Thought provoking day

[Chief Grey Bear]

I don't normally make post of this nature. I am not one that condones guides presenting post about trips. Although some here do it.
But I want to share with you about a dear old friend that called me the other day.
He asked me if I still guided on the rivers. I told him I sure do what did you have in mind.
He wanted me to take him walleye fishing. He had never caught a walleye out of the river, only lakes. And today was the only day he had available.

Not one to back away from a challenge I said let's do it. It's not exactly prime time of year to chase walleye in the rivers but, it was the only weekend this busy man could get away.

So we met at the rendezvous point. We made small talk and caught up for a few moments before we took off. I made a couple of cracks at the car he drove and of his choice of clothing. Both were totally opposites of one another. He stated he sure did miss the old days when we used to run around.

We slipped the canoe into the stream and we were off.

The river was still running a little high and still a little stained from the rains this week. And then you add in that is still just a little early and you have the makings of a less than stellar day.
At our put in we talked to a fellow that had been here fishing for the last week and his reports were not good. I'm a little nervous at this point. Okay I'm lying I'm a lot nervous.

So we start making our way along the stream to the point I think we should pull over and try our luck. We fish it for quite a while and we are just about to move on when he hooks into a fish.
A nice 16 inch walleye. Was I ever glad to see that!
In the next hour and a half at that spot, he landed two more keeper walleye and four nice white bass! We had to cut the day short as he had to make the long trip back home to get ready for a business trip the next day.
When we got back to the takeout, he graciously thanked me over and over for the wonderful day that he had. It was one of the best days that he is had in years and reminded him of our youth when me and him used to fish together. Something that he has not done in the last 20 years.
I was all too glad to do it for him.

The fishing that we all take for granted, is so coveted by those they can't do it as often as we do. I know I usually think nothing of it as I'm on the water all the time. But for those that only get to do it every now and then it is an absolute cherished moment that they will never ever forget.
I'm glad that I know people of his caliber. I'm also glad that I am in a position to do something that to me is so simple and second nature but to him is one of the greatest pleasures that he will ever experience in his adult life.
I often reflect back on choices that I've made in my life. And when I ponder over those reflections, I often think that the choices that I've made in life I would like to go back and redo. I think that I could've made so much more of my life and be much further than I am now.
But when I take a client out on the water like I did today and all I hear is what a great life I have and that I get to do this all the time it gives me pause. Maybe I really did make the correct choices in life.

[ScottK]

That's a great post. Congratulations!

[grizwilson]

Wonderful! Good for Him! Good For YOU!. I agree, You made the right choice for you, hopefully he is happy where he is. I am a deep sea diver but just can not leave the Ozarks. Great job.

g

[Jerry Rapp]

good read! Thanks.

[mjk86]

Looks good! Id hire ya for a day at a chance at some nice river walleye!

[Smallieguy87]

Great read chief!

[Jeff Tief]

Nice!

[Boozer]

All I can is wow great post he will remember that day forever

[KCRIVERRAT]

Son of a Gun... I've been cheated on again!

Can't wait to hear the story bro...

[Al Agnew]

When I was reading this for the first time, Mary mentioned not long afterwards that it was something called "world water day", where people of her spiritual persuasion were supposed to do something to acknowledge their ties with water and how they were blessed with water. We were walking along a beach at the time, and she suggested I meditate a bit on that as she was doing. I told her that I didn't feel like I needed to do anything special, because I always try to acknowledge my connection with water, especially rivers. Rivers are my church, not just my playground, and I never get onto or next to a river without stopping for a moment, taking a deep breath, and giving thanks to whatever the spirits are that allow me to be there and to soak up the life of moving water. I truly believe that rivers are living things and should be treated with the respect and mindfullness that any living thing deserves.

No doubt I take rivers for granted sometimes; I get too wrapped up in the pursuit of fish or the thrills of the next rapid. But I cherish every moment I spend on the water.