What's the sweetest thing...

[raisinrat]

The sweetest thing for me is the first time I put waders on in the spring to go out and chase Smallies on the River Raisin. The air is cool and you can see you breath when you stand in the shade. It reminds me of those football movies. And the cool water that splashes in your face when you hook in to that first Smallies of the year. All this will be coming a little earlier this year. Can't wait. There is nothing like wadeing a small stream for Smallies nothing, ok maybe catching a world record bass, but other than that nothing in fishing will come that close.

[djkimmel]

These two and the male wood ducks are the most beatiful of all the ducks that I know of.

I can relate smbassman. I used to have a crush on Daisy Duck when i was a little kid.



PoorBoy himself

Why does this not surprise me?

[bosshawg]

gots to go w/the early morning sunrises, the peacefulness(?) sights & sounds. listening to the carp (they're never bass) breaking the top surface.  cranking up the big motor shooting across the lake to your first spot of the day. tournament mornings, the smell of engine exhaust - AWESOME!!!!

[canvsbk]

When I look back there's no question the best thing was fishing with my kid. When I look forward it's to the week she comes back home each summer to fish with her dad.
Don't miss this part boys, it's as good as it gets.

[fiker]

The kids thing.  That's if for me too.

One of my favorite sites is to look behind my boat when I'm on plane, and see the wake that's created on a calm lake, w/ the sunset in the background. 

Priceless. 

[Bronzeback5LBER]

Some of my favorite things,fishing with my son and looking forward to many years of fishing with him,and my dad who is 78 watching the look on his face when he hooks a fish its the same expression when he was 48,the smell of the air when your on the lake,and taking in Gods creation,it is awsome!

[Savage]

Oh man, this is an easy one.  I really like to fish with people, but the time that I like the best are the solo trips, when I just get this huge chance to be free and reset all my stress back to zero.

So the sweetest thing has to be that moment on a solo trip when the water is flat calm, the sun has just risen, and you have landed the first toad of the day on about the 5th cast.  After releasing him, you sit down on the deck to retie your line, and as you scratch your chin you get a whiff of that familiar and wonderfull fish smell on your hands.  At that moment you look up at your surroundings, and notice the fine details of the morning and the beauty of nature around you, and the only person awake and enjoying it at that moment is you.  At that very moment, when you take a deep breathe and you realize that the whole day is still ahead of you, and this is going to be one of those great days when the fish hit anything you throw, and you are going to uncover some great new pattern......    right then in that very second is the sweetest thing about what we are all obsessed with.

I know you've had that moment, so just close your eyes for a second and think back to it......   not too much longer now guys, and we'll be back at it again!

Wooohoooo!

[djkimmel]

Wow! Even Savages can be poets! Nice!

[fiker]

Is it the last Saturday in April yet?

[Dan]

Moving through the Sport and RV show today I ran in to a fishing buddy that we travel with once the water is soft. I went to shake his hand and exchange cordials and ended up in a bear hug. It reminded me of what this fishing thing is all about for me. Reading Savages post, I can certainly relate to that quiet time by yourself in the boat watching the sun break over the tree tops and the smells that go with this game. The scents from the soft plastics, the fish smell on your hands, it is all that, but as I get older I realize this life will end some day and all you can really leave people is memories. Making sure you tell those people you are close too, your family yes, but your fishing family as well, how much it has all meant to you. Don't miss that chance and then go out and enjoy each day for what it has to offer. If it affords you the chance to plop your rear on a butt seat and cajole with that worthless partner in the back - man then you got it made.

[Revtro]

Man is that ever true.  I love being out there by myself for sure.  But there are also times when I don't want to be alone on the water.  I want to share that time with a fishing buddy.  The fishing buddies usually end up being my best friends.  And I appreciate them all. 

It's not the last Saturday in April yet, but I did open the camper the other day and will bring the tackle in the house this weekend to start organizing it and replacing stuff with all the new stuff I bought this off-season.  So it's getting close.  Can't wait to start doing a a little Walleye fishing in first few weeks of April.  It's not my favorite kind of fishing, but at least I can get the boat out and get her warmed up for the season.  Can't wait!

Oh yeah, and I anticipate a new "Sweetest Memory" to occur this year.  This will be first year that my wife will be my partner for a trail.  She's gonna fish an NBAA inland lake division with me this year.  She's my best friend, so I can't wait for that newest "Sweetest Memory" to develop this year.  It's gonna be a great season!

[MaizeNBlue]

HMMMM so many things, I love it all. From rigging up everything the night before, planning for a tourney. The look from the gas station attendant at 4am when I pull in to get coffee, and they can see the excitment in my face, the boat behind my truck, and seeing that look on there face. Beating Poor Boy, watching the sun rise, but perhaps my fav, is just fun fishing with my buddies, and nobody says a word for hours, but we all know how much fun we are having on the water.

[blakstr1]

The look from the gas station attendant at 4am when I pull in to get coffee, and they can see the excitment in my face, the boat behind my truck, and seeing that look on there face.

This is a fun time for me as well, leaving the house about 3 or 3:30, you see all sorts of stuff.  I've seen a very drunk couple "fun wrestling"   on the hood of a car in a bar parking lot, last year there were a couple guys passed out in a car at the 7-11 with spilled SLURPIES all over them (their car door was open and one of them was half in and half out)...the gas station attendant usually asks where we have been, and I always re-explain the situation to them...FUN TIMES! 

[Savage]

I gotta say one of the best things is the way the boat adjusts to your weight when you step off the dock, and you know at that moment you are leaving your cares behind for at least a few hours of relaxation....

[bcbasser]

The sweetest thing about fishin besides the obvious and what everybody else has said.....is leaving the cell phone in the truck!!!! That darn thing rings all of the time and fishing is designated serenity time!!!

[dartag]

a pretty girl on the deck of my Ranger..

[djkimmel]

Good one.

I like bcbasser's idea too. I was out on Lake Lansing with a regular fishing partner, who is now apparently permanently tethered by cellular technology. We're fishing a point and his phone goes off for the 8,000th time that morning.

A lady doing yard work nearby stands up and says, "Cell phone? I didn't think there were any cell phones allowed in fishing???"

Me neither... (but I'm now tethered somewhat too although I seem to fish out of reach of the towers a lot...)

[Skulley]

I have to say that the "sweetest thing" is hearing my 12 year old daughter say,"Dad I got another one.  Dad, do the smallies on Lake St. Clair always fight like this.  I just love this lake, Dad.  Can we come back here next Saturday and Sunday???"  Usually when my daughter is fishing with me, the cell phone goes off less because my wife knows that we are having a lot of fun and that my daughter and I are spending precious time together doing what we love...........


BD       

[Revtro]

I keep my cell on me in case of an emergency, but I keep it turned off.  A guy I once knew would keep his on and his wife would call ever half hour for some goofy reason or another.  It drove the poor guy nuts but he just wouldn't turn it off. 

[djkimmel]

I know 'that guy'...