fishing 101

believe it or not... i like to fish.

or actually, i liked to fish the way i did when i lived in New Orleans. a group of friends would get on a boat with food, liquor and fishing gear. we'd fish, eat, lay out, sleep, drink and continue the cycle until it was time to head back to shore. (remember, i was living in NEW ORLEANS where laziness is a pastime and drinking is as part of the culture as shaking hands) who wouldn't love that, right?

so, when i found out that a friend of mine loved to go fishing, i begged him to take me. as i described to him how we fished in new orleans, he went on to explain to me... "serena, that's not fishing." i didn't understand. you don't usually drink hard liquor on fishing trips? girls always wear bikinis, right? can i still wear my "shut up and fish" hat?

nevertheless, i pleaded for him to take me...

first, he took me freshwater fishing at irvine lake. pretty fun trip. i'm able to catch a few fish, but the best part? as he was reeling in the huge fish he hooked, that sucker jumped about 5 - 6 inches OUT OF THE WATER. i am not exxagerating. of course the whole time, i'm so damned excited that i don't know whether to get out of the way or God forbid, (gulp) try to help him. i opt to get out of the way. he manages to snag a 7.1 pound trout. can i get whoop, whoop?

that's him holding the fish in the picture. and that next picture - that's me holding the same fish, but oddly, its a lot bigger in my picture, i thought that was pretty funny, but i don't think he thought that was funny at all. the rest are just random pictures i took throughout the day.

(side note: my friend is a fishing fanatic... he has an artillery of fishing gear. i think i saw maybe 40 poles, all lined up in little pole-holders, it kind of looks like the frames that pool halls use to hold pool sticks. i would go on to tell you what else he has, but i have no idea what all the little thingamijiggies are called. anyway, he's a fishing nut, but a pretty damn good fishing nut.)

one night, i happen to be hanging out with my friend and found out there was still room on this big trip that they're planning to take in june. my eyes lit up. that's the weekend right before my birthday! what a great way to celebrate!

after much debating with my friend:
"are you sure you want to go on such a big trip first?"
"yes, but will helping me keep you from having a good time?"
"as long as you do what i say, it'll be fine"
"uh, do you remember who you're talking to? me? do what you say?"
nevertheless, he made the arrangements... and i was booked!

ok - before i continue i believe it is necessary to cover some fishing terminology and what i will call my own guide to fishing. i'm sure i'll get some of these wrong, but what the hell, right? besides, i'm sure i'll get a call from my friend to correct me. but remember, this is just a small intro to the world of fishing for beginners. here goes...

boil, boiling - this refers to what happens when yellowtail are in an area looking for their next meal, there some type of flipping action that takes place that causes the water to look like it's boiling.

halibut - THE BEST AND HARDEST FISH TO CATCH EVER (haha, just kidding - you'll understand this one later)

bait - the prey for the predator - basically, it's carrot on the stick that snags the fish, cheese on the mousetrap, you get the point, right? but, alas - there are a few different types (live, plastic, jigs, etc).

live bait - this type of bait is pretty much just like it sounds, it's still alive. (ex: mackeral, anchovies or sardines, worms -for freshwater, or even squid). sadly you chuck these slimy suckers into the water with a hook in their mouth, use them for a few minutes - and then throw them away. but they're great to use because even though they're hooked, they still swim around. i keep imagining what THEY are thinking as they're being flung out into the water.

plastic - this type is probably a little more well known... it's these little rubbery things that look like a fat gummi worm - only the colors tend to be a bit more drab.

jig, jigger - this bait should be used by people who know what they're doing, since it's usage involves a bit more skill and knowledge of the mind of a fish. basically - it's long, oval-shaped, pointy at both ends and looks like it's ceramic, but isn't. it usually has a hook with three points at the end.

deep color, "i see some color" - this means that someone actually sees the fish that they're trying to reel in. keep in mind, that it takes awhile to get that fish brought in. you spend a lot of the time reeling in, then letting it go out - because those fish put up a good fight. so when you finally see it in the water, you have to call for help to get the sucker into the boat.

gaff - this is a huge pole with a sharp, thick hook at the end. it's used by the deckhands to help you pull the fish in.

casting - the act of throwing the end of your fishing rod, the part with the hook and bait, out into the water. this sounds much easier than it looks though. it involves just the right combination of the right flick of the wrist, a thorough follow through, and knowledge of the weight of your bait. (wow that rhymed!)

OK - now for some little tips:
(please note: this is nothing compared to what you need to learn to actually catch the fish)

Tip 1 - always watch your bait, while you're casting. b/c, as i'm told, if you don't pay attention, you could inadvertently hook a fellow fisherman instead of a fish. (ladies, by "hook" i mean that yes, you will get his attention, but he will also have a hook attached somewhere to his body, usually accompanied by bleeding... so it's not the good type of attention)

Tip 2 - really paying attention to the line and how tight it is getting winded back onto the reel. i saw one guy, with a freaking bird's nest attached to his fishing pole. also, i didn't do too great of a job with it either, and had to watch my friend spend FOREVER fixing the line. (BTW: that bird's nest? it's called "backlash" and remember... backlash is bad.)

Tip 3 - when someone says coming through - they really mean coming through. when someone's got a big fish, they have to let the fish drag them a bit, and that means that they are often having to scurry along the rail. when that happens, you HAVE to watch and determine the quickest method of getting out of the way.... or else be the reason someone loses their fish.

Tip 4 - this one's more of an FYI - my friend told me this one... 10% of the people on a boat usually catch about 90% of the fish. amazingly, it's been pretty much on target for the last two trips i went on. the point? if you don't know what you're doing, don't fret if you don't catch anything AND - if you want some help, ask the guys who just pulled in a 30 pound fish, NOT the guy standing next to you, just cause he looks friendly.

Tip 5 - wear clothes and shoes that you don't really care about. because they will smell like fish. not to mention the fact, that most of the time, you're walking and squishing on dead bait.

Tip 6 - when you're standing around, you should always face outward. throughout the trip, the deckhands will throw bait (over your head) and into the water. obviously, since the bait is wet, if you happen to be facing them - expect some nasty bait well water in your eye.

Tip 7 - if you're lucky enough to hook a fish, when you go to pull it in, leave it in the water until someone can help you get it into the boat. i know the anxiety of seeing your catch is exciting, but it won't be exciting for long if the fish starts shaking it's head so much that it gets unhooked before you pull it in, which can happen easier if they're hanging in thin air.

Tip 8 - eat the food in the galley. i swear i had the best costco patty cheeseburger i have ever had in my life. i hear the galley food is always hella good.

Tip 9 - invest in what i will call a "rod holder" - it's a belt that you put on like you put on one of those fanny packs. only this one is made of leather, and has a little cup that you can insert the end of the rod into. this is where you can put the pressure of the rod to help you hold the rod steady, and also save your groin from a nasty bruise.

Tip 10 - if you are going to go on a hardcore trip like this, go with someone who knows what they're doing. my friend is the only reason i had such a great time, because i have to give him props, he knows his fishing shit. first of all, you need gear (rods, reels, line, bait, weights, hooks, etc). then, you need to know which poles to use to catch which fish with which bait with which weight. confusing yet? see what i mean?

also, people that know how to fish, actually understand how the fish think, how they take the bait and also how they try to run with it. this helps SO MUCH, because they can tell you the best way to get that fish in.

Tip 11 - there's some joke about eating the heart of the first yellowtail you catch. it's a myth. don't do it. (i didn't hook one on my own, so no one tried to get me to do it, but someone told me later it's a joke they play on newbies)

Tip 12 - be nice to the deckhands. they are "priceless" on these trips. they wil help you with just about everything you need. they make their money on cleaning the fish for you and tipping... so be sure to remember that at the end of the trip.

Tip 13 - keep switching the bait. the ones that are starting to die out on you aren't as feisty. it's a pain in the ass, but it helps. that means that you should also pick the ones that are swimming harder.

Tip 14 - HAVE FUN

The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope. ~John Buchan