Tuesday, June 18, 2013

D'oh!!!

So, as I plan and prepare what I will be bringing with me on my trip to the Current River in Southern Missouri. I cannot help but laugh at myself for the bone head mistake I made 2 years ago....I forgot my reel. Yep, I had every but my reel. Fly rod, flies, tools, camping gear, food, etc...all packed. We had just gotten dropped off by our canoe outfitter and started loading the canoe. I was putting my rod together when all I needed was the last peice...I couldn't believe I made such a mistake.

This is how I felt, except, I didn't say "D'oh!"

The trip was great, but my fishing was less than spectacular. I ended up tying on a long piece of tippet to the tip top and fishing tenkara style (Way before I even knew that was an actual way of fishing.)

Don't make the same mistake I made. Create a checklist or double check your gear before you leave.

Do you have any similar stories?

7 comments:

  1. You name it, I have forgotten it. What you described is the most annoying. You basically have everything except one peice that allows you to fish. I have been super excited on a cold spring morning only to have forgotten my wading boots. I was wearing sandles and I didn't want to wear those with my waders. Plus they weren't felt soul and I probably would have spent half the day on my butt. It was way too cold to wet wade. I just packed it up and cursed all the way back to the house.

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    1. Ahh man, that really sucks! Hopefully, you weren't far from home. Couldn't even shore fish? Or were you just so angry you said to hell with it. That's a good one...note to self...don't forget wading boots when it's cold.

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    2. The shore was colder than the water on this day. I cut my losses.

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  2. Flies! On one of my Cali trips, I tied up a dozen each of about 4 must have "local" patterns. I got to the hotel and started unpacking - separating fishing stuff from the rest of it - when it dawned on me! I forgot the damn flies!!!!

    So, a trip to the local fly shop ensued and I ended up paying a couple bucks a piece. erg....

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    1. All that time and effort tying those flies, and they were left behind. What a bummer!

      At least you were able to purchase some locally, and able to fish. It could have been worse. haha

      I'm organizing my fly boxes tonight, and I will def have your incident in the back of my head when it comes time to leave.

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  3. I can second Kevin's comment from above. I once drove four hours to an area tailwater only to realize that I had forgotten my wading boots. It was 6:30 in the morning , nothing was open and I wanted to fish after that long drive. I finally decided to don the waders and use my hiking boots as wading boots until one of the local shops opened up. Let me tell you , it's pretty uncomfortable to stuff your boot foot waders in a shoe that's two sizes too small and not made for wading!

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    1. Driving a long distance like that and forgetting your boots. I would have done the same thing. I could only imagine how uncomfortable my feet would be stuffed inside my hiking boots. Did the fishing make up for it?

      On the bright side, you have an extra pair of boots, should your primary ones fail or are forgotten.

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