Today's Catch (Part 1)...
What a misleading title... kinda makes it sound like I had a "grand slam" of a day! Well, it was more of a "two strikes" against me and a canceled game due to time...
I started a wee bit later than I had hoped and when I approached the ramp to launch, my gut told me that I probably should have launched on the other side of the lake where I could have been sheltered from some of the wind in the coves. But my heart was wanting to try out a particular area that I have never fished before even though it would be a lot more difficult against the open wind.
After being blown around and tossed to and fro, I began to notice some white caps on the water. Not a lot, but enough for a kayaker to take notice. As I drifted further and further from the launch ramp, I began to wonder how difficult it would be to paddle back against the wind and white caps. It became more and more difficult just to maintain the proper kayak orientation to prevent a roll over. That was it... Chalk it up as a learning experience... I'm heading back, or at least attempting to head back. By that time, it was all hands on deck, I didn't even take the few seconds to reel in the crank baits that I was trolling... I just wanted to get back to the ramp!
The journey back was indeed just as difficult as I had thought it might be, I just didn't take into consideration of having to attack to waves head on even though it wasn't a straight line back to the ramp. I paced myself since I knew that it would take some time to get back and I knew that I had to maintain a constant pace or run the risk of going backwards. Thankfully I never regressed backwards, but there were a few brief times that my GPS failed to show forward speed, but most times I was able to creep at a .58 to 1.38 mph. I often looked at a landmark on the shore just to make sure I was advancing because I often felt like a hamster on an exercising wheel. Lots of effort but no forward movement!
I was soaked from head to toe. Some of it was from the waves, other from the intense paddling and perhaps some of it old fashioned sweat! I eventually made it back, and fortunately for me, I was wearing all cotton. :-) Extremely comfortable, that is until you get it wet! I know that I must have looked like a "Hip-Hop Wanta-Be" with my britches sagging low form all that water they soaked up. But being the gentleman that I aspire to be, I kept a constant up-ward tug to maintain any semblance that I didn't just get kicked out of a homeless shelter...
Paddle Straight and Prosper
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Old Town Discovery 158 Canoe
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