Southwest Virginia Trout Trip

The one that didn't get away

My Dad and brother with a nice rainbow trout

As many of you know I have been running myself ragged over the last few months,however I can now see the light.I'm in the process of buying a house and even though I went into it knowing some of the complications I would encounter,it's starting to wear on me.I did manage to find a few days to escape the phone calls,inspections and packing to head to the mountains of Southwest Virginia.I made this trip a few times last year to a small town my parents have decided to retire to.Last year I spent quite a bit of time fishing one stretch of the creek that runs through the property with decent success.The way I looked at it was if you are catching fish why try something new.This year I headed up on a Thursday to give myself a little extra time to explore the creek and the surrounding hillsides.I found a few holes that held some fish and I managed to catch and land a few smallmouth bass.The trout were very interested in my yellow rooster tail spinner but proved to be a bit tricky to land.I lost three within a matter of hours.I was lucky enough to land the biggest rainbow trout I have ever caught on the last day of fishing with my brother and father.I won't get into any details but the entire trip was awesome.Everything from spending time with my Mom to wading this creek my father has worked his entire life to make his home on.The best was the initial bet,it went a little something like this.

Fisherman and hunters are always trying to one up the competition,whether it's friends,family or actual competition.I usually go with the biggest fish caught wins five bucks from everyone involved in the trip.This year I went with first one to fall down in the creek loses five bucks to the other two dry individuals.Unexpectedly my father and brother agreed and within five minutes my brother was drenched and ten dollars poorer.My father took a small dip later in the morning and I had quite a few close calls but managed to stay dry until late Saturday evening.My brother was in the process of landing a nice trout and let's just say the line snapped at the last minute for "unknown reasons".I'm not sure why but I jumped on the fish like it was an alligator and tried to wrestle the slimy fish the remaining few feet to shore.I lost the match lets say and gained a few gallons of water in my waders.I'm going to try my hardest to get back in September.I just hope this house buying experience is over by then.

I Can't Stop Now

Never in my thirty one years on Earth did I think I would make it to well,thirty one.I hit this not so important milestone a few months ago and I'm just now going to take a minute and look around.I didn't think even ten years ago I would be where I am.It may have been part stubbornness,part ignorance.I always thought whatever live today like there is absolutely no tomorrow and some days really wished there wasn't a tomorrow.Obviously I'm here and I just want to try and figure out what's next.In the last seven or so years I have slowly come around from hoping there wasn't going to be a tomorrow to looking forward to it.I still embrace the live every day like there isn't going to be another one,just a little more cautious.I'm more cautious now because I have more to lose.Most importantly,to me anyways.my job.I know a person who lives his life for his job is just a person who doesn't know how to live.I think that just depends on what your job is.

If you work in an office all day with your head in a computer,you haven't seen a sunrise in over a year,you wake up and everyday is absolutely the same as the day before,well you get the picture.I can't stress enough how working so many different jobs in my teens and twenties,I have no idea how I ended up where I am today.I was literally a signature away from joining the Navy,which isn't a bad idea for some.I won't get into the details but I have done some jobs that were,well,just that,jobs.So what's the difference between a job and a career?Does it have to do with chance for advancement,a pay rate scale,a certain amount of respect earned in the field you work?I honestly don't know,I'm sure wikipedia does though!In my mind the difference between a job and a career is the level of happiness one can gain by showing up every day.The pay rate scale definitely helps but I know a few people who make way more than the Dude and are quite a bit less happy.In all seriousness though I feel I'm lucky and every time I get angry or up in arms at work,I tend to look back later in the day and tell myself,hey it could be worse.It has been worse and it may be a bumpy ride again at some point in my life.Right now I'm enjoying the opportunity I've been given and I'm taking what spare time I can find away from work to do some things I have always wanted to do.I may not have the chance in the future,because after all most people typically don't choose whether there will be a tomorrow or not.

Warm Weather Adventures

The guys from Man Camp 2010

With the temperatures finally turning the corner toward the warm side I knew it was that time of year again,MAN CAMP 2010!As a reminder Man Camp is quite self explanatory but I will explain it again for the less fortunate that were not reading this blog last year.Man Camp is the time of year when a bunch of guys go to the woods and try not to get arrested.No that isn't exactly it,Man Camp is a group of men go to the woods and waters of Virginia and do whatever they want.That's right no plan to have to go fishing or hiking,no set meals.If you want to go fishing go ahead,want to take a walk in the woods and sleep under an oak tree be my guest.There is one catch though,no bitching!Whether it's about your wife,your friends or the lack of fish if you bitch you suffer the consequences.Luckily in the last 8 or so years we have done Man Camp nobody has bitched so I don't know what the consequences are exactly.

Justin with the mandatory kiss of the first fish

Now that everyone has an understanding on what it's all about let me say a few words about this years Man Camp.We were lucky enough to have one of the original members join us at camp this year after a year off for "personal" reasons,whatever the hell that means.My friends of almost ten years Justin took the Friday off so we rode up to the Chickahominy River together with the boat in tow.Everything was normal as we launched the boat,I drove it around the creek and tied it to a tree.We set up camp and met his younger brother Ryan,who commenced to settling in.Later that evening after a nice boat ride and a few cold beers we were joined by the 9-5 crew.A fire was started and we all behaved ourselves like grown men,right.The next morning Justin,Ryan and I took the boat up river to do some bass fishing.My excuse for not catching any fish is I was trolling around cypress trees getting them into position.They each caught a few bass,one perch and a large catfish.We headed back to camp to awaken everyone else and we were greeted by Justin and Ryans father who made the trip down from Vermont.The afternoon went swiftly and towards evening I decided I needed to take a walk and clear my head.

Hopefully my new duck hunting spot

Ryan tagged along and we took a short drive up the WMA property to where I thought I might finally be able to find a flooded swamp area to duck hunt in.That's a lie,Ryan used his gps to help me find this damn swamp I haven't been able to find.It was a longer than expected walk but the area was excellent and I will be returning with waders to see how soft the bottom is.The night closed out with no incidents or injuries and Sunday morning we packed up and headed home.It was unfortunate that my two brothers were unable to make it but understandable.One has a new baby and the other had a work obligation.They were missed however there is and will be a next year.I'm already looking forward to Man Camp 2011.

I'm Not Done Yet

For anyone who periodically checks this blog,I haven't quit it yet.I know it's been almost two months since I have written or posted anything but I haven't forgotten.I'm in the process of buying or trying to buy a house.It has literally consumed all of my free time on and off the boat.I do have an offer in on a house and I hope it goes through so I can close before the end of the Summer.I have been able to do a little fishing this Spring with little success.The tugboating has slowly picked up and we are currently towing a barge up and down the East Coast.Look forward in the next few days to a catch up article and then I hope I can get back to posting around once a week.Thanks for sticking with me.

Risk Taker?

Who?This Guy?Not hardly!I have got to be one of the safest all around people in the world.Some might call it spineless,some might call it responsible,I call it safe.A few weeks ago after years of saving and months of planning I through my hat in the ring of home ownership.I learned more in the last two weeks than I learned in two years of asking everybody from Realtors to books.It's gone quite easy so far and I had the opportunity to put an offer on a house last minute but I didn't take the chance.The chance being that I would find a better,cheaper,newer,more to my liking house.I have only been looking at house for a few weeks,in person,and I find it hard to believe the one house I liked is the only one in my price range.So back to work I went hoping that over the next month the house wouldn't be sold,better yet maybe they will lower the price,that would be nice.

Upon arriving at work I noticed everyone seemed a little down,more than usual.This struck me as odd because the weather has finally broken on The East Coast and it truly was a glorious day.I was soon filled in that the Captain has made some outrageous claims involving everyone in the deck crew on this boat.So me being the not so level headed one,apparently chosen to lead this withered deck crew I went and had a "chat".This "chat",although less than pleasant,hammered out some problems that weren't really problems just bickers.One of the problems involved taking a slight risk by hanging over the side of the boat to reattach a tire chain that had broken off.Due to the size of the tire and it's location I quickly found out why it had yet to be repaired.It involved some trust,some strength and a whole lot of risk.Long story short the tire got fixed properly and I don't ever want to do it again.As far back as I can remember I have just never been a risk taker.I have no reason as to why I don't go travel the world or live in North Dakota or Canada with the North Americas best Waterfowl hunting.No reason why I don't leave the company I'm with besides I still feel like I owe them for giving me a chance a few years ago.I'm not sure if it was in the way I was raised or in my genes.I like excitement and I have definitely done some sketchy things in my life but I guess now that my life is good I can't afford injury or financial risk.

Let the Hunt Begin

I have come to a point in my life where I guess I need to grow up,on paper at least.I have worked myself to the bone over the last few years and saved my pennies in the hopes of buying a house.A few years ago I thought I would buy a ranch and a few hundred acres and be a cowboy.So I was a little off on that one,you can't blame me for dreaming.It comes down to the fact that,houses,maintenance,land,insurance isn't cheap and I'm not rich or anywhere near it.I have brought myself back to reality and improved my credit enough to get a decent home loan and trying to stay within a budget I should be able to get a nice little house with some peace and quiet.Even if I don't get a huge yard just knowing that I don't run the risk of someone stealing my house off it's foundation will be nice.Ten years in the ghetto and I think that's enough to last a lifetime.I don't intend on moving to far away from my stomping grounds.I honestly don't intend on moving out of southern Virginia just to the outskirts.The area is all I know and there are still a few places I think I may be able to settle down for a few years,until I hit the lottery and live out my drifting the West on horseback dream out.I know this house buying thing will get to me,I know I will get angry at myself for making stupid decisions at some point but only one way to learn is to do it.I don't have anyone to show me the way,just a few close relatives and friends with very helpful advice and a few priceless contacts.I go home tomorrow and next Monday it's on,let's do this,sorry just trying to sike myself up.

This Little Thing

It was a long time coming and maybe I lost my head a little along the way.My Merchant Mariner Credential upgrade finally went through and I'm none the worse over it.Seems that the wind was taken out of my sails along the way and looking back I should never have let that happen.Never accept what things are,anything can be changed.A simple to the point quote a captain told me the other day.I find myself playing musical boats over the last few weeks and I'm not complaining.The new MMD came in the mail in late December after I fulfilled the National Maritime recommendations.I didn't celebrate.smile,pat myself on the back or anything along those lines.I told myself,this is just another rung on the ladder,keep climbing.So here I sit on the tug that turned my life around.After a few strange days dredging on a tug in the NYC harbor I was shifted to the tug that I went to Panama on.Funny thing is the crew on board was exactly the same guys I went to Panama with.I had never had a word with any of them in the last two years.Coming on board it was like I never left.The nicknames we had all given to each other and all the old jokes and pranks came back up.The camaraderie of this boat is how I imagined it would be five years ago when I decided to make a career in this line of work.I know there is a good chance this isn't a permanent boat change but it's nice to be back amongst some of the best American Merchant Seaman I have had a chance to work with.