You Say You Want a Resolution?

I’m not much of a New Year’s resolution maker (or keeper); I tend to make an on-going series of small behavioral choices in accordance with my principles and wants along the way.  Overall, this strategy has gotten me to a pretty comfortable place in life, albeit as an overweight, middle-aged guy with a pretty thin bank account and some room for personal improvement.  So I can (probably) rightly claim “overall success” in how I’ve conducted myself, but (definitely) not “perfection”. 

Recognizing this in this fresh New Year, as a matter of positive mental exercise, I recently made a list (of unspecified length) of Fishing Things I Want to do This Year.  At first I was reluctant to do so, since what I really want involves warm, tropical flat seas, sailfish, tuna and mahi, and appropriately matched, high quality gear.  Knowing that prospects for this in 2013 are slim, I thought thinking about the list would be a frustrating and unproductive endeavor.  But when I constrained my mind-set to realistic boundaries (geographic, economic, and ecologic), I realized quickly that I could still look forward to a bunch of fun.  My list thence came together quickly.

It’s approaching mid-January in West Michigan, and our ice has already come and gone.   It may or may not come back.  The boats are put away in storage, and it may or may not be wise to get them out.  Winter might be over.  Winter could last another two and a half months.  My current outdoor prospects are in-between.  Each viable fishing idea is compromised by some combination of convenience, safety, legality, access, wind and weather.  There’s no clear-cut way for me to take advantage of current conditions.

Oh well, I can turn to my list.  I can recall some previously documented desires, and I can celebrate the resolution(s) I’ve achieved.  I’m off to a pretty slow start so far in 2013, but I have “ice fished somewhere other than Reeds Lake.”  It has, after all, been years since I’ve attempted to ice fish anything other than my home waters.  While I didn’t take a legal fish in the 9+ hours I recently spent ice-fishing on local McEwen Lake, I did enjoy 17 or so fish flags; and I approached each one with the anticipation that I was about to be connected with my next fish of dreams.  This lake offered the first (and in my opinion, only) locally safe ice conditions.  Most of McEwen’s patrons seem to prefer pan-fishing, and so the real predators were (at least in theory) left for me.  Finally, this lake is largely undeveloped, and in the quiet conditions in which I fished, the lake offered a peaceful, restive setting in which I could await the next strike.

First flag of 2013!  Lots of action, but no keepers this day.

Watching for flags from a peaceful vantage point.

I also accepted a “job offer from a major outdoor goods supplier” this week.  Throughout the application process, the interview, and my acceptance, they made me feel really good about myself, my attitude and my talents.  I should start next month.  This will be a new experience, approached for fun and growth, in addition to whatever else I’ve got going at the moment.  I’m open to good new experiences, and I’m not beholden to the situation, so I shouldn’t be exposing myself to anything too bad.  And if I can’t fish, I might as well engage in fishing-related work, right?

While I think I’ll keep my specific list close to my chest, I’ll continue to periodically report on any progress, because I love fishing.  And that means Anticipate!  Participate! and Elaborate!