20.5" NITRO 898

I can’t wait to give the boat a closer look…

I love the outdoors and every opportunity to connect with nature. I’ve been into fishing for a long time, but have yet to catch a fish. Still, the idea of someday battling a fish at the end of my line is something I look forward to experiencing.

Last month, I was invited to go fishing in Connecticut’s Long Island Sound by my friend Frank who shared with me his passion for the sport. I remember him asking me “do you know how to swim?” as we headed out farther and farther away from the dock.  Giving him a curious look, I answered,

backing into the Tennessee River...

“well… yeah.” Hearing the words come out of my mouth, I quickly realized that I had taken his question for granted. After all we were not in a swimming pool with anything to hold on to, but rather surrounded by water with currents, not to mention bluefish, which I hear bite anything in sight. I started paying attention to Frank more carefully as he spoke, while enjoying fishing from a boat for the first time. Though there was no catch that day, I had but one desire…to keep trying! (more…)

“When the fish are in the area you can smell the pungent sweetness of their oil on the water surface.”

Every once in a while I catch myself daydreaming about fishing, and it goes something like this: I’m on a big sports fishing boat, seated in one of those “fighting” chairs that swivel, belt-buckled in tight while reeling in the big tuna. So when the chance to go fishing came up recently, I jumped on the occasion, thinking that some experience would be helpful if Tuna and I were to fight it out someday.

It’s a beautiful clear day, the sky a vibrant afternoon blue. Excited and relaxed, I feel the calm of the water, the Autumn chill, the exhilarating boat ride, and visualize catching my first fish while contemplating the perfect recipe for it the whole time. My senses fully engaged, I am on a boat in Connecticut fishing on the Long Island Sound with my friend Frank, an avid fisherman by hobby, who tells me “when the fish are in the area you can smell the pungent sweetness of their oil on the water surface” as we go from spot to spot casting our lines to catch bass or bluefish.

“There are some fish out there now. Mostly deep and holding near the bottom, in the reefs of mid sound, grouping and preparing for the massive feeding to carry them for their migration south and east,” he continues, explaining that this is something he learned long ago from an old fisherman. (more…)