In I Dee Ho, we wrangle Dinosaurs
Fish On, Hold onto your Ovaries
I know what people think when I tell them I live in Idaho. Visions of potato farms and cow tipping swirl in a cloud of presumption above their heads. Outsider minds will probably throw in a four door diesel truck with a large rifle duct tapped to the back window along with a ‘I heart Pres. Bush’ bumper sticker plus his and her name emblems on each side window. Is that about right? Be honest beyond Idaho border dwellers…..
Today I thought I’d enhance the vision and give you dinosaurs as well. Yesterday when it was clear my fears of having the children home for the summer were temporarily unwarranted. Meaning, they wanted nothing to do with me and defected to fun times elsewhere. I discovered free time on my hands and the Hubs and I opted to go fishing. We flipped a coin which means if I win, we go flyfishing, if he wins, we go bait (ack) fishing. He won. (BTW, hows that up there for a kickin header. Yours truly, minus my head, flyfishing! I continue to amuse myself)
Jaws, without Teeth
Cue the Snake River and the all mighty Sturgeon fish. There’s a huge difference between flyfishing in a softly moving river for trout, size 12 to 20 inches vs. taking on the black swirling vortex of potential death called the Snake River and all that lives out in those evil waters. Hooking a 7 foot monster sturgeon that becomes instantly and irrationally pissed is on a level that does not coincide with the tranquility of say…..”A River Runs through It” ……
When you catch one it’s instant buckle down and hold on for your life. You strap on a hip belt so the end of the pole doesn’t, in a females case, crush an ovary or puncture a uterus and in the case of men, they strap on the belt so they can still call themselves a Male after the ordeal.
I’ll admit……It isn’t even a pleasant time, not in a ‘I derived pure joy’ sort of way. Sure we have the first 5 minutes of excitement, the initial call out, “Fish On” usually followed by an impressive set of sturgeon aerial stunt work, but after a few minutes it becomes a test of strength and mental will power. Fighting a 200 lb fish that is using the current to it’s advantage makes for numb hands and jello arms. It’s pure pain actually.
After 15, 20, 30 minutes of that sort of fun, the experience (and back pain) reminds me of childbirth. I become silent and focused. I can hear people encouraging me along, but all I want is a safe cozy blanket and some apple juice. It becomes, she who talks first, loses all sense of sanity and cries Uncle. But, the last thing I would ever, ever, do, is admit defeat to the male egos around me who constantly ask if I’m doing ok…. No freakin way. I’d let the pole and fish rip my arms out and sacrifice them both to the river before I asked for relief or help. Fun stuff huh!
Run Rebecca, Run
The finale, and fisherman are stubborn about this, is once the fish is at the bank and wore out, the exhausted fisherman is forced to relinquish their pole to another and slide their hand inside the Dinosaurs mouth for a quick picture and release. If you don’t do this official rite of passage your entire torture experience is null and void. You’ll get zero credit for pain and suffering. Fisherman’s rules.(Men must come up with this shit)
So last night, after giving birth to this monster (actually getting it to the bank) I climbed down the rocks and attempted to perform the obligatory tasks. Well, let me tell ya, I put my hand in that vile toothless mouth (task and credit complete, yay me), started to flip it over and that fish had the audacity to beat the shit out of me before a good picture could be taken. Instantly soaked through and through. Good times, good times………
~Civilized Reminders~
So there you go, a new paint stroke in the canvas that is Idahoan persona. We don’t have a lot of things to entertain ourselves in these parts. It’s pretty much, outdoors, outdoors and a bit more outdoors.
But even in Idaho we have cultured rules and civilized expectations. For example, when I went to the bathroom located a short walking distance from the river……yes one with toilets and sinks, I noticed a sweet and significant sign that is surely displayed in other bathrooms across the nation. ???
Classy civilized behavior I tell ya……………now, I must go put my shoulder on ice because today I feel like someone took my hand and yanked my entire left arm out of it’s socket.
All hail flyfishing~
Whoa, Rebecca! You are hard to pin down. Thank God you are leaving trails for us to follow.
Just want to say HELLO and tell you that I STILL enjoy your writing style.
Dee
Dee’s last blog post..Just Checking In
I don’t know why I thought you were divorced and raising the children! I was mis-informed!
mary’s last blog post..Welcome to the Gang
ah ha! I watched your clever About me film and now I know.
mary’s last blog post..Welcome to the Gang
When I was in college I worked at a fish camp. I learned how to clean trout and catfish – you won’t find a single bone in any of my fillets. Go figure, I marry a man who doesn’t eat fish.
Love the sign in the Ladies Room!
Tara R.’s last blog post..Friday SkyWatch ~ 4
I confess, I do think of potatoes, but I really like potatoes. Your adventures in fly fishing were a delight to read. I don’t know if I could have reached into the mouth of the beast! The sign in the bathroom is priceless; I guess someone must have cleaned a few fish in the bathroom sinks in order to inspire the posting of the sign.
Sheria’s last blog post..Laugh Loudly and Often
Haha, yes that is actually almost exactly what I think of when I think of Idaho
Great post, though, and that sign is toooo funny!
Kate’s last blog post..80 Days!!!
You’re actually civilized? I just thought at some point you mistakenly moved there (It was easier to envision than you growing up a Idahoan). Loved the pictures. I would of paid to see you pull in that beast. I love the fact it was feisty enough to still give you attitude before being released.
The sign in the bathroom is priceless…and no we don’t have that in NY. Everything is just shackled down to the floor so it doesn’t disappear. (Hugs)Indigo
Indigo’s last blog post..The Reluctant Friend
Forgot to mention I absolutely adore the header. It’s you in a nutshell.(Hugs)Indy
Indigo’s last blog post..The Reluctant Friend
So I take it hubby baited your hook then? Very cool, but I’m with you, way too much work.
So what you really are saying is that everyone has a fishing rod rack instead of a gun rack on there truck in Idaho.
Mike’s last blog post..Sick Sad World
I prefer boat racing to fishing, but I never thought of you as an Idaho Potato Matron. I know very little about Idaho, so other than David telling me there is an excellent writing program right near your abode(which I did mention to you) & the fact that you have a state of the art Neurological center in your town, I know almost nothing else of Idaho. ~Mary
Mary D’s last blog post..Money can’t buy you bliss…
I know approximately where Idaho is on a map of the U.S. if all the border lines were taken off of it, and, that great potatos grow there (is there an e or not ack), but really not much else. I’d have guessed some good fishing rivers if pressed. I think I’d much prefer flyfishing over a 7 foot pissed fish experience, however. I wouldn’t have assumed the trucks with “Dubya” stickers, though. I know there are stereotypes for us who live in the greater DC area, and they’re not all true, either, especially as far out as I am. At least you had a blog-worthy experience, eh, and all your vital parts intact.
Robin’s last blog post..Do you really want the answer?
Geez, and I thought catfish were bad. Now you’re FREAKIN’ ME OUT!
Craig Boone’s last blog post..Cerebral Debris
Honey, I live in Indiana. I’m feelin’ ya.
Yay for you for landing one helluva fish! WOW! Hope your ovaries survived.
Beth’s last blog post..A good day gone horribly wrong
Dinosaurs in the Snake River? No wonder Evel Knievel didn’t make it across.
Paul’s last blog post..The ABCs of Curling – O
I swear to the almighty Longhorns, gun racks, and chewing tobacco… You described Texas to a T in your first paragraph! Really. Hook, Line and Sinker!
it always surprises me how powerful those suckers are.
Fiona’s last blog post..Casual Friday ~ Throw It At The Wall And See What Sticks
Great “Fish Story”…lol
Reminds me of when I lived on Long Island and would go out shark fishing on my 25 ft. cabin cruiser..and the fight was on!!!
Great job on catching the fish.
Also, when I think of Idaho, I think of the Spencer Opal mines there..some great American Opal comes out of there, some of which I have cut and polished.
Bob
Eaglesbrother’s last blog post..Cosmos/Spring
To be honest with you, I think that it’s the first time I hear about Idaho. It looks like a good place to live and yes, topics and presumptions are horrible. I don’t like them!
David LEO’s last blog post..Let’s fight against 24000 daily deaths – campaign against hunger
I have lived much of my adult life in big cities, and if I had to choose I’d go for an Idahoyan lifestyle. There is much to learn from nature.
harvey’s last blog post..Substance
I am ROFL so hard – how funny…you should get a double heads coin (shhh…don’t tell your hubby) so that next time you flip…you call heads for fly fishing and voila – you win….
brains over brawn!
he he he….
Now that some serious fishing, girl! I’m impressed. Got me a hankerin’ to catch me some dinner now *in best Idahoian*
(too far?)
Huckdoll’s last blog post..recipe for the perfect summer evening
I won’t tell you what the signs in TN tell you NOT to do in the sink;)
Awesome post. I’m jealous, never caught a sturgeon before (Sturgeon virgin?). To me, a 30 minute fight sounds lots of fun!
Chris’s last blog post..Food for Thought
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