My love of fishing...

[SandmanTR]

My love of fishing...

I grew up in a family that was always doing something outdoors. It was just in our nature. Camping, hunting, fishing. You name it we usually did it as a family.

Every summer, we’d packed up the travel trailer and usually ended up in a campground somewhere to spend some much needed “quality time” together as a family. My father worked his ass off during the time my brother and I were growing up to make sure we always had what we needed to become successful so we never really had time to bond outside of our vacations. A sacrifice, in my older age, I finally get and truly appreciate with all my heart.

The one thing my father, brother and I all have in common, is our love of fishing. Not necessarily because of the challenge of landing the “big one” (even though we try), but more so because it’s one of the few things in our life that the 3 of us really love doing together.

My dad has always been a simple man and he was devastated last spring when we went out to Colorado for a fishing trip to find that the small boat we’ve been using for a couple of years had had the motors stolen from it. Someone had broken into the storage lot, in a coordinated effort, and cut both the main and trolling motors from the transom.

Pure evil...

...but we didn't let that affect the trip. The 4 days we had on the lake were just as amazing even though we had to rent a boat from the marina. We were determined to not let the incident ruin the experience.

Our campsite

My brother

A bit of fly fishing

Brother, dad and me

Morning catch. 2 Kokanee Salmon and a Cutbow

After the long weekend, my brother and I started looking for a new boat. The planets just seemed to aligned and we snagged the one we really wanted in Nebraska. One badass road trip later and the family once again has a fishing vessel to help us build a new series of great memories.

Just picked her up in Nebraska

Getting ready to go to the lake

Breaking her in.

One of the many Rainbows we landed and ate during the 4 days.

End of the day smoke...

[samb]

Looks like a really great trip!!

[Buch0]

Holy **** that is some serious horsepower on the new girl!! Bet it goes good when giving it a hit on the lake hah looks like fun indeed. Beautiful landscape in Colorado aswell, would love to get there one day..

[stargazer14]

Very nice. Great post.

[Ken Gargett]

enjoyed that. nice stuff.

[bolivr]

Great story, great pics. Thank you.

[Bunker1028]

Great background/pics. I have the same pedigree, at least 6th generation fishhead.

Thanks for posting this.

[GAZHOG]

11 Mile is a fun place to fish, I love going after the pig pike there. Been lucky enough to C&R a 25lb and a couple of 21/23lb northerns from there (three seperate years - last one about 3 years ago). Only get up there 1 or 2 times per year. Very nice camp ground. Sucks about the motor theft, keep your eyes open, they could show up on the water near the storage site. People are not that bright at times.

Not 100% sure about the parking lot shot, but it sure looks like Cabela's! I hope the break in went well and they had the right prop on for you for this elevation.

Enjoy the reata, Ranger makes fine boats.

Nice fishy's in your post also.

[El Presidente]

Fantastic post!

Had everything...tragedy...brothers and father...fishing...cigars....triumph....and not a woman to be seen anywhere

[b0rderman]

thanks for the post...I just can't seem to put the snowboard away for my waders yet...soon enough!

[FlyFishingDude]

Nice feeshes, got a closeup of the cutbow????