, Facebook and the Detroit Tigers. We did go to the drive in movies a couple of times but most of the time I am in the house. Sitting around means thinking. Thinking means it usually gets me in trouble or come up with some good ideas. This time I did both.

I hear alot of people wishing me well with my recovery and say to enjoy my time off work. One problem there, my time when I’m not at work I’m usually doing something outside being physical, with a bad elbow, can’t be physical. My truck is a stick, even to drive is a chore to do, So I stay inside ALOT.

Summertime in my household means fishing, sun and bbqing and alot of them. My wife is very passionate fisherwoman, she will go from morning to-night, and will but her skills up against anyone.

That me explain something, I am left-handed which means I reel with my right hand, the one that I just got done with surgery. I tried to go out once and was sore for 3 days. So I guessed I was going to have to wait until I heal up. I want to get back to work and start shooting my bow again, I really miss that!

My wife told me Friday WE were going fishing. I knew she was planing on going out with my long time friend Sunday evening. I told her to have fun, she said I need to figure out a way to fish, because I was going.

Challenge accepted.

When she left for work I took out a pole and looked at it, how could I do this? Randy before my surgery said he seen a guy fish with one arm, he used his teeth, well that isn’t going to happen but I know I could figure out something. The drummer from Def Leppard can do it I can come up with something. 

I took my favorite Abu Garcia Ultra light Cardinal out with the 5 foot ugly stick, I think I have just as many poles as a golfer has clubs. My logic here was the lighter the pole the less of stress on my elbow, attached a practice plug and set up a 5 gallon bucket out in the yard about 15 yards to aim at.

I started with changing my set up to be right-handed, that was fine and dandy but my accuracy was as good as most of my friends golf game, but worse. I tried flipping, doing it underhand reverse casting everything, no dice.

I didn’t have a problem casting, that didn’t bother me it was the reeling in part. I thought of the my childhood and the story of the little engine that could…THAT”S IT!!!!

I switched back to my left-handed set up.

I tossed my practice plug out into the yard, The plug went right the bucket, then I locked my elbow at a 90 degree or like a three o clock  position and started reeling with my shoulder, not using my wrist or elbow…it worked!

I know, I’m not going to lie, it is going looked funny. I looked like one of those people at a wedding when locomotion came on at a wedding reception, only I had a pole in my hand stationary and their was no music playing, didn’t care pain-free and fishing equals a happy Matt.

Sunday came and I was ready, excited to get out on the water, to get out of the house, to be in nature. We came to our honey hole, they have been catching decent fish but nothing really of size, my wife caught a nice 18 inch fish, but she has been out 5 or 6 times. I expected better.

We arrived and got our equipment, got the boat ready and started to walk toward the boat, “Hey, we forgot the motor and battery” I said “I’m just going to row” OK, I thought, I’m not going to do it.

I was the 1st to get in the boat I started to walk on it and it slipped, reflexes kicked in and I extended my elbow, yeah it hurt. It started to hurt. I went in the front of the boat and sat, I guess I was going to be a spectator.

A half hour went by and my pain started to subside. I grab my gear and started to get ready. I casted to the lily pads.

Bam!

1st cast, I had a hit. reeled in a small bucketmouth around 9 inches, still pretty cool 1 cast one 1 fish. I quickly released him and set up my equipment for the next one.

I had around 1/2 dozen small guys hit my line. I was having fun.

Then it happened.

The heat was leaving and the calm on the water was amazing, the sun was setting on a beautiful day on the lake.

I throw my lure in between a drop off and the lily pads and let the worm settle to the bottom.

It didn’t get that far.

I felt a jerk, a big one. the line tightened the drag started to sing. One of my favorite sounds to hear, I have a keeper!

I quickly tightened the drag, and starting reeling. I heard clapping in my head…

“Everybody’s doin’ a brand new dance now (Come on baby do the loco-motion)”

I smiled…one, I know I look silly, but I’m not in pain.

I fought the bruiser and he surfaced, looks like around 17 or 18 inch bass, twice the size of the ones we were catching tonight.

I brought it closer to the boat and it hit me, I can’t land this!

“Hey Matt can ya put down your pole…you need to land him.”

“no problem” he said.

I positioned him next to him and he lifted him up, he was beautiful!

Then Matt I seen it in his eye gave me “the look”

It’s on!

I have been friends with Matt for a long time and he will not be out fished. Well he will try every trick in the book so he won’t, We sometimes stay out longer than we should in the mornings when the fish quit biting  because I caught bigger and more fish than him. I have learned over the years to let up when I am ready to go in so he feels satisfied….

Will Matt catch a bigger fish then me?

Should  Jimmy John’s or a pizza and have it delivered to the boat?

Find our next week! Same Matt Time….Same Matt Channel!

Drive Safe.