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[MERC]

I thought I was what I ate....not what I catch...unless I catch something from something I ate in which case whatever I ate, I caught therefore I am?    

Seriously though.  I guess when you think about it, the intent of fishing is to catch fish.  So, that tells me that catching a fish is important to this whole process.  But, as this is a process there are many facets to it and so many things that make up the total cumulative experience that we call fishing.  Many of you have mentioned most of them already and in fact the only one that was missed (as far as I'm concerned) is having a good cigar.  Not for everyone here, especially kids under 21, but one more element.  Or, for others it might be a can of beer (one can, not keg).  Pop a cold one, sit back and enjoy the scenery and make sure you take your can with you.   Whatever turns your crank.  But fishing is still a numbers game, like it or not.  We always want to know how many?  How much did it weigh?  How many hits did you have?  etc. etc.  Maybe that puts pressure on us to perform for others and for ourselves.  Just imagine this for a second.  Your buddy comes back from a fishing trip and the first thing you ask him/her, "How was the sunrise this morning?"  Or:  "Did you enjoy the sight of the ice forming on the tops of puddles, transluscent and shimmering as if behind the ice there lies another world?"   And if you never ask about how many and how much, maybe we can change the mindset of fisherfolk everywhere!  We could start a new revolution!  A world where fisherfolks don't post stats on numbers and weights of fish caught but instead of how many American warblers they managed to see during their time on the water! Or, we could just stick to how many fish did you catch today?  

Did you just call me a warbler??? I was a little uneasy about how you were staring at me at times...but PLeassseeeeee.............just for that...no upman for you..

Here's an oxymoron.  A sensitive American.  

  Gotta watch what you say folks, you can't go and p*ss of the chairman of the Board of Directors of the S. C & P. Club. 

[Big Steel]

Kinda like a pin club for guys who have in total between the three founding members used a pin for less than a full season in total?

Oh and X, how do you get .5 of a steelhead??  You caught a bow, not a steelhead.  They are 2 entirely different things!!

[TrophyHunter]

Personally I just like shooting BS and fishing.

  I can't believe you wanna shoot BS !!! he isn't that bad !! I know he is a pain but why would you wanna shoot him?

For me fishing for Steelhead is all about the cold weather , the ice the snow, the sun coming up over the mountains, watching the dippers mess around in the water, the Eagles in the trees.... hanging out with great friends, telling a few jokes , smoking a good cigar !!
if and when I do catch a Steelie it is a total bonus for me, I just love being away from the city, away from work ..... being able to say you shook hands with a few Steelies is always a good thing, of course the reason we are all there in the first place is so we can hook one of these ghosts, and I have to admit I can't wait to see XGolfman's face when he finally gets a Steelhead on his line !!!
TR

[Big Steel]

Well, perhaps X's moment will be on Sunday!!  We can only hope.

[MERC]

Kinda like a pin club for guys who have in total between the three founding members used a pin for less than a full season in total?

Oh and X, how do you get .5 of a steelhead??  You caught a bow, not a steelhead.  They are 2 entirely different things!!

Hmmm.  You must've missed my post about 4 current members and a 5th being considered.

Oh, by the way if he caught a bow which looks like this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Hun_bow.jpg

It is entirely different.  However, if you're thinking rainbow as in rainbow trout, you might want to reconsider your statement:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_trout#Subspecies

And to get back onto topic so this isn't a hijack...

Maybe for those who think numbers are really important or are into competition on the river are missing a huge part of the whole experience.  The quality versus quantity argument all over again.

[Big Steel]

No I didn't miss that post!!   Just having a little fun!!  I hope that both you and X get into one or more on Sunday!!

As for the Trout thing, if you want to get all technical, well then yeah!!   But I think you know what I was getting at!!   Just that when he does get a real steelhead, he won't even remember the little Bow, and like all of us, the joy of getting to shake hands with one, even landing one will be a totally different feeling than what you get with any other river fish.  To me steelheading is the pinnacle of the fishing season.  Sure I do the numbers thing, but that is just me, I am a stats guy, it is just the way I am.  But does that mean that I don't appreciate what we have when we just get out into nature, NO!!  I love just getting out there, why do you think I went out so many times, even without getting one for that extended stretch.  Had some great days that had some great surprises in them, a couple of which were watching Freak get his first, that was awesome.  Then there was when that Buck came charging up river at us, the got the heart going and resulted in a lot of good laughs and some fun memories about how big of pansies Freak and Myself were when we took of running like little screaming school girls!!   But nothing beats Ricks Derby day just yet, that was the day I frostbite my thumb, got to listen to Searun yelling from behind me when he crapped in his waders while taking the morning constitutional, I am still laughing at that right now.!!!!!   Then followed up that day by getting Skunked in the raffle!!  I still think something was up with that, I mean come on, was I like the only one not to win something.   Getting to socialize with a ton of great people, great food, a warm fire and watching Rick in his glory receiving his first place prize, thinkin "That BASTARD!!!" and smiling the whole time.  Was also really happy for him and impressed that he was able to pull that off, and how much support was out there for it.  Anyhow, now I am rambling, so......  I guess that what I am trying to say, is that it is more than just fishing to me.  I still like the numbers and keep a journal, but that is so I continue to learn and become a better fisherman, isn't that why we all go out though?  It is something we all love to do, and it isn't always about the fish,  there is so much more to it than just that.   DO we have bad days, I know I do.  Do I get a bit grumpy sometimes, yeah.  Frustrated, hell yeah.  But doesn't everyone?  Everyone I have ever fished with has.  But we keep going whenever we get the chance.  I guess there is more to it than just catching fish.

[Geff_t]

No I didn't miss that post!!   Just having a little fun!!  I hope that both you and X get into one or more on Sunday!!

As for the Trout thing, if you want to get all technical, well then yeah!!   But I think you know what I was getting at!!   Just that when he does get a real steelhead, he won't even remember the little Bow, and like all of us, the joy of getting to shake hands with one, even landing one will be a totally different feeling than what you get with any other river fish.  To me steelheading is the pinnacle of the fishing season.  Sure I do the numbers thing, but that is just me, I am a stats guy, it is just the way I am.  But does that mean that I don't appreciate what we have when we just get out into nature, NO!!  I love just getting out there, why do you think I went out so many times, even without getting one for that extended stretch.  Had some great days that had some great surprises in them, a couple of which were watching Freak get his first, that was awesome.  Then there was when that Buck came charging up river at us, the got the heart going and resulted in a lot of good laughs and some fun memories about how big of pansies Freak and Myself were when we took of running like little screaming school girls!!   But nothing beats Ricks Derby day just yet, that was the day I frostbite my thumb, got to listen to Searun yelling from behind me when he crapped in his waders while taking the morning constitutional, I am still laughing at that right now.!!!!!   Then followed up that day by getting Skunked in the raffle!!  I still think something was up with that, I mean come on, was I like the only one not to win something.   Getting to socialize with a ton of great people, great food, a warm fire and watching Rick in his glory receiving his first place prize, thinkin "That BASTARD!!!" and smiling the whole time.  Was also really happy for him and impressed that he was able to pull that off, and how much support was out there for it.  Anyhow, now I am rambling, so......  I guess that what I am trying to say, is that it is more than just fishing to me.  I still like the numbers and keep a journal, but that is so I continue to learn and become a better fisherman, isn't that why we all go out though?  It is something we all love to do, and it isn't always about the fish,  there is so much more to it than just that.   DO we have bad days, I know I do.  Do I get a bit grumpy sometimes, yeah.  Frustrated, hell yeah.  But doesn't everyone?  Everyone I have ever fished with has.  But we keep going whenever we get the chance.  I guess there is more to it than just catching fish.

Sorry BS but not everyone that you fish with gets frustrated. I know that I don't. And I definatly do not throw temper tantrems and throw my gear like some  .

[Big Steel]

Now I am calling bs on you!!  I have been out with you in a certain seasons when you have almost lost it!! You might not see it but we do so don't kid yourself!!

[bbronswyk2000]

Who knew this would be another pissing match 

I can honestly say that in all my years fishing I have never been tempted to throw my gear in the water. If someone is tempted to throw their gear in the water or has done so they have issues.

[Geff_t]

Now I am calling bs on you!!  I have been out with you in a certain seasons when you have almost lost it!! You might not see it but we do so don't kid yourself!!

Sorry must call BS on that. I did not have a sport phsycologist for over 8 years to loss it on a river. Fishing does not frustrate me you do .

[MERC]

Now I am calling bs on you!!  I have been out with you in a certain seasons when you have almost lost it!! You might not see it but we do so don't kid yourself!!

I notice you didn't deny it yourself!  

Anyways, like I also said earlier, fishing is about catching fish too.  I'm 0 fer 9 so far, so I do the math too.  But it'll be so sweeeeet when I land my first of the season.

[Big Steel]

How is this a pissing contest.  Everyone is just telling you what they like about fishing and why they do it.

Now I am calling bs on you!!  I have been out with you in a certain seasons when you have almost lost it!! You might not see it but we do so don't kid yourself!!

I notice you didn't deny it yourself!  

 

How could I deny it!!  Everyone knows I have a temper.  At least I know that I am alive. I wear my heart on my sleeve sometimes,  and get pissed off at some things.  Why would I just let it build up then explode, that wouldn't be healthy for anyone.   

[Xgolfman]

well I'm looking forward to sunday..I got a couple boxes in from the Dominican and that alone is worth the effort... Journals are a good thing, I keep one for fly fishing as it's so consuming on so many fronts...

I brought this subject up more from being out this week and starting on the lower river and it just wasn't that cool. Saw Marco's and that was as he hooked me up with my new pin..but you look around and it's like these unsmiling junkies desperate for a fish...everyone doing there best to get to the tailout and damn who ever else is there first...Merc had words with one a$$hole, then down river on a small seam, two OLD guys came up, looked at us and low holed us..So, like Ken (Derby77winner) said, "Don't buy that crap that there was any etiquette back  in the day either"

I also fished with a guy who does catch steelhead and I remembered him saying a bit ago..."It's more fun fishing the upper river and catching fewer fish, then putting up with the lower, you tend to also catch more wild fish and it's allot more enjoyable"....It's funny how guys think immediately your pointing the finger at someone or other...when I was just thinking what a great day I had Thursday even though I didn't catch anything.....

Oh and damnit it was a half a steelhead, it's adipose fin was clipped..More of a jack really...but your right BS it won't compare to the real deal...

[Athezone]

To me its all about getting out, being with friends enjoying the beauty of mother nature and of course if you catch one, the thrill of the little bit of lightning thats suddenly attached itself to your line. I think most of us have that love of the outdoors ingrained in our souls and
its that pull that continually tugs at us until we find, even in the worst, unforgiving conditions there we are, back again. Hell, I don't even like the taste of fish (can I say that on this board) but I sure do like everything about being there and catching them. Hey BB, played sports competitively from 3 to 18. I hope you did'nt stop at 18. I played football, rollerhockey, 18 plus years of softball and lots of this and that competitively up until I reached the ripe old age of 40. Have'nt played for the last ten but keep saying to myself I should . But I certainly can relate to that competitive feeling as I came from a family of fourteen, 7 boys, 5 girls.  You should of seen dinner time . For me, its always about savouring every, every moment.

[bbronswyk2000]

This is the reason that I wont be fishing the Vedder this weekend once again. I just found out today I will get some fishing time this weekend. I have the morning on Sunday to fish before the SuperBowl. No way you well catch me on the Vedder. I will be out catching cutthroat. I will not see a single person on the water I am fishing enjoying the scenery and watching these magnificant fish take my fly.