The Good.. The Bad.. The Ugly...

Happy.. Upset.. Irate.. That Kinda sums up the 15th and 16th..

The Good....

Well Wednesday I woke early... Been working a lot and haven't had time to get out and play with my new toy.. My brand new St. Croix Imperial 7'6" 4wt.. Matched up with a Martin 61 reel and Airflo Ridge Line Supple Tactical WF4F.. I had been drooling over this rod for about a week or so as I waited patiently for my fly line for it to come in the mail... The one downfall of online ordering.. Sometimes companies drop the ball and you got to wait longer than expected..

So I take my new setup to one of my favorite stretches of stream in SE MN in hopes of having a productive day of fishing.. I get to my destination.. it's a great day.. already in the low 30s and supposed to get up to 40.. No wind.. No chance or snow or rain... Typical weather for February.. Just kidding.. Amazing weather for February!  First couple casts with this new rod and I'm feeling like a pro.. This rod loads amazing... The line shoots off the guides like its covered in greased lightening.. Just what I was expecting from St. Croix and Airflo.. This is a great rod setup.. and at under $200 for the rod and a Lifetime Warranty.. You really cannot go wrong... Anyways.. Enough acting like I'm some sort of St. Croix rep.. (feel free to send me free garb though if you any of you guys are reading ^.^)


The day started out great like I said.. Sunny.. No breeze.. And within a couple casts to start the day.. I hook into my first trout of the day.. A nice 7-8" brookie.. The rod handled the fish with no problem.. Besides the fact that I didn't know there was a tree hanging over me and high stick my rod into it.. Tangling up.. But still landing the brook... Next couple casts result in a few more trout.. Mainly browns.. I skip a couple holes.. Being selective of what I fish.. Time is precious as I have to be back in town and at work at 5pm.. I hit my next hole and pull out a few more.. Couple browns and another small brookie..

 

I move up stream to finish the day off on one of my favorite holes on this stream.. Usually stacked up with trout year round.. Sure enough.. As I'm walking up on it I see risers just below the riffles taking midge that have been popping off the water all morning.. First cast.. Brown.. Next cast.. Brown.. Next cast.. Brook.. Next cast.. Hit and Miss... Cast back to the same spot.. Brown... If I didn't get them on the initial hit.. They took the 2nd time around.. Productive little hole that lands me about a dozen trout to hand in a matter of minutes.. Mainly browns with a brookie or two thrown in the mix...

 

So after that little onslaught of trout I figured there was no better way to end a good day of fishing so I retired back to my car to head home and get ready for work....

The Bad...
I get back to my car.. Break down my rod and put all my gear in the trunk of my car... Get in my car.. Key in the ignition.. Nothing.. Again.. Nothing... Again.. Nothing.. Again.. Stereo.. Hmm... Stereo.. Stereo.. My ignition gets stuck in what seems auxiliary as the only thing working is the stereo.. No clicks.. No dash lighting up.. FFFFFFUUUUUU!!!!.. What am I to do?.. 45-60min from town.. Depending on how ya drive.. 35+ miles... Walking is obviously out of the question.. and I got to be to work in roughly 2 hours....

So I call my step-dad who knows a bit about cars and helps me out when I need it.. He's nice enough to call into work and come pick me up.. Looks at the car... Can't figure out whats going on.. Other than knowing the ignition is shot.. So we make plans to take the pickup out tomorrow and pick up my car with a car tow...

The Ugly....
So Thursday morning I wake up.. Go to my morning eye doctor appointment.. And then off to get the car.. The thing that stung the most at first was knowing I was going to my favorite fishing hole.. And I was NOT going to fish... So we go and pick up the tow.. Everything seems to be going as planned.. We get to the car.. Everything still going as planned.. We first try pushing my car up onto the trailer and it's just at too steep of an angle for 2 of us to push.. So my stepdad says he'll get behind the car with the truck and push it up onto the trailer.. Everything seems to be going fine.. And then he over shoots me.. And my frame is now sitting on the trailer.. tires up in the air on both ends.. FFFFFFFUUUUU!!!!!!!!  My step-dad now goes "OK. I'll try pushing from the front".. Little info that's key.. My car is roughly 2ft from a good 100+ft drop into the valley below... So I get into the car so that the wheels are held straight and to break if we get off this trailer.. He pushes and the trailer skids.. Bringing me closer to the edge.. OK I'm Done!  Jump out of the car through the back door and walk off.. No way I'm bout ready to die at my favorite fishing hole... He goes "put it in neutral".. So I reach through the window and put it in neutral.. No way I'm getting back in that death trap.. He pushes again and the car kicks to the side.. Smashing up the passenger side door...

Irate.. I storm off.. Fuck it.. I'm walking home.. Without another word I start walking down the road(actually UP a very steep road).. Not giving a rat's ass anymore.. Yeah I'm 35 miles from town.. But rage fills and that's the last thought in my mind.. After walking for a couple miles I finally get around to calling my gf and having her come drive and pick me up along the highway.. As I'm walking though along the highway.. Two farm dogs run up to me and I give them a pet and keep hoofing it.. They follow.. I turn around and walk them back to the farm.. And continue.. They continue to follow me.. Fine.. You guys can tag along... So I got these two dogs following me.. They must've known something was up and needed some uplifting.. So they keep following me.. And following me.. Finally my gf picks me up.. And I throw the dogs in the car.. We got some dogs we gotta return.. So she heads up the road and we drop them off.. And I head home..

Shortly after I get home.. My step-dad returns.. He was able to find some farmers with a front end loader to help pop the car off the trailer and get everything situated.. I feel bad leaving him behind in the end.. But at the time.. There was no forgiving.. Rarely my tempter gets the best of me.. Especially that bad... But it was frustrating.. He tries to help.. and Sometimes its more steps backwards than forwards.. But in the end means well...

Ugh.. I'm just glad my car is back home...