THE BIG ONE

After inland fishing for 30 years, I would love to try some ocean fishing.  With no experience with that type of fishing, or the fish that are in those waters, it will be an exhilarating experience to pull in a fish and wonder if I can touch it or not, whether it’s edible, and wonder how to clean it.

Growing up in the center of the United States has made it a bit difficult to make it to the big water.  My largest fish to date is a striper out of Lake Cumberland.  It wasn’t measured because I knew someday I would catch something bigger out of the ocean. 

There are inland places that I dream of fishing someday as well.  As a kid I used to read every fishing magazine I could get my hands on.  I loved to walleye fish and a lot of walleye articles covered Lake Erie.  I was smiles ear to ear the whole boat ride out the first time I went out on Lake Erie.  Just as I was every other time I have went out to fish for walleye on the lake.  Dad came up to visit one time.  That trip was especially memorable as we figured out the walleye and limited out early, outfishing the captain and first mate. 

Now that my Lake Erie dream has been realized it is time to start focusing on THE BIG ONE.  This dream has been bigger than Erie.  It has been bigger than the ocean.  It’s been in the works since I first heard about it.  I love wilderness and the further I get away from civilization the more I love it. 

THE BIG ONE is for my father, my sons and I to go on a fly in trip to a remote lake in Canada, one that can only be reached by air or a long, long…long walk.  My boys will have to be a little older to appreciate it. 

On this trip we will fish from morning until night trying for the largest muskellunge, northern pike, walleye, perch, bass, and trout that have never seen a hook.  We will take shore lunches and fry up the fish we caught to eat.  In the evenings we will start a fire outside the cabin and listen to the peacefulness of no vehicles, only nature at it’s finest.  We will look up at the stars that will be bright and numerous from less light pollution. 

Three generations of fisherman will be building memories together.  The boys having the fishing adventure of their lifetime.

It scares me to think that this trip might not ever happen.  This trip would be, ”THE BIG ONE”. 

This blog entry is my submission for the Red Tuna Shirt Club and Outdoor Blogger Network Writing Contest.