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?
- Unique Post
Tags: Bucket List
Come back to Marathon and we’ll work on #15 again
Count me in as one who really likes bucket lists…so I am more than happy to share…my top 10…
1. A permit on the fly…the last couple of trips to Abaco are to blame. Bottom line, I feel I’ve let down my guide Ricardo, despite his having employed a level of guiding competency above and beyond…I either cheese the cast, or make too much noise – come up with just about any way you can mess up a permit shot and I’ve probably provided a good example. Want one so bad I can taste it! Fortunately, I do have a chance coming up in a few months, when my bride and I depart for Placencia, Belize. She happens to enjoy lounging around the boat catching sun while I bumble around. I’ve got a couple days guided arrangements as well as a few days on a cay where DIY is not impossible. Tying crab flies at the moment…
2. A full 2-week program with Mongolia River Outfitters, to experience both the upper and lower river floats, heaving what friend Doug Jeffries labeled as the “crippled lemming” while sipping a Tiger Beer. I used to think that I could live out the rest of my days exploring the out islands of the Bahamas. Having now done a trip for taimen, I’m not so sure…To spend that time with the same group as my last trip (they know who they are) would be icing on the cake.
3. Another shot at Inagua with Ezzard…another day or two with David Jr. on Grand Bahama and a bunch more time with Kenny and Willie G. on Crooked Island.
4. Exploring some South African trout waters – having been on safari there, I think there is some “unexploited resource” to be found…
5. Introducing my 4 daughters to the beauty of the Bahamian out-islands and the very real difference in pace of life and what is really important.… 2 down, 2 to go. Next up is step-daughter M – I’m thinking Kenny and Willie on Crooked will get the call…
6. To spend some more time fishing with Scott H from AD…in whatever venue…it really is a pile of fun…I’d like to think he’d enjoy same if for no other reason than the lesson I gave him in fly-tying when we were in Kamchatka several years ago…
7. Christmas Island and Los Roques – in my mind two must-do’s…
8. A week sampling the Lochsa in Idaho and various streams in the Clearwater.
9. A day with my brother Tom, fishing dandruff to a particular spring creek in Iowa where we were born and raised.
10. While not possible, another day with my dad, Harold Rodenberg (1937-1995), fishing musky’s in the Canadian Shield Lakes of Ontario…
Thanks you guys! What a wonderful compliment. You both made me smile too with you lists. I thank you for that. Bjorn, I’m thinking of you and your family, Jeff I can never think about that night in Kamchatka with out breaking into a broad smile. Great lists both of you!
The “crippled lemming”!! Shhh, keep that one to yourself and one of these days Humpqua will contract you for it. Although it would have to come with a warning label “Caution: Only experienced fly casters with forearms like Steve Garvey should attempt to cast this fly.” It was magic on big taimen though.
I fully intend to… but have to look at 2015.
Your bucket list is great! There’s a lot of stuff on there that I haven’t even thought about trying. The number one thing on my bucket list is kayak fishing in Alaska. I’ve heard the fishing is great there and I would love to catch some Halibut.
1. Belize for a permit, hopefully it will happen this spring
2. Chilean Patagonia (again!). It us simply unreal down there
3. Kamchatka for monster bows on mice
4. Louisiana Redfish
5. Cape Lookout North Carolina for false albacore with my dad… we did it this year, DIYWB (Do it yourself with beer) and tore them up. My dad doesn’t even like fishing and was addicted. Those fish will pull some serious line and the blitzes are just awesome. Highly recommend it if you haven’t yet
6. Canadian Pike
7. Alaska
8. Maine, it just seems cool
9. Bahamas, I’ve done the Keys a bunch but never the Bahamas
10. Seychelles
…. and ALOT more
You should add to that just one more thing when it comes to fishing..
Tandem kayak fishing on the Seychelles with either your spouse or a really good buddy.
It’s a trip you’d remember for life, I swear.
I guess I will have to make one for myself.