Back in the Saddle Again!

[jdmidwest]

After a long dry spell of Treatments and Recovery, fishing has finally started coming my way.  Week 4 after last treatment, I took the boat out and fished local lakes for a few hours at a time for a couple of days.  Nothing spectacular, fishing really sucked in the hot weather.

Last Tuesday at the start of week 5, we left out on a 3 day adventure to the lower Current River and Eleven Point.  First stop was on the Current River and 3 or 4 hours of fishing brought about 24 bass to hand including the best one of the trip for me at 19", a nice fat smallie on a Rapala floating bait.  Top water and slightly under surface was the best bite that morning.

Off to Eleven Point, launched the boat and motored up from Riverton to Whitten and then fished our way back.  We were amazed at the power of the flood and the changes made to the river.  Many new holes and channels.  Trees in the water and chutes.  New gravel bars.  It seemed like at the end of every hole, the water pushed out a new straight line path.  Its really hard to describe, it was like a straight line wind up rooting trees and leaving smaller ones bent over.  The bottoms were opened up and underbrush gone in some areas.  But the river overall was in great shape for the late July season, running about a foot higher than normal this time of year.  Fishing was good on this stretch, we boated about 30 trout ranging from stocker size to 17".  My best trout was a solid 19" to 20" trout that I had up to the boat but lost it when it wrapped around the anchor bell and got off waiting for the landing net.

Wednesday, we put in at Whitten and motored up to Turners Mill and fished down.  Fishing was slow in that section, but still caught 20 fish that morning.  That section of the river was damaged about as much as the other from the flood.  It was hard to recognize some of the areas of the river from past experiences.

That afternoon, we dropped the boat back in and drifted down river and fished for smallies.  Fishing was great that afternoon, we ended up boating around 30 some bass before we headed for camp along with pickerel and a lone drum.  Just like on Tues, topwater Rapalas were the lure of the day.  We hit a nice big log with the boat on the run back and had to limp it back at about 1/2 throttle.  That ended the 3 day trip a little short.

The sores in my mouth have broke out again making speech and food painful.  I have been told to expect this for another month.  Strength has improved.  I have started to gain back some of the 40 lbs I lost during the treatment and weeks following in recovery.  Lucky the sun does not seem to bother me, or the heat.  My skin held up well to the radiation, it tanned and did not burn or make sores like it does most.  Taste is starting to come back, I can taste sweet and salt for the first time in 2 months.  Eating meat and bread is a chore with the dry mouth.  Acidic foods burn like fire on the tongue, cheeks, and gum line.

Life is surely getting better, slowly.

[BilletHead]

    Neat report JD,

  Welcome back to the saddle as you say. Get back after life bud.

  BilletHead

[Norm M]

 great to hear you are getting out again . 

[Johnsfolly]

JD - Glad to hear that you were able to get out. Great report! Sound like a great couple of trips. Congrats! I hope that you keep on the mend.

[Krazo]

glad your back!