Relaxing after work.

Today was a fun day at work. I mean that in the most sarcastic way possible.

It wasn't the residents, they were fine.

It wasn't my co-workers, they were fine too.

It wasn't the work, since I really enjoy my job.

It was the migraine I had from about 7 am until I left work.

I'm wondering if it's not something in the heating/cooling system ducts that might be messing with me, but it was not a good time in any event.

After I got on the bike and got the wind in my face, my headache went away. The Sabre thrummed along happily beneath me, taking me safely home. Once I got home, my son and I went fishing along the Conestoga River.

We took the car, since my wife wanted to come along, and she sat at a picnic table reading while we loaded some live bait on circle hooks and headed down to the water.

The water itself was refreshingly cool, despite the 90 degree heat, and I had soon settled into the rhythm of casting my makeshift fishing combo out into the flow of the river. It is interesting how necessity breeds odd bedfellows, as I did something with my tackle which would probably give a fly-fishing purist an aneurysm. I paired an ultralight spinning reel with my 15 year old 8 ft fly rod and I was amazed by the flowing casts I achieved. It also made fighting the smallmouth and red-eyes (rock bass) very entertaining.

The Conestoga is, perhaps, not the best smallmouth bass fishery in south-central PA, but it's not far from home and the bass aren't afflicted by any of the issues they are having in the Susquehanna River at the moment (odd fin formations and such).

My son did not do as well as I, but he did manage to hook a bullhead and one tiny smallmouth.

All told, I caught around ten fish, of which none were gut hooked and all were released, though one exceptional specimen (about 14 inches), was allowed to pose with me in the above picture. This was accomplished through the use of a circle hook, which I have come to trust as my weapon of choice for all live bait fishing. Circle hooks, due to their shape, tend to cut down on gut-hooking, which allows for more successful catch and release.

One important note, when fishing for bass it is pertinent that the fisher limit handling of the body of any fish that he or she will be releasing. Bass secrete a protective mucous on their scales which can be rubbed off by the hands of a careless fishermen; however, through use of a net and picking the fish up by the lower jaw, this can be largely eliminated (as illustrated in the above photo). This method does not harm the fish, and minimizes contact with the mucous which the fish depends on to protect itself from bacteria and the like.

It was nice to get out fishing this weekend. I've only been out a few times so far, and I have to say, I miss the sport dearly.