Guiding, Fishing, Working,
Ascent into Heaven and a Walk

These things will keep you busy when you spread them out over the course of a few days. I should get in the habit of carrying a note pad or some kind of voice recorder. There is a tremendous amount that will run around in a persons head while out in the water, walking the woods or staring blankly at a computer screen wondering why the thing you are working on is now all screwed up.

Got Brad and Jason out guiding one day on the Fox and a creek. The bite had been slowly dying the last few days, so either fish were on their beds or just coming off. Whatever the excuse, the bite was tough. We covered every imaginable type of water and threw everything at the fish. A few were had, but it was work.

It helps to have a couple of guys out that have a decent sense of humor. Learning was important, fishing came next, exploring a long expanse of river so they can come back at their leisure became most important.

The water was still a little high when we crossed the river in a couple of spots. Brad and I both weigh in at about 190. Jason barely pushed 160. We’ d forget that now and then as we went over waist deep in some fast water. Jason would be doing a little side step dance trying not to get blown down stream. We’d go back to create an eddy for him to hide behind.

That took it’s toll on him. When we got to the creek, he was done. Sat on a rock fishing for a bit, then hiked the half mile back to the car to take a nap. He seemed perfectly happy at that prospect. Brad and I finished the day.

I knew the fishing was going to be tough, the fish were in some stage of the spawning process. I knew this because of the only fish I caught that day. As soon as the lure hit the water I saw the bass bed and the bass come charging off to hit the intruder. I hate doing that, but if you don’t see it first, what can you do.

I was in the area of where an old broken down dam blocks the flow of the Fox River. I hadn’t seen it in years. The plan at one time was to have it removed, but I haven’t heard anything one way or the other for a long time. With the way it looks now, they may as well just let it fall apart on it’s own. Cheaper that way in the long run.

The next day the world was supposed to end. I decided to work all day. I thought about blowing off the work. If the world was going to end at 6 PM, what difference would it make. But then if the world didn’t end, Monday morning the client would be pretty pissed when I missed the deadline.

Considering that since Jesus ascended into heaven there’s probably been one nut a year interpreting signs of the end times, and none of them has happened, it probably was wise of me to do the work. When 6 PM came the ground didn’t open up, I was still sitting at my desk… I figured what the hell, may as well go fishing now.

I think the rapture did happen, but He decided to only take the fish in the stretch where I was wading and fishing. I sure as hell couldn’t catch one. At one point the sky was lit up, reflecting off the water. It was stunningly beautiful. This had to be it. I stood still trying to feel the ground shake. I closed my eyes with face turned heavenward. I raised my arms and waited.

Nuthin.’

I went back to work.

I think He has decided that we make our own heaven or hell. It’s what we chose to live.

I probably live on the very edge of what could be called the Chicago Metro Area. A few blocks down the road from my house starts the farm fields. These back roads just west of my house will take me through nothing but more of these fields all the way to the Mississippi River. One of these days I’ll have to take that ride.

In the mean time, on nice days toward sunset, my wife and I drive a simple five miles west to Silver Springs State Park. There we walk, for miles on the trails.

Today we hugged the paths around the ponds. Along the edges were hundreds of bass fry.

On another pond we saw more largemouth bass cruising. A couple of more bass on beds. Bluegills were everywhere and we came across about 20 of them just starting to build nests. I tried to get a picture of them, but they had kicked up so much silt that it was impossible to see them in the shot.

Ponds like these make me wish I had kept one of my canoes or kayaks.

Fishing from either of those in rivers that can be waded, makes no sense to me. I guess if you want to hop from spot to spot to fish you can, but at that point you’re passing all of the other fish. Why would you do that? But on little ponds like this with inaccessible shores, it opens up a whole new world of possibilities.

The rest of the time was spent wandering the trails through the woods. We both like looking for the different sculptural forms growing and fallen trees take on. My wife pointed out one tree and gave it a name.

I took a picture of it.

“You’re not going to put that up are you?”

“Yes, and I’m going to call it what you called it.”

“I’ll never speak to you again.”

“Promise?”

We turned up one small trail through the woods only to find it occupied by a raccoon that didn’t feel any need to get out of the way.

We let him have the trail.

As we headed for the car I thought for sure the rapture was upon us. The setting sun was too beautiful.

Maybe this lunatic got the timing wrong and screwed up the date. I closed my eyes, face pointing heavenward, arms outstretched.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“I’m waiting to ascend into heaven.”

“He may be crazy, but you’re an idiot.”

“I hear there’s a special place in heaven for idiots.”

“You’ll probably be in charge of them.”

I waited a few seconds, opened one eye to see what was happening.

Nuthin’ again.

I need to find me a new lunatic. One a little more accurate.