Saturday, October 31, 2009

I've Got the "Blues"

No, I am not sad. I just caught 16 (yes, sixteen) bluefish today out of a shared skiff with my pal from BJ's in Milford Harbor. This afternoon into and past dusk.

I cannot begin to emphasize how nice it is to spend time with someone in a boat who doesn't require much in terms of conversation. It seems to me that my life has been requiring a lot more of that lately - talking. I enjoy talking, albeit to the people with whom I enjoy conversing, but when given the opportunity for some solitude, I'll take that for a while.

Upon catching each of these fish, I felt the same rush of excited adrenaline. The excitement of doing something completely fun with a friend - like rushing around a city to catch a show or the excitement of sledding. It is amazing, each time, to have that same feeling. That tug, pull, and then ultimately, returning the fish to the sea.

I find that I am somewhat contemplative today. I had a lovely opportunity to spend a good part of the day doing something that I truly enjoy. But there are other areas of my life that I think about - my work, my family, my love of ...oh, I can't say everything on a blog. I just sense that the universe has something great in store for me.

We'll see how long these "blues" last. Word is that they last as long as you feed them.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

De"peche" Mood

These past days, I have longed for solace through casting a line on the open water in search of a strike, a pull, and the glorifying feeling of catching and releasing a scale-covered cronie. A few weeks ago, I was at a lake doing just that. "The fish are down deeper as the weather gets colder," the man says. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch a glimpse of an older man behind a tree, clad in fly-fishing gear. Yet another longing soul in search of this rush...to find that the surface of the water does not serve as the platform for displaying the tantalizing specimens so sought after by most fish.

In autumn, fishing is quite different than in other months throughout the year. The fish are typically more vivacious and lively, an uncommon occurrence in the middle of July when the temperature of the surface water is far more tepid. Perch prey and trout dine in the fall, whereas bass strike in the summer, striving north from their cooler, lower environs, often a far journey to the warm surfaces that cover their world.

The fall brings the crackle of leaves underfoot and the woodsy smell of fireplaces nearby. Lower, less-intensive light and colder water make wading a choice, not a mandate. Sweaters instead of short-sleeves. Spinning lures instead of poppers. Cotton and wool-clipped gloves rather than bare hands. Sunscreen on exposed areas rather than the entire body.

Autumnal fishing is truly a spiritual experience, as the light and warmth often comes from inside through the opportunity of experiencing the resulting gratitude of such an awakening joy. Appreciating nature, light, and the abundant glories of the fall can be yours, too, if you are in the mood.

As for me, I am newly intrigued with the notion of a strike, a pull, and the uncertainty of it all.