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November 11, 2020
Official BobLee Fishing Update … Plus…
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Several months ago I announced that I have “taken up fishing again” after a half-century hiatus. I promised you occasional updates on how this possible life-altering decision was progressing. Here is that original column. … Here is the first occasional update.
Completely Unrelated Update: My Most Unusual Dear Friend Albert Long officially entered “The Pearly Gates” two weeks ago. As expected, Danny Lotz, Clyde King and Dr Billy Graham were on-hand to welcome Albert. Heaven is just a tad bit “goofier” with Albert in-attendance … and that’s just fine. I miss him.
Where was I? Oh yeah … My Fishing. As Blondie and I keep saying about “cutting our TV cable” six months ago … “We shoulda done this years ago.” I shoulda resumed “Fishing” years ago… but better late than never.
I can’t imagine how much I’m going to enjoy it once I start actually catching fish on a regular basis. … As most “guys who fish” will tell you … “catching fish” is not the #1 reason we do it … it’s maybe #3 or 4.
I am “freshwater fishing” at Raleigh-area lakes and ponds. Being “without watercraft of any sort” I am restricted to “bank fishing” … with One Exception to be discussed a few paragraphs down.
I do not anticipate purchasing “a watercraft of any sort” for the same reason I don’t own a chainsaw … or a pet python. The strong potential for personal injury outweighs the benefits.
“Taking up Fishing” has many similarities to “taking up Golf”. Sure, you can go out and purchase oodles (…and oodles) of fancy equipment and think that will assure your quick success. It does not.
“Being proficient” at Fishing or Golf or pretty much anything with any degree of difficulty takes time and learning the basic fundamentals. Deciding “how good you want to become” is another issue that you have to come to grips with.
Malcolm Gladwell says it takes 10,000 repetitions to become “really good” at any skill activity.
I forget the % but a high % of golfers rarely if ever “break 90” but still enjoy the other aspects of the sport… such as hanging out with people you may not especially like for 5-6 hours listening to the same “dirty jokes” they tell every time. That aspect drove me from Golf cold turkey almost 20 years ago. … and I’ve never regretted doing so even once.
The comparable “other aspects” of Fishing – like I am doing it – beyond “catching fish” are … being out in a serene natural setting … being alone with as few distractions as I choose (I do have my audiobooks) … and the possibility that despite my limited knowledge of the finer points of the sport – I STILL might hook a 5 lb bass with my next cast.
I “go fishing” a minimum of 4-5 days/week these days. I leave home around 6:30-7 AM … can be on-bank at any of three legitimate nationally-ranked public-access lakes within 20-30 minutes – Falls Lake / Jordan Lake / Shearon Harris and a dozen smaller lakes and ponds … “fish” for several hours and am back home by mid-morning.
I have invested maybe $350-400 in equipment and “stuff”. Knowing what I know now … I could get by with probably $250 of “stuff”.
There are literally 1,000s of free YouTube videos available on ANY question anyone might have on any aspect of Fishing.
Staying with the Golf analogy … “they say” starting out in Golf it is essential you develop the correct “grip”. Without that nothing else is going to work right. The equivalent in Fishing is “learning to tie knots”.
I’m not talking about “Fly Fishing” … just any type of Fishing that involves artificial lures or live bait. You cannot escape the need to know how to correctly tie several basic knots. As with the golf grip … until you do, the other stuff isn’t going to work right.
I do not suffer from arthritis nor do I have pudgy fingers. BUT … after three major eye surgeries (and #4 coming up in December) my Depth Perception is not conducive to working with monofilament fishing line AT ALL. It has been a struggle and my reactions to the struggle have not always been “in an adult fashion”. In the past two weeks I seem to have “turned the corner” with my knot-tying and now only take 10 minutes for what should be a 30-second task. That beats the previous 20-minutes it used to take. Grrrrr…
Every Time I go out … I LEARN SOMETHING. That may sound silly but it’s true. What clothing to wear … what “stuff” do I really need to carry … where to go and where NOT to go … which area convenience store carries the best chicken salad sandwiches … etc. Of the 30+ artificial lures I have – I could get by with just four! If none of those four attract the fish, there simply are no fish in the area I am restricted to.
Being restricted to “bank fishing” is like “trying to play golf with a driver – a 5-iron – and a putter”. Yes, you can do it but there is a limit to how successful one can ever be doing so. One must accept those limits. The secret to “bank fishing” is gaining access to a “well-stocked private pond”.
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“The Legend of Joel Munday …” 
This year Blondie and I decided to give each other and Kid and Pastor Danny (soon to be “Priest Danny” but thats another story) one “expensive” Christmas gift rather than a bunch of stuff none of us need. That rule does NOT apply to ReRe, YaYa and “Incredible Baby Danny” of course. I chose a for-real Bass Fishing Guide Experience.
Fate and Google led me to Outdoor Expeditions USA … and Joel Munday. I spent four hours on Jordan Lake last week with Joel. He now has an ad over there on the right … which indicates it probably went well. Unbelievable!
We met at 6:30 AM at a Jordan Lake boat launch. Joel pulls up in his pick-up pulling a $100,000 “Bill Dance Eat Your Heart Out” Tricked-Out For-Real BassMaster Pro Bass Boat. It had more “electronics” and sonar gear than a nuclear sub.
1st Rule: Do Not Touch Any of The Three $10,000 Computers … 2nd Rule: Don’t Step on Any of the Dozen or so $300 fishing rods. 3rd Rule: Do Whatever Joel Says or else … 4th Rule: Don’t Forget that 3rd Rule. I managed three of the four.
Joel approaches Being The Best Fishing Guide You Can Imagine like a Personal Trainer. He’s been doing it for 20 years. If you are serious about “learning how to catch bass” he WILL teach you. If you just want “a leisurely day on the lake” he will give you that … but don’t call him to rebook. He is serious about what he does. Joel Munday is AWESOME!
So … We’re 10 minute out into a major section of Jordan Lake. Joel turns off the motor and sets the trolling motor on GPS. He picks up one of the $300 rods (not the one I stepped on!) and points to a buoy in the channel. “Here’s what I want you to do…” and he casts a “shakey head” about 30 yards within 10′ of the buoy.
The lure hits the water … Joel flips the bale on his reel … Three Seconds … he jerks the rod high overhead … and within ten seconds he boats a 2 1/2 lb largemouth bass. First cast … Ten seconds … a 2 1/2 lb bass. WHOA!!!
I’ve seen a few How Did He Do Dats in my life … That immediately made my “very short list”.
For the next four hours … I listened to Every Syllable this Fishing Magician uttered. I was in the presence of a “Bass Fishing Socrates”. Yes, I did catch a pound/half bass myself and hooked another one … but I learned more in those four hours than in 100 hours of YouTubes. I’ll do it again next Spring. Unbelievable!
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With so much time fishing, I took on the challenge of listening to a 50-hour James Michener novel – Chesapeake. Almost finished that one … with Michener’s 56-hour TEXAS in the queue.
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Yes, I am well aware that America is in the midst of The Greatest Political Conspiracy in its 250 year history. #2 isn’t even close. I have chosen to make my daily contributions via Facebook with my 3,600 “Friends” over there.
… BobLee’s Most Shared Recent Facebook Posts
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Recently read the latest Mitch Rapp book , very good , but creepy because ,what he writes about seems to come true ! Hope all is well. Did you survive the grands visit ? Regards, Edward
We had a Grand time. We will have them back for most of January as Pastor Danny / Kid prepare for a relocation from Wisconsin to Richmond VA in May.
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Kyle Mills seems to have negotiated a successful transition taking over Mitch from Vince Flynn. Aways a tough hurdle…
I need a lesson on all these social media platforms that people are supposedly fleeing mainstream FB & Twitter for.
Faebook vs MeWe …. Twitter vs Parler … YouTube vs Rumble.
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I am currently on Facebook AND MeWe … and Twitter AND Parler. I rarely “Twitter” these days but I do post on Facebook extensively … and simu-post on MeWe and Parler. I have never been active on YouTube or Instagram. … I also use NEWSMAX for my “news”.
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Too early to tell how all this will “shake out”.
I already had a bass fishing addiction. Now my brother-in-law has me hooked on speckled trout fishing. I guess that makes bass fishing a gateway drug.
I will be fly fishing for trout in Western NC in two weeks. THAT could really be addictive!
Check out a wacky rigged senko. It will change your life. I have caught many bass on senkos a few miles north of your old stompin’ ground on the creek at county line. Also look up a whopper plopper. If you get one, watch the hooks. They be very sharp. Fishing has it’s own language, but you have likely already figured it out.
I have tried wacky rigs but no luck … yet. I am in a “shakeyhead addiction these days.
Haven’t tried a shakes head. I’ll give something else a brief try and go back to senkos. Maybe one day.
A ShakeyHead is basically a Senko worm with a weighted head. When it is on the bottom it floats vertically head down … you slowly retrieve it letting it rise and fall …
the “bank” at Ft. Macon awaits your presence…
I “might” give “salt water” a try come next spring!
the fish are bigger and taste better. if your preferred method is the fly rod, find Capt. Joe Shute @ AB.
“taste” doesn’t matter as I am 100% “Catch / Take Pic / Release”. When I decided to Return To Fishing my first stop was The Orvis Store to consider Fly Fishing. Ended up at BassPro Shop since lots more Bass around here than Trout. … That said, I will Fly Fishing w/ Good Friend Bo in two weeks at a Western NC Private Stream… Should be Great Column Fodder!
So glad you are enjoying fly fishing. It is one of the most serene sport I know. I am always more interested in the environment I am in than in actual fishing. Come on out and do some of the best fly fishing in the world. Himself use to fly fish all winter on sunny days. Age has prevented that now as he was always in the stream. . So glad to hear that soon to be Priest Danny and the family might be closer to you and Blondie soon. What a special family. Love hearing about the growth and… Read more »
Longtime BL Buddy Bo and I will be fly fishing at a private trout camp in Western NC in two weeks. Should be excellent column fodder.
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Soon-to-be-Priest Danny & Family are 99.9% certain to be moving to Richmond VA in The Spring. Our dear mutual friend “Betty Lou” is ready to take them under her wing!
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I have both Centennial and Texas in my queue. Will have to decide tomorrow. 50+ hours is a “commitment”.
“… and that’s why I don’t own a chainsaw or a pet python…” I can hear our dear friend Albert saying “How in the world does he come up with stuff like that?” … LOL
I checked and they DO have WiFi in Heaven!
Stuff> I started out trout fishing in N C Mtns. with 3 flies., my neighbor only took 3 or 4 flies with him on each outing. I bought a semi cheap fly rod and used an old tool box, since I was a beginner, to carry my stuff”! Well needless to say, I now have a tackle box full to the brim and a vest full of ready to grab flies. I prick my fingers every time I adjust my hat full of stuff! The rushing water and trees that catch my cast from time to time and the birds… Read more »
HA! I’ll take a Shakey Head worm (watermelon or pumpkin) – a Mepps Spinner – a Baby Bush Hog – and a Hula Popper … and catch more fish in a year than all my 30-40 other lures combined. . Jerry at Outhouse Tackle told me last week … “Take the rod/reel ypu are most comfortable with … keep the lure you are most comfortable with always attached to it … take it every time you go out regardless of what other “stuff” you take. At the end of a year, you will have caught twice as much on that… Read more »
Wow!! Thanks BobLee! That is fantastic and you are a talented writer. I will share this!
HA! As soon as you boated that first bass on your first cast at 6:45 … I knew it was Incredible Column Fodder!
What a clever idea for a Christmas gift! I’m really buying into the giving ‘memories’ instead of things, so this year my brothers and I are giving my mother a weekend in the NC mountains- her favorite place to be. I hope the soon to be Priest Danny means your grandbabies will be closer to you and Blondie. 🙂
99.9% chance “Pastor Danny” will become “Asst Priest Danny” at an Anglican Church in Richmond VA … just 2+ hours away! We’ll know this Sunday!