Resolutions II

Resolutions II (on Thanksgiving Day)

Resolutions don’t mean much if you don’t check in on your progress every so often.  I’ve got a hint of a breather here between the boating season’s end and Black Friday, so I thought I’d review the list I’d prepared for myself with respect to this year’s fishing.  While I published some thoughts on this last January, I’ve also maintained a running list of ideas for experiences that I thought would enhance my season.  Here I think I’ll address some of my stated resolutions that I’ve successfully acted upon.

·       I resurrected an old rod.  My 6.5-foot Shimano Aero from about 1990 is a fine rod but is generally just a little too soft and slow for soft plastics and top-waters.  By switching from mono to Nanofil, this rod has become a staple for my bassing.  I’m a big fan of Nanofil.  It handles great on light spinning gear, casts long, and doesn’t stretch.  It seems to last forever, too, and its presence on my roster of spinning reels is expanding.

·       I successfully trolled over 3.5 mph.  Trolling is occassionally simply about covering water and finding fish.  Going faster means doing more of both, and sometimes speed kills.  I’m much more comfortable at faster trolling speeds (up to at least 4.5 mph) as now I’ve taken Great Lakes salmon and multiple muskies at these speeds.

·       I released a 5-pound bass.  I was especially pleased when I landed a tank of a bass on Reeds Lake on November 16, because then I did not have to rely on the previous “Palm Beach Release” of my largest ever Connecticut River bass.  At over 21 inches and undoubtedly over 6 pounds, fat and bug-eyed, she was the largest bass I’ve caught in years.  I was pleased to watch her swim back into the local depths after a little photo session and some recovery time in Numenon’s live-well.

Bucket-mouth!

The picture does no justice to this bass...

·       I netted a legal muskie.  Muskies received much of my attention this year, and the season would have been less meaningful without a legal muskie in the boat.  Fortunately, I got mine on July 12.  I had others to the boat and either chose not to net them or they slipped away while boatside.  This included the biggest one of the season, estimated at about 46 inches.  All this happened while I was alone, so I’ve still not netted one of these for somebody else, nor have I gotten pictures that do these fish justice.  But I’ll keep trying, and I’ve decided that these fish are definitely worth travelling for.  So maybe there will be some new scenery in the background of the picture with my first 50-incher.

Muskies in the 'hood!

Legal, netted, released.

·       I released a Master Angler fish.  Certainly each legal muskie qualifies for this, and that November bass might have too, although she was short for her weight.  There were many Master Angler salmon to be had this year, too, but somehow I missed that season; let’s hope for more of the same opportunity next year.

·       I caught a new species and so therefore captured a personal best.  Kind of.  I’d caught a few incidental, smaller muskies while bass fishing in the past, but now I’ve successfully targeted them.  And while that 46-incher was right there for the taking, I’ll consider my current personal best to be the netted, measured and documented 43-incher.  I should also remember the 37-inch striper I took on August 1, because that’s the biggest I’ve ever landed from shore.

This striper ate a fresh mackerel head, and I was lucky to land her.

·       I switched targeted species to save the day.  Switching from muskies to pike on November 16 turned a skunk into a show-worthy hound.  When I suddenly lost confidence in muskies, I took advantage of the remainder of the day by targeting pike.  It turned out that they were snapping, and I took a “season’s best” specimen among the five I landed that afternoon.

·       I pond-hopped on that same day.  I launched Numenon on multiple bodies of water on November 16 to maximize my effectiveness.  Drastically switching locations let me deal with fishing/weather conditions, and after a slow start, I had a nice window of activity including “season’s best” bass and pike, on the same lure and within about 100 yards.

This Rapala DT20 was hot for a couple of trips!

·       I used heads as bait.  The mackerel that were available to me from shore this season were generally too large to use as live bait, but it’s probably not a coincidence that my largest stripers of the year fell to fresh mackerel heads.  At the same time, sandworms and chunks just weren’t working.

·       I caught the end of pike season.  Just locally, but it was my best, most dependable piking of the year.  Other lakes beckon, but it’s often difficult to drive past Reeds Lake.

Weather like this can turn Reeds Lake into a private pond.

KS was ready for ice fishing, but had to settle for a trip on Numenon.

Likely the last open-water fish of the season, this 30-incher ate a Purpledescent Rapala TailDancer.

·       Ollie came fishing with me.  I try to be careful about when to take him.  It can’t be too long, hot, cold or sunny of a trip.  But he’s a good companion when he comes along, he enjoys it, and I have to remember to include him when it makes sense to do so.

·       I took a special trip with Marie.  When I first conceived this resolution, I was thinking of a fishing trip, but our quick, Labor-Day trip to Florida was fun, if not surreal.  She’s something really special, and I’m glad we shared this trip.  She deserved it, I provided it, but mostly I need to recognize just how unlikely a trip of this nature was to me.  And yet it was all good.

Lazy River snorkeling.

Walking around the Sea's Bottom, Hermit Crab in hand.

·       I shared time in my boat with loved ones and expressed my feelings to them.  In a literal thanksgiving, I recognize and thank each of you.   I hope you enjoyed your time with me. 

There are still plenty of ideas to act on, and I’ve left many unarticulated.   Fortunately, ice season approaches. 

End of Season Efforts

2013 has clearly been my Year of the Muskie.  Or more precisely, my Year of Muskie Pursuit (since my success rate has been pretty low.)  Regardless, I recognize my muskie fishing (addiction?) as a good thing in my life.  It has provided renewed motivation to my fishing efforts and I view it as a real gift from my new acquaintances.  I’ve encountered (and even caught) some beautiful, large Esox specimens, and certain experiences have been permanently etched into my psyche.  I simply like the equipment  involved in the pursuit, and I love taking on the new learning curve.  It’s a new-found, viable  local option for me, is the basis for a couple of new friendships, and has provided for some new, future aspirations. 

All of these are good things, and they came about because I love fishing.  Given just a bit of information, I was willing to challenge my previous assumptions that muskies weren’t a viable quarry around here, and I was open to trying some new techniques for myself.  I did what I knew and I had some initial success; that experience motivated me to keep trying!  Those continued efforts included an enthusiastic review of available literature, discussions with friends and co-workers, acquisition of appropriate tackle, and embracing the effort through some very lean times. 

All this was driven by Appreciative Inquiries’  Provocative Propositions, “What would it be like to catch one of these beasts locally, from my boat, with my tackle?” and “How awesome will I feel when I release her, knowing I finally got a good picture; and not just a picture, but a picture worthy of her beauty and freshwater might?”  These propositions symbolize a real shot for my envisioned success; of which I am still in pursuit.

First legal muskie in the boat!  But not the picture I'm looking for...

43 inches of muskie, released unharmed.

With West Michigan’s boating season coming to a close, my Year’s End Efforts were directed towards muskies.  My local muskie fishery was very generous in the early season, but it has been doubly stingy from late summer through the fall.  Only a single (although sizeable) muskie has been sighted in months, and there’ve been no hookups or catches.  But if the comfortable conditions of late summer and early fall weren’t productive, then surely the miserable conditions of November should offer more opportunity (?)  At least, that’s what I convinced myself into believing, and so I launched at dawn on Veterans’ Day for seven or eight hours of casting and trolling in the rain, snow and wind.   I still believed when I re-launched at dawn the following Saturday with 25 mph winds in my face.  But as lunch approached, fishless again, I watched several other boats leap-frogging unsuccessfully between muskie haunts.  I suddenly lost my faith.  For the first time, I didn’t believe I was going to catch my next muskie.  I had a choice; burn through the last few hours of boat fishing of this season on this lake, but without confidence; or hop over to another, more friendly lake to troll up a couple of pike.  “Wouldn’t it be nice to catch a fish?” became my adopted Provocative Proposition, and shortly thereafter Numenon was re-launched on the local lake of choice.

Although the biting pike had been suspended in deep water during my previous trip on this lake, I went fishless for quite a while as I plied these waters through several lure changes.  The clock on my season’s end was still ticking, and I was considerably relieved when a rod started bucking in the holder.  This bass had eaten a Rapala DT20 that was rooting bottom in 17 or 18 feet of water, and is this season’s largest bass at just over 21 inches and at least 6 pounds (as measured on my conservative Boga scale.) 

Largemouth Bass!  Finally, a fish in the boat...

Porker.  Pig.  Sow.  21 inches and over 6 pounds.

This lure was a recent introduction to my set, and had really turned around my previous trip on this lake. 

Rapala's DT20 has been hot the last couple of trips and took top honors for bass and pike in 2013!  Both in the same trip!

I was even more impressed when shortly thereafter and very nearby, the drag on this combo screamed out and I came tight to the season’s largest pike, a rotund 36-incher.

Not a muskie, but 36 inches of pike!  I don't often choose to use the net on these fish, but I wanted her in the boat!

Impressive jaw structure and teeth

Beautifully marked pike, released and ready for winter.

There were four other pike of “30-inches, plus” and a nice four-pound bass thrown in, too.  It’s not often that such fish get over-looked (in my experience); the same for the performance of an emerald green Reef Runner presented off two colors of lead on this day.

My season ended with a bang, and I appreciate that.

Appreciative Inquiry

I’ve always been a pretty avid reader, but that has changed this year with the second job.  Time is short, sleep is scarce, and my eyes are usually closed when not in active use.  Nevertheless, I recently finished “The Thin Book of Appreciative Inquiry” by Sue Annis Hammond (1996).   I ran across this little book in my primary work, where there’s been substantial talk about adopting such techniques.  (Note, however, that little associated action has been observed, at least in my trench.)  Towards the end of a particularly crappy work day, on the heels of a similarly poor day, I gave the book its shot.  Here, the core essence (the numenon?) of a change management technique known as “Appreciative Inquiry” is presented.  Having outlined Appreciative Inquiry’s main concepts, the author left the responsibility to act further with the reader, in an elegant manner, by acknowledging that simply by reading the book the reader has demonstrated an interest in change/something different .  She indicated her honor and respect for each reader’s chosen path.    I had indeed read the book in one sitting, and I recognized myself as a person at least interested in change. 

So it was clearly time to ask myself, “Why am I doing some of the stuff I’m doing?  Why have I largely forsaken extra family time, reading time, and 'yea verily' fishing time, for a second job that really doesn’t pay? And why do I feel compelled to blog?  How are these things related?”
     

I’m certainly no Newton or Einstein, and I mean no offense to Heisenberg, but I may have uncovered a personally unifying principle.  This may have helped crystalize (to me) why I’m doing/pursuing/enjoying certain things…and it has let me accept these activities as good and productive.

I’ve not really engaged these activities to solve specific problems.  Rather, these efforts are simply displacing what I perceive to be problems or deficiencies with more fulfilling options.  I’m letting the good displace the problematic.  These efforts look like a perfect fit with the concepts of Appreciative Inquiry.  From my understanding, here’s how Appreciative Inquiry can help effect positive change:

·       Emphasize the positive and work with our strengths.  Recognize success, and do more of what works well!  We should fill our endeavors with meaning and satisfaction.  Let the contagion of this satisfaction and resultant enthusiasm build up, and then let the momentum roll.  It’s a living process, there is no end; let it lead you to a desired goal.

·       Group Assumptions are commonly-held beliefs that provide the motivation to act for the interest of a group.  Let’s be aware of their existence, specifically identify them, and evaluate their legitimacy. With this evaluation, can come the acceptance (or expectation or desire) of change.  I suspect I’ll have more to say about this later.   

·       Appreciative Inquiry is based on experience/reality and so is believable and leads to real (visualized) results; as opposed to targets based on wishes/dreams.  Appreciative Inquiry maintains a real connection to history, tradition, and the past, while dreams are not as motivating since they are not necessarily seen as attainable. 

·       Develop tangible Provocative Propositions to highlight what has worked actually well and what we can focus on.  These will allow us to do more of what works well!  Because they are tangible (they are written and are based on reality) we maintain consciousness of them!  These propositions should force us to stretch and grow, yet need to be based in reality and be currently attainable.  They should lead us in a desired direction, i.e., towards something we want.

Finally, act on these propositions to transform!  What could be simpler?

A key point singled out in the book is an appreciation for diversity, i.e. valuing difference.  After all, how can things improve if they don’t change?    Am I willing to accept that I’m as happy as I’ll ever be?  Of course not; I want to be happier.  I want all my family, friends and co-workers to be happier.  I want a fairer political system and well-cared for children and oldsters.  I want a lot.  But none of this will happen by itself; progress towards these will require change.  Our best prospects lay in our active management of that change.

So, why have I taken on the second job?  A cursory look at my current retailing endeavor would simply reveal lots of work for a small bit of money.  But I decided long ago, it wasn’t about the money.  I’m clearly getting lots more out of it.  In contrast to my primary job, I like taking on multiple manageable and resolvable issues in a given shift.  The position recognizes (somewhat) the value of my fishing experience and enthusiasm, and it provides a forum to share this experience and soak in the experiences of others.  There are many small victories, and the defeats are ephemeral.  We’ve shared some actual team-work, in a generally positive, happy atmosphere.  It’s often simply fun.  My efforts are actual action, i.e., I’m busy doing, and this has provided for actual change for me, from the physical benefits of the light (restorative) physical movement,  to a little pocket cash and some new opportunities (fishing and social.)  Most importantly, this effort has provided a dimension of reality/attainability to some of my desires for the future.

What am I getting out of blogging?  I’m capturing a little bit of my history, sharing small pieces of humor, and developing increased self-awareness.  It has provided a somewhat creative outlet and a spark for occasional conversations with those I love.  I’ve developed a respect for the challenge of matching a phrase or a photo with a memory or idea.  It’s a fun, new modern tool to remind me of where I’ve been; and an activity to let me take on and consider occasional questions of personal importance.

I know there’s more.  At the very least, these two efforts have helped me legitimately develop some Provocative Propositions that might get me to an improved future/better place. And so I leave you with the following:

·       What would it be like … to feel as though I can deserve and afford an occasional blue-water vacation?

·       What would it be like … to share my fishing lifestyle dreams as reality with those I care about?

·       What would it be like … to use these extra efforts and experiences as a real steppingstone to my next career?

·       What would it be like … to report to work on my own boat?

Today’s Bottom Line; I’m a very fortunate guy, but it’s still OK for me to want a better future.  I might as well manage my options, and who am I to argue with positive, constructive techniques such as Appreciative Inquiry?