Today, for the first time since well before Linda’s surgery at the end of August, I went fishing.
I was a little disappointed.
I probably should have left work earlier, or just not gone at all. But it was such a beautiful day — sunny sky, temperature in the 70s — that I really felt the urge to fish.
So I ran by home to get my gear, then to the bait and tackle shop for my 2005 license, then to the lake. Or a lake.
My first choice was Ogle Lake, in Brown County State Park. It was close by and, being limited on time, seemed convenient. But north entrance to the park was closed, so I had to backtrack to the west gate. Then the road to Ogle Lake itself was closed for construction, so I punted and chose Lake Strahl, the only other fishable body of water in the park.
It amazes me still how many people come to our park to picnic and enjoy nature, even during a cool spring break. The area around Lake Strahl was packed with people. It appeared as though some sort of family reunion was taking place and those who weren’t eating seemed to be either fishing or walking (loudly) around the lake.
Because of the large crowd, I opted to carry in just a couple of small tackle cases and a lightweight rod/reel combo. Once at my destination, however, I realized that I hadn’t even remembered to wear my hat or new polarized sunglasses.
Finally, there appeared to be no fish in Strahl Lake. Of course, I don’t always fish to catch fish, but rather to enjoy the time alone and outdoors. It could have been better, though, if I hadn’t had to jump through so many hoops in order to get going.
Maybe tomorrow?