winter blues

[mtreno]

oh boy - its going to be a long winter if i am starting like this. found myself talking to myself this morning saying things like "its cold, rainy and grey, great day to be on tonka" - "i bet the ice is moving off harriet, think i could get the boat in?" "what about the criox? guess there is no better time to start learning that"

the muskie boxes are all cleaned out and organized. leaders are all put away nicely. hooks are all sharpe and ready. rods and reels are still sitting in my bedroom looking vary lonely. net is folded up and even has that pike slime washed out.

the nights are getting long - every muskie video has been watched to the point of knowing them word for word. all the old musky hunters and esox anglers have been re-read. picture pages worn out of course.

missed fish are haunting me. keeping my sleep short. cold sweets - shaky hands - the urge to do a figure 8 in my icehole has gotten out of hand. talk about addiction........ i was never told about the dangers of two much muskie fishing in high school health class like i was told about drugs and drinking.

i have some reels that need work as well as a rod eye to be repaired. a trip to thornes will get me by another day. but what next? Chicago muskie show? think they put fish in the pool for the pool demo?

how is this world fair? hunting and muskie fishing end at the same time and a guy has to get bye just starting down a icehole. dont get me wrong - i love icefishing - but i think its lost its edge for me.

i hate to say it - but maybe its time i went out and found myself a girlfriend...... maybe even a muskiewoman for this muskieman

[RK]

Hiya -

Hehehe...you have it bad man...

This is probably some kind of blasphemy, but to tell the truth by the time things ice up, I've usually had enough. I keep up a pretty frantic pace during the summer (I was home 2 weekends between the 1st week in May and mid-November) and I get pretty ground down by late fall. Plus I do get a charge out of ice fishing, so the BOSS and I try to do that as often as we can. (My wife's into open water fishing, and she's caught some pretty big muskies, but she's an absolute nut when it comes to ice fishing) I put my gear away a while ago - set aside baits that need work, did some culling of baits that didn't make the cut this year, etc - and I won't really start thinking about getting gear ready until April when the ice gets too crappy to fish. Generally speaking I don't watch fishing shows (I'm on a couple coming up this winter - REALLY won't watch those...heh), unless it's saltwater stuff that I'll probably never get a chance to do. Do end up at a lot of sport shows though. Other than writing and editing, I sort of forget about it for most of the winter. I keep my hands full during the winter with the magazines and some other stuff (may be working on a book this winter actually) so that keeps my mind off it.

You want to get tortured though... I'm working on the spring issue of The Next Bite - Esox Angler right now. Article after article about early season muskies, etc. I'll be working on the fall issue before the season even opens. Puts a big exclamation point on how short the season really is..

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[Scoot]

RK,

I don't suppose you'd mind sharing what book it is that you might be working on this winter, would ya? Also, would you mind sharing who you might be working on it with? I've got a guess...

If it's double-top secret then don't sweat it- I'm just curious and nosey!

[cjac]

I'm passing the time being a personal shopper for mtreno, I'm having fun spending his money! Matt, what else do you need?

My goal is to read.....lots........then apply. I know essentially nothing, others do know lots. I'm dumb but not stupid, I will listen to those that do..... Jonny P told me one day this summer to go eat lunch and come back at dark, I should have listened. Caught nothing but a sunburnt neck! I also want to spend a little more time in '07 learning about and chasing the metro tiger population, such a pretty fish and 20+ lakes right here with them stocked. Anyone have any success with them?

[RK]

Hey Scoot-

Sorry I missed this... Can't go into detail on the book yet - things are still in the planning stages... Should know more by the end of next week. Not working on it with Pearson though. I think he's working on one, but I don't know how far he's gotten. Talked to him today and should have asked, but all we did was talk deer hunting - heh.

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[Scoot]

RK,

Yep, you nailed my guess right on the head. Glad to hear Pearson is working on another book- I've read MOTS about a dozen times now. I'd be curious to hear what it is you're brewing up when the info becomes available for public consumption.

Take care,

[mtreno]

thanks for the help cjac...... sounds like you got on order the last rod on my shopping list think i am going to put that off. i still have a few things i want to get for the boat for next season and the budget is getting a little thin. hope my powerball retirement plan kicks in early.

[cjac]

Anytime Matt! Yeah, that stick I have coming be sweet!

The pooch is headed for surgery tomorrow, so I can relate to the limits on the budget. Gotta do what's right though, she's a good dog.....

What does the ride formerly known as the Badger need? I thought she had it all!

You and I will definitely hit it this coming season.....

5 months

1 week

1 day

4 hours

9 minutes

Later, Chris

[mtreno]

1. a new kicker (been looking at the t-9.9)

2. new graph (sold the x-15 with the old boat and have just the x-19 now - want to put that on the bow and something new on the dash - most likely a 110)

3. bow mount minnkota needs to be fixed (just that stupid gyro deal they all get) and thinking of adding a co-pilot.

4. x-19 keeps resetting and needs service

got someone barking at me to put a new evenrude on her and are willing to almost give it away but i dont think i want to deal with that yet. shes got plenty of hours left and is plenty fast already - but she could be faster.....

over 5 months left...... better not start the count down now that could make the winter even longer.