Thread: Back to Basics

Excellant story Dog,

it is so true - so true

Those days we really didn't have a care in world, life was moving at a slower pace,
our monies were scare.

Today the Bass (Glitter) boat, Big O, multi big name outfits, that in a lot cases
owner is indebt beyond belief. The worldly pace has excellated beyond thought,
almost everything we do is on a "power mode" move.

You think back - if only we could return to those fun quiet times on the water,
stop the fast track. Remember the old 10 ft Sears Eljin alumn boat - made more
noise moving around in it - probably scared fish within 1/4 mi. Sculling paddle,
3 1/2 horse Sears Neptune - and away we went. Life jackets, safety equipment
took too much room. Thermos of kool aid - coffee, peanut butter & jelly sandwich
Worms that we had dug - and or mnnows that we scened out of creek.
Sometimes we caught bluegill - carp - suckers - mud fish (dog fish) cats -
bass and if you were in rivers in Northern Indiana -Illinois -Michigan - Walleye &
Northern Pike were the game.

Closest thing to today's world that i have found that will help a person get back to
relaxing, quiet thinking, ever so nice fishing time is NIGHT FISHING................

Get a friend and try - always fish min. of 2 at night...........IT IS A DIFFERENT WORLD AT NIGHT

It will take a body's mind off the everyday fast pace -hurry, hurry, rush etc.

Don't have to go completly back to
the old Coleman gas lanterns hanging over side of boat off steel posts bent to
fit oar locks,
Minnow tank over side in water to keep minows fresh
Two heavy anchors over what you might think is best place to find them at
night. After 2 hrs of nothing - than try moving around in the dark

Good the have that wonderful new invention - depth finder - sonar - down image -
side image .....
Gasoline 4 stoke Generator - 2 -3 overhead lights,
4 -6 lower electric water level lights - 12 -18 rods in water - than only the
sounds of night - generator to distrack your enjoyment.

You think back - if only we could return to those fun quiet times on the water,
stop the fast track

You can! Just slow down and relax. Thats what I did not like about fishing tournaments. Gave the feeling of I must catch fish, and fish in conditions I normally would not. Cant relax and enjoy the day. I know some enjoy it but I didn't. I enjoy trolling and catching a pile of fish, but times I need to single pole and enjoy the views of the river, or even go to the beach and relax while surf fishing. I spend to much time through the week in hurry mode at work to rush through a fishing trip. And sorry but that pic of your set up night fishing looks anything but peaceful. Looks like a Chinese fire drill. Coleman lanterns are a soothing sound compared to a generator and with all the 12volt under water lights and blacklights I would do without.And dragging a Gheenoe out loaded with a tourney set is a far cry from sculling a boat.

As a kid my older brothers and my Dad had a wooden run-a-bout 14' boat with a wooden deck you could stand on. For a few years my parents would vacation for a week at Howey Boat Basin on Little Lake Harris. My Dad, God rest his soul, would sit in the back of that heavy boat and scull me around the edge of the grass better than a electric trolling motor. Rarely fished himself cause he knew I didn't know how to do what he was doing. I remember once he was fishing with a spincast rig with one of those rubber red worms with two hooks and a spinner prerigged. He actually caught about a four pound Bass on that thing. But alas days gone by forever.

As I read the posts of everyone's memories and ideas of enjoyable times and times gone by I'm thinking that this is an unintended by-product of my post. I can think of nothing more enjoyable than to fish as some of you have described. I have done many things in my life for enjoyment, but I have always returned to fishing. The act itself as a one on one thing completely removes a person from everything around them. The silence and solitude when alone in a beautiful, quiet place is something that I am at a loss to explain to those who have never been to such a place. Words just don't get it across. As I drove over the highways over the past many years I had memories like these to keep me company, and the knowledge that another would await on the next trip whenever I got home. I'm glad that we all share these among each other, and thanks for sharing them with me.

Mike: I agree 100% with a lot of what your saying - and at times i wish i could come
down to that slow of a mode.
I grew up in Transportation Industry in fifties, First if was Teamsters Union you had
to be able to stand up to. As transportation evolved from Union controlled trucking to
the Non Union/owner-operator - My way of life also had change - went from a
management style work, at various levels -had 4 companies go bankrupt out from
under me. lost 3 times the monies that had been put into retirement funds.Thank God
Laws have since changed - no longer can a Carrier file bankrupty and steal all.
Started my own brokerage operation - made own sales calls, handled own cash
receiveable / payables, and every piece of work from small Mom/Pop factory to
Genl Mtrs/Ford & Chrysler, Johnson Controls & Exide Battery because my accounts.
Hired my own owner/operators - built it to 55 own truck operation - with 1150 trucks
under my contract - Lost 1 marriage, put 3 girls through college .
Learned how to live on ragged edge -every move -was 1,000 % instant decision..
Had to be made NOW, DECISIONS NOW, not 5 min from now. This was extremely
stressful, hence, since i retired - to you i am still running 500 mph, to me, i am almost stopped, and truthfully Mike, i hope to be able to come down much much more to you style, if not slower.

Referencing the Transportation business - the 50 yrs i was in it - probably should
have writtin couple books - Met some big names - good & bad - Lost some good
sizeable accounts worth millions - contracted some accounts just the opposite.

Thanks for allowing me to soap box guys....

One word! Valium hell i get wore out and gasping for breath just readin some of these.

Since - the triple-bypass that i didn't know i needed until wanted doctor to operate on spine - but first had to have heart doctor and medical doctor clearance.
Yee -ha what a wild trip this has been past 6 months.
I am now taking these just to get out of bed and move: These are golden years
Namanda (memory pill) Gabapetin (3 time day pain in legs)
Plavix - (blood thinner) Metroprolol-tart (keeps heart beating in time)
Effexor-xr (Keeps my urge to pound crap out someone) Wife says suppose
defuse my short fuse
Last but not least - Hydrocodone - 325ml (replaced Valium) twice a day sometimes 3 as needed.
for Hip - Calf - ankle... What a druggy - could take on charging bull with no feeling.
PLus am on 2nd Pain Killing Shot in 45 days. Once they have been able to
isloate the correct nerve endings that are cauing me the unbeliebale pain in
leg-hip (butt to wife) - they are going to kill them with laser.
Have meeting 20th with Artery man - set surgery for installing artery by-passes
in leggs so as i may walk better - be less winded - tired etc.
Half these drugs - keep you a wake at night - wide eyed & have no idea what happened to bushy tail. Most will make you dizzy (more than used to be) Light headed (didn't know that - thought it was Corona) Memory problems ( now know
what name & address tag on shirt if for) Have found that if have tiny scratch
on body - bleed like stuck pig..(keep bandaids close at hand)
Cannot work boat with same confidence as 6 months ago, need a person on board
with me all times. (safety precaution - balance is somewhat problem )
Blurred vision - another side effects of one of those pills somewhere in there -
this is true - also you think you are going through a ladies menopause - hot sweats,
cold chills - in/out almost time .........night - day.

Becomming more of a motor mouth each day.......write - write & write - about what,
I don't know - who cares - who wants to listen - duh i don't know - let me get back
to you on that one

Harold, I gotta tell ya. Everyone says that I have a way with words but you smoked me on that one. Not laughing at you but with you. The only difference 'tween you and me is I haven't gotten there yet. I know my time is coming. That's why I do everything I can. As independent a person as I am when it comes time that I'm not able to do stuff I love any more I'll be insufferable and will be crying for the wife to put me out of my misery. I've been broken enough times that I know what you're going through and sympathize with you. You're way ahead of where I was as you can see the irony of things. God Bless You Sir, you have been through it.