People like lists, right? I was thinking about what I’d put on my list. What are the angling milestones I’d like to reach? There are certainly some things I’d like to do. Here’s my list.
(Note: I don’t talk about goals including my soon-to-be-here son. I haven’t met him yet and I don’t know if he’s going to find joy in the outdoors and in fishing like I do (and like his sister does at this point). So, maybe I’ll add to the list after he gets here, I get to know him and we see what gives him joy. I hope it is fish, but I won’t force it on him.)
The Babine.
- A 10 pound bonefish. I haven’t even come close. I’ve seen some and even cast at a few, but I was never really in the game.
- A 100 pound tarpon. I’ve just love to see one up close (and not at Robbies) and see it jump.
- A Deschutes Steelhead. I have only fished the upper reaches of that river, but I really do love that area.
- A Bull from the Metolius. I hooked one once, and it was an awesome experience.
- See my daughter catch a fish on a fly, by herself. Hell, I might even give her first crack at the good water.
- Dorado. I’ve never fished the blue water. Just haven’t done it. I’d love to hook into a Dorado, and, while I like eating them, I’d like to let it go.
- Marbled Trout. In 1997 I took a train to Zagreb and along the way the train paralleled a beautiful river. Croatian waters have been in my thoughts ever since.
- St. Brandon’s. This just looks like the most bad-ass fishery I can imagine. I had a chance to go earlier this year and couldn’t swing it. That haunts me still.
- Christmas Island. I’m a West Coaster, so that seems like a place I need to get to. GT’s, Bones and more and in the Pacific. I’d like to not chum my Geet.
- Catch another steelhead on the Klamath with my dad. I grew up fishing the Klamath for steelhead, but it has been a long time since I’ve been on a trip on that river with my dad. I’d like to do that again.
- I’d like to do some kind of shark tagging with my daughter, the girl who loves sharks.
- Take my girl up to the Babine river. My daughter’s middle name is Babine and there is a hole on the Babine River named after my grandfather. I’d like her to see that place, and, if possible, swing a freight train through that hole.
- I’d like to visit (and fish) all the major Out Islands of the Bahamas.
- I’d like to catch a super grand slam. I got lucky on my slam from 2010 out of El Pescador in Belize. I’d like to do it again at some point and feel like I earned it a bit more.
- I’d like to have an epic Keys day. I was there in June. I saw the fishery. I got a glimpse of what it can do. I want to go back and end a day feeling like I won, however I define winning at that point.
- LA Redfish. That just looks like fun and I’d like to do it at some point.
- Fish with… a lot of people… but Aaron Adams, Scott Heywood, Eric Estrada and so many more I’ve met through this blog.
- Fish with my girl for a full day on the Lower McCloud River. This might be 10 years away. She’s not ready yet. I hope she’s still interested by then.
- Catch a Leopard Shark on a fly.
- Catch a golden trout. It’s the state fish and I haven’t caught one. I haven’t fished for one. That needs to change.
What’s on your list?
