If you jump on Facebook and go to any fishing forum, you will see bickering and hatred towards each other. You will see "know it all" fisherman and people just wanting to learn. You will see fisherman thinking there the God of fishing. It’s all really ridiculous how some of these fishermen worship fish sometimes and treat others like dog crap. However, a person is no good without his network. Every fisherman struggles from time to time and a good network may just save you a day of fishing. I am very fortunate to have grown a network over the years of buddies and fisherman I can rely on to stay on top of the fish. A situation occurs like that this week.
I was heading up north with my parents. Our Church, Kensington Community Church is joining forces with a church called Bay Point Community Church in Traverse City. Our pastors were speaking up there so we headed up. I had brought my boat along to take my parents out fishing. I was really looking forward to it because of my deck hanging experience last year and I always love getting my family into fish.
When I walked into church I ran into one of my long time fishing buddies that I hadn’t seen in a long time. We shot the breeze for a little bit and then he mentioned a hot spot for fishing. He really hooked us up with the information and told me to go to a certain location. Due to respect for my buddy, that location will be going un-name but that is not the point of this blog.
So we headed out there fishing. The weather was perfect. There was a little bit of a chop with it calming down during the day. A little too sunny but it was nice. You could see down in 30 feet of water. Right away we hooked up with a pig of a Laker. Then we trolled around without much luck. Although the weather became more beautiful as the evening progressed.
Then the same buddy came out on his boat. He limited out really quickly while I trolled around in no mans land. He eventually limited out and told me to get my butt over to where he was. So I did! I sped up to 4 MPH to get over to where he was at before the sun disappears. When I got to where he was at, I slowed down. Bam, fish on! My dad cranked in feisty little trout. Then it was my turn but the fish threw the hook at the back of the boat.
We then trolled around with no luck for 20 minutes. Thinking it was over; I made a suicide turn hoping to get back to the school before the fish shut off. Wanting to get back to the boat launch before it was dark, I started pulling the line. I had another rod go off which I reel in, a nice Lake Trout. I couldn’t have asked for a better night knowing everyone on board got a nice fish but it was only the beginning.
A couple rods somehow managed to get tangled. While trying to fix them, a rod goes off. With a wanna B fin fin. My Mom grabbed that rod and cranked it in like a pro. While she was doing that, another fish bit a high line with a fin fin and then the board line went off with a wiggle wart. The fish threw the fin fin but my dad grabbed the other rod. It was a Chinese fire drill on the boat. My mom lands the first fish and my dad cranked in the second Lake Trout. There is no better ending to a day when almost all your lines are reel in. What an evening!
Thanks Vern! I hope I can pay the favor back to you one day.
Now I don't know if I would have done as great if I fished where I originally want to fish. However, it really helped me having my buddy send me to a location. Also, the fact that I was far away from the spot he was killing them and then calling me over. My point of this blog is by working with each other, you can either makes someone’s days or they might help save your day. I will always remember that day my buddy helped me out and will always help him out when I can. What goes around comes around. Especially out in the Big Lake when there is so much water and not enough time in the day to troll it all.
Now I am not saying you need to get on the Internet and go share all your information. You also shouldn’t jump on the Internet asking for a network. A solid network comes in time. You also have to pick and choose the people you work with. I have a certain people I trust and give them almost everything I know. There are also some people I give little information to them because I flat out don’t trust them. I have had a person asked me for detailed information before but when I needed some information, they shut me down. Needless to say, that guy does not get anymore spoon fed information.
Next time someone ask you for help doesn't be afraid to throw him or her some information. You never know when it may come back and repay you in a big way.
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