'Yak & Quack...

Two weekends ago I floated a local river here in Indiana, in an attempt to float hunt for ducks, in my Jackson Cuda 14.  Saturday a friend tagged along and he used my wife's Wilderness Systems Tarpon 120.  Saturday Scott and I flushed several wood ducks, but they were all out of shotgun range, and we ended the day with no ducks in the kayaks.  Nonetheless, it was a good day on the water and a lot of fun to spend some time with Scott.

Sunday after church, I asked my wife to drop me off so I could do a solo float hunt and she agreed (she's awesome).  The fall colors were gorgeous, I love my Cuda and I actually managed to shoot a wood duck that flushed too late for its own good and a hooded merganser (beautiful bird) that flew straight up river to me for an easy shot.

I can't say enough about how beautiful the river was this time of year.  Unlike last year, it seems as if our fall colors are hanging on longer and the yellow maple leaves that had fallen created a lovely carpet of yellow on the water's surface.  God is truly awesome.  Such a fantastic day to be on the  water.  Here's a few pics, although I didn't snap enough...

 Dragging the Cuda to the river...

 

 

Nice autumn float...

 

 

 

Scott in my wife's kayak (not exactly easy to sneak up on ducks in a bright green kayak)...

 



 

Checking out a side creek...

Hooded Merganser...

Great way to spend an autumn day...

My Favorite Veteran...

As I write, today is Veteran's Day...a day of honoring those who have served our country in the past, present and yes, the future.  Being a veteran myself, I feel this is the most important holiday in our country, not counting Christmas and Easter.  It's vital to our country's future to always remember our past and to be grateful to those who have protected our freedom, but I also feel that it is important to remember those behind the scenes who support our veterans while they serve.  Moms, dads, grandparents, wives, brothers, sisters, friends, etc of veterans are the support group that help our vets do what they do.  During times of war, these people serve in their own way and I am eternally grateful to have had the support I did during my years in the military.  So this post, this blog entry that I write today, is in honor of my favorite "veteran"...my mom.

No other person supported me more during my time in the military, especially during my deployment during Desert Storm, than my loving mother.  She went above and beyond when it came to encouraging me, worrying about me, praying for me, writing to me, sending care packages, etc.  Of the people in my flight, I don't think anyone received more mail than I did.  From letters to cards, from Halloween candy to Christmas decorations, my mom (and the rest of my family) really showed her support.  While I was stationed in a far away land serving my country, my mom was standing across the road from anti-war protesters with others and sticking up for what our military was doing in the Middle East.  She was tying yellow ribbons everywhere, sending me picture after picture of family gatherings that I missed so that I felt I was there, talking with other moms who had sons and daughters overseas, spending every free moment of her time writing me letters, praying for me and just making sure I felt her support and love from half a world away.

What I remember the most about how much she supported me is when I came home from Desert Storm.  When I walked off the plane onto the flight line, my family was there to greet me.  Hugs and kisses were in order, but when mom hugged me I remember she didn't let go.  She just kept a hold of me and we cried for the longest time, and I didn't want to let go of her either.  I can honestly say it was the best hug of my entire life.  I've never felt so much love in just one hug.  In that one instant, I could feel her love, her support, her admiration, her pride and also the worry she felt while I was gone.

Since that day many Veteran's Days have passed.  I hear a lot of people tell me thank you for my service every year and it fills me with great pride.  A few times, right on Veteran's Day, I've gotten an envelope from my mom in the mail.  I open it and this is what the letters always say...

"Dear Son,

 

                             I remember.

 

                                                      Love,

                                                               Mom"

 

 

I remember too Mom.  I'll never forget, and I will always be thankful for all you did during my time serving our country.  I couldn't have done it without you.  We served together and you will always be my favorite veteran.  I love you.



Slimage x 2...

Originally posted on my old blog, on August 5 of 2013...

My brother and I both purchased new kayaks this past Saturday from Wildcat Creek Outfitters in Zionsville, IN...he a Jackson Kilroy and me a Jackson Cuda 14.  My brother Josh is totally new to kayak fishing and we were both anxious to get our new rides on the water for some bass fishing.  So we planned a Sunday afternoon outing on Silver Lake here in northeast Indiana and my wife joined us in her Wilderness Systems Tarpon 120.  Please excuse some of these pics as they were taken with a cell phone and some didn't turn out as nice as I had hoped.

A little background quick, but as you might notice from the following pics, my brother and I are total opposites in just about every way.  We have very little in common, but when we do find something we can enjoy together, we have a great time.  I was probably even more excited than he was when he bought his Kilroy Saturday, as I'm really looking forward to all of our future fishing trips.

The weather was just about perfect for a day on the water, except for a slight wind.  We started out paddling to the entrance of a little channel that leads from the big lake into the small lake, and fished the mouth of the channel for a bit.  A pontoon boat came out of the channel and my brother figured he would try casting into their wake.  Sure enough, his reasoning paid off and he caught his first fish out of his new Kilroy...

We then paddled back into the smaller lake, trying to get out of the wind...

The fishing in the smaller lake isn't that great and sure enough, we didn't catch anything while back there.  I don't know if the fish were just moody or...most likely...recent strong storms had them messed up, but the fishing was super slow all day.  My wife even tried a bobber and worm, but to no avail...

I wanted to see how stable the my new Cuda was so I stood up to fish for a bit.  As usual, getting up and down is the tricky part but once standing I was fine...

After we had enough in the small lake, without so much as a bite, we headed to my favorite part of the bigger lake.  This gave us time to really paddle our new rides and it was enjoyable just being on the water...

Once at my favorite spot, it was time to fish "The Jungle"...

9 times out of 10 I can at least find a few bass that will explode through the moss by dragging a weightless Zoom Fluke across the heavy cover in this spot.  Not today.  Bass weren't even hitting.
As the day wore on without any bites, I knew it was time to head home.  Sure enough I got a text from my wife, who was across the cove, saying we probably needed to head home soon.  I was pretty bummed as I REALLY wanted to slime my new Cuda.

Just as I was preparing to put my rod away and pick up my paddle, a bass hit something on top of the moss right in front of my kayak.  I cast the weightless Zoom Fluke past the spot and slowly reeled in.  Sure enough, this little skinny fella took the bait and became my first fish out of the new Cuda 14...

I took the time to admire the fish for a little bit and then quickly released him back into the water.  With a smile on my face, I put the rod away and began paddling to meet up with my wife and brother.  My wife remained fishless all day and Josh hadn't caught anything else, but we had accomplished our goal of sliming the new kayaks.  We headed into the launch with smiles on our faces and are already planning the next trip...

About Time...

Originally posted on my old blog, on August 3 of 2013...

I fully realize it's been quite a while since I wrote a Fletcher update.  It seems like this summer is flying by and I'm unable to keep up.  I swear it was just yesterday that we brought Fletcher home as a little pup.  He's no longer a little pup, but no where near full grown yet either.

I guess if I were to put him in human terms, he's become a tall, gangly teenager.  Unlike my last Labrador retriever, who was more of a blocky build, Fletcher is thin and his legs seem too long for his body.  Like I said, a gangly teenager.  Nonetheless, he has that special way of being adorable even when he's in trouble, like all puppies.

 

 

 

 

Fletcher's health has been great and he hasn't had any issues at all.  His visits to the vet went well and I was quite proud of him.  He warms up to people quickly and, like most puppies, gets plenty of attention from strangers wherever we go.

 

 

Training is going nicely as well.  Fletcher seems to learn much quicker than I anticipated and his instinct to retrieve is strong.  He learned "sit" and "stay" within minutes, and he follows these commands better than most pups.  However when it comes to the command "here", well he's a little stubborn at times but we're addressing it and it won't be a problem much longer.  He's made a lot of progress and again, I'm really proud of him.

 

 

Fletch has rode in the kayak and been fishing with me a few times and...no surprise here since he is a Labrador...loves the water.  Just like in the truck, Fletcher tends to ride for a while and then get sleepy.  When he gets tired, he just walks over to me and crawls up in my lap for a nice snooze.  I don't how well that will go over when he's full grown and 85 pounds, but right now I enjoy it.  I hope he never outgrows that habit.

 

 



 

 

While I'm trying not to compare Fletcher to my last lab, Kody, I can't help but to do so.  Whereas Kody was a bit more timid as a pup, Fletcher is less so.  He charges into tall weeds/grass to hunt for anything I toss in there and on a few occasions has jumped right out of the kayak without hesitation to get in a quick swim before I scoop him back up.  This brave trait will be great when hunting, unless of course we come across a porcupine or skunk.  Things might tend to get interesting then.

 

 

Fletcher has become my best buddy.  And that's his most important role in my mind.  I needed to smell wet dog fur and have a black dog at my side again after losing Kody, and I am really looking forward to our first hunting season together.  Fall can't get here soon enough.

A Better Offer...

Originally posted on my old blog, on July 21 of 2013...

This past Thursday my longtime friend Kevin called to ask if my wife and I would be interested in joining him for a float trip on the nearby Eel River.  I was planning on mowing the yard this weekend, but Kev's offer sounded a lot better and I figured the grass would be there when I got back.  His plan was to fish for smallmouth bass, a fish that I have never really fished for and wanted to desperately catch from the kayak.  Kevin recently purchased a Jackson Kayak SUPerFISHal stand up paddle board and wanted to try it on a river trip.  I asked Ginger if she wanted to go and she was all for it, so plans were made to meet up Saturday afternoon.

We arrived at the launch site at about 1:30 p.m. and dropped off the kayaks, paddle board and gear.  Ginger stayed at the launch site while Kev and I went to drop off one of the vehicles at the take out location.  After driving back to the launch site and carrying all of our gear to the river's edge, it wasn't long before we were on the water below the dam and casting for smallmouth...

 

I maneuvered my kayak into a small area near the old mill where the current just kept slowly spinning me in tight circles.  It worked perfectly so I could take my time working the nearby rocks with a small, white buzz bait with my ultra light rod & reel.  On about the third or fourth cast, I caught my first smallmouth bass from a kayak...



 

We fished the area below the dam for a little bit before deciding to keep moving.  Our take out point was quite a ways down river and we had to keep moving if we wanted to get there before dark.  After paddling for a little while, we beached the boats to do some wading and fishing, with a quick nap thrown in...



 

My wife has had very little experience paddling on a river, so she opted to just float and enjoy the day instead of fishing as much as Kevin and I were.  She did fish a little bit, but didn't catch anything, and she was perfectly okay with that.  I was just glad she came along and was having a good time.  So many guys would rather not hang out with their wives, but I'm blessed to be married to my best friend and I do enjoy her company...

 

Kevin was catching a few fish from his SUP board.  I'm not sure how many fish he ended up catching throughout the day but I do know that he caught both some smallmouth bass and a few rock bass...

 

The section of the Eel River that we paddled not only provided some fun fishing, but it was also very scenic.  Kevin spotted three river otters and Ginger watched an eagle soar overhead.  An old iron bridge went over the river at one point and some old train trestles reminded us of days long gone...

 

 

The smallmouth bass kept biting just long enough to keep us entertained, although none of them were bigger than 10 inches long.  I ended the day catching nine smallmouth bass, two 5 inch carp, ten rock bass and one tiny bluegill that was paper thin but absolutely beautiful with more coloring than any bluegill I have ever seen before...

 



 



 

We arrived at the bridge marking our take out point shortly before 8 p.m.  It was a wonderful six hours on a beautiful little Indiana river and, although the big fish didn't cooperate, the fishing was fantastic.  We all agreed we'll do this float again sometime.  Right before paddling to shore so we could begin the chore of pulling the kayaks up the mud covered river bank, I made one more cast and brought the buzzbait up behind a little ripple.  Sure enough, the last fish of the day hit the lure and was soon in hand.  As I released him back into the river current, I couldn't help but feel really blessed to have witnessed some of God's many creations once again...

 



Sliming the Tarpon...

Originally posted on my old blog, on June 29 of 2013...

A few weeks ago, I ordered my wife a new Wilderness Systems Tarpon 120 from Hook 1.  The day it was delivered, I had it set up in the garage when she came home from work and surprised her with it.  We had been out once with it, but she didn't catch anything that day.  So we headed out again today to a nearby lake and were on the water shortly after the sun came up.  A nice fog added to the scenery this morning.

I promptly caught two 12 to 14 inch bass on a white, weightless Super Fluke, but those were the last bass I would catch the rest of the day.  Shortly thereafter, my wife finally hooked up with a bass of similar size and it became her first out of her new kayak...

We kept fishing but the bass didn't want to cooperate.  I threw all of my favorite lures, but to no avail.  This 18" bowfin, however, decided to snarf up the white Super Fluke...

After that, we paddled to the south end of the lake and tried an area where a friend said the bass were hitting pretty good earlier in the week.  My lovely bride kept throwing the purple worm that she had caught her first fish on and it worked for her again...

...and again, and again, and again...she just kept catching bass in the 12 to 14 inch range.  They loved that purple worm and she ended the morning with 7 bass to my 2.  She was really excited to have caught fish and I was super proud of her.  I hope she outfishes me every time we go.  It was definitely a great day on the water!

Puppy Dreams...

Originally posted on my old blog, on May 10 of 2013...

Fletcher's first week here at home is almost complete and I have to say, it's been quite an adjustment for everyone, but everyone is getting a long just fine.  This first week has been simply time for him to adjust to his surroundings, his new owners and our miniature daschund, Abby.  Fletcher enjoys playing with Abby quite a bit and for the most part Abby enjoys playing with him.  However, like most older dogs being chased non stop by a pup, she eventually tires of the game and jumps up on the couch where he can't reach...yet.

There has been very little training this first week other than a few basics.  Tossing a puppy bumper for him in order to encourage his retrieving instinct is a game that he and I both enjoy, and it will pay off as he grows older.  Here in the next couple of days we'll introduce the wing of a chukar or quail, in order to foster his love of hunting birds.  I've started gently working him on "sit", but am not pushing it too much at his young age.  We'll get more into "sit", "come" and other commands soon enough.  Like most puppies, he is a tireless chewing machine and we're also working to correct that.  When outside, he feels the need to chew on every dandelion, pinecone, rock and blade of grass that he can get his teeth on.  We are getting quite familiar with the inside of his mouth as we work to get over this issue.  He has adjusted to his crate just fine and already realizes that's his space.  He no longer whines when put in his crate for the night.  He is also adjusting to going outside to do his business rather well.  I can count the number of times I've had to clean up a mess inside the house on one hand.  My getting up in the middle of the night to let him outside shouldn't have to last too much longer before he'll be sleeping all night without any accidents.

Fletcher has many puppy habits that are tiring, but he also has many that are absolutely wonderful.  The way a puppy plays and explores his world is filled with an innocence and zest that I think most adults miss about their own childhood.  Of all his habits and traits, there is one that has become my favorite in the short week he's been here.  At times when I'm sitting in my recliner and Fletcher suddenly decides he needs a nap he will run over to my chair, put his front feet up on it and want me to pick him up in my lap like a young grandchild would.  Once up in my lap, he will curl up into a ball and within minutes he's snoring.  I think my lap is his favorite place to sleep thus far, and I have to admit, it's my favorite place for him to sleep as well.  When he's curled up dreaming dreams that only puppies can dream, I'll gently stroke his soft fur and talk softly to him of the adventures we'll have in the future.  I tell him of future duck blinds, grouse coverts, hunting camps, places we'll explore and of course I tell him stories of times spent with my last lab, Kody.  Oh, I know he doesn't hear me or probably even care, but it comforts this old man to think that maybe, just maybe, the reason his tail wags in his sleep is because he too looks forward to those future adventures and days afield.

God bless puppy breath.