FOLDER #1

ENCOUNTERING SEA MONSTERS WITH ART SIMPSON, BLUE WHALES THAT MAKE OTHER WHALES LOOK SMALL, THE DOG SNAPPERS’ MAGICAL ABILITY TO EXERT WHAT SEEMS LIKE HUNDREDS OF POUNDS OF THRUST IN WATER WITH JUST A TAIL , DORADO JUMPING 3 FEET IN THE AIR TO TAKE A SARDINE DANGLED THERE, A HUGE MARLIN TRYING TO STEAL A 100LB. TUNA THAT I WAS TRYING TO GAFF, CAPTAINS WHO STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF WHAT APPEARS TO BE NOWHERE AND THE FISH THAT INSTANTLY BITE THERE, THE RELIGIOUS NATURE OF SKIMMING ACROSS A LIQUID MIRROR INTO THE SUNRISE, BEING IN THE MIDDLE OF A BAIT BALL THAT IS BEING FED UPON BY MARLIN, TUNA, DORADO, AND WAHOO AT THE SAME TIME, 18 INCHES OF RAIN IN 22 HOURS, HOOKING A SAILFISH 2 FEET FROM THE BOAT AND HAVING PEPE YELL AT ME WHILE HE FRANTICALLY TRIED TO ESCAPE THE CRUISE MISSLE THAT OUR FORMER PREY HAD BECOME, 90 DEGREE DAWNS, THE MOMENTARY BUT TIME STOPPING PANIC OF HAVING A FULL GROWN HOLSTEIN PROPELLED BY AN APPROACHING SEMI DOING AN IMITATION OF A HOCKEY PUCK WHILE MY SUBURBAN WAS TRANSFORMED INTO THE GOAL, STILL LOOKING FOR THE GREEN FLASH THAT I NOW ACKNOWLEDGE EXISTS, SEEING FISH AS BIG AS HORSES 10 FEET ABOVE THE WATER, D-REX READY TO GIVE HIS ALL WHETHER YOU WANT IT OR NOT, ACRES OF DOLPHIN VOLUNTEERING TO PLAY, OLLIES’ SHIRT, THAT FATMANBELLYFLOP NOISE THAT A BIG DORADO MAKES COMIN’ DOWN FROM THE SKY, THE ANNOYING BUT GRUDGINGLY ADMIRABLE PERSISTANCE OF NEEDLEFISH, HOW CLOSE TO SHORE GIANT ROOSTERFISH ARE WILLING TO COME, THE “WHAT ME WORRY” ATTITUDE OF PELICANS, GUYS WHO CAN THROW A 60 POUND PERFECT CIRCLE AND BRING IT BACK SHIMMERING WITH LIFE, CATCHING LADYFISH WITH A SINKER AND HOOK, WAHOO BECOMING AIRBORNE AND TAKING SPREADERBARS ON THE WAY DOWN, THE PATIENT STUBBORNESS OF BILLFISH OR TUNA WHEN THEY ARE WITHIN SIGHT OF THE BOAT AND SHOULD SURRENDER BUT DON’T, PARGO LISO EATING 99 OF THE 100 DEAD SARDINES WITH THAT 1 HAVING YOUR HOOK IN IT, 100’S OF TUNA ERUPTING WHEN AT THE END OF A SUCCESSFUL DAY LALO POURED 5 GALLONS OF LIVE SARDINES OVER THE SIDE AND THE SAME WITH DORADO WHEN ENRIQUE DID THE SAME ON A RARE JANUARY SCHOOL OF DORADO, THE 7 FOOT HAMMERHEAD TOWING A BUOY LINE WITH MORRISON, JORGE, AND I WONDERING AT THE VELOCITY OF THE “CURRENT”, THE QUIET ON THE WATER THAT REALLY ONLY BECOMES LOUD AT NIGHT, AND THAT’S THE ONES THAT COME TO MIND THIS EARLY ON A NEW DAY.

FOLDER #2

THE EVER PRESENT BUT NEVER LIT CIGAR IN JIM DWIGHTS’ MOUTH, THE INCREDIBLE FORCE OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT AS EXEMPLIFIED BY SO MANY PEOPLE THAT PERSIST AND ADAPT EVEN THOUGH ANY REAL HOPE FOR A SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER FUTURE IS CRUSHINGLY DIM, MISSIN’ BETTY, THE READY SMILE AND OPTIMISTIC ATTITUDE DISPLAYED BY REALLY GOOD FISHERMEN FROM ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, THE STRONG AND RESOURCEFUL PEOPLE HERE WHO ONCE YOU EARN THEIR LOYALTY WILL STEP FORWARD EVEN WHEN YOU ARE DANGLING OVER THE FIRES OF MORDOR AND TO DO SO MAY DRAW UNWANTED ATTENTION TO THEMSELVES, MARK HENNESSEES’ FRIGGIN’ STORIES, WAYNE FLANSBERG RIPPING THROUGH LIFE WITH THROTTLE WIDE OPEN AFTER 70+ YEARS, A 10 YEAR OLDS’ LOOK OF SURPRISE WHEN THEY HEAR DAD USE LANGUAGE AT BREAKFAST THAT WOULD ONLY BE HEARD AT HOME WHEN WORKING ON THE CAR, VERN AITON GRACIOUSLY ATTEMPTING TO HERD THOSE CATS BUT THEN VERN DOES EVERYTHING WITH ADMIRABLE GRACE AND APLOMB, THOSE OF SUCH MORAL WEAKNESS THAT THEY COMFORTABLY AND WITHOUT PAUSE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EXISTING STRUCTURES AND SITUATIONS TO ENDANGER THE LIVES AND LIVELYHOODS OF OTHERS FOR NOTHING MORE THAN MONEY OR SPITE AND THEN ARE MAD WHEN YOU LATER DON’T SHOW THEM “RESPECT”, SMALL KIDS HOLDING UP SMALL FISH WITH PRIDE BEAMING AND LARGER KIDS POSING WITH LARGER FISH WHOSE FACES CLEARLY SHOW THAT THEY HAVE JUST PASSED A SELF IMPOSED RIGHT OF PASSAGE, CAPTAINS DOING THEIR BEST TO HELP CUSTOMERS WHO ARE BENT ON STOPPING THEM FROM DOING SO, RICHARD ZIMMERS’ ASSUREDNESS, GRINGOS WHO SHOW SUCH GENEROSITY AND KINDNESS TO PEOPLE THAT THEY DON’T REALLY EVEN KNOW, MY DAUGHTER ASKING ME “WHAT DO YOU REALLY MEAN BY THAT?” WHEN I TOLD HER TO “BE CAREFUL” UPON HER EVENING EXIT FROM THE HOUSE, CORNELL CONFRONTING ANY AND ALL, DAVID GOODES’ EAGLE EYE, THE BROAD LINES THAT WE SO NARROWLY DRAW BETWEEN OURSELVES AND OTHERS, CAPT. FRED ARCHER STORMING INTO OUR LIVES AND MAKING THEM BETTER AND MORE ENTERTAINING, THE SATISFIED LOOK THAT 12 YEAR OLD BOYS HAVE WHEN AN ADULT ASKS FOR THEIR OPINION AND THEN LISTENS, KEN ALLENS’ CONCRETE FRIENDSHIP, THE SUPPORT OF LOVED ONES EVEN THOUGH THEY’RE PRETTY SURE THAT YOU’VE FINALLY LOST IT, HENDRIX WIGGLING HIS DIGITS TO CALL THE FISH, THE FELIX UNGERS AND OSCAR MADISONS AMONG YOU, THE TREMBLING WEBLEY IN HIS SUMO HEADBAND, REAL AND REEL FRIENDS, THE DUTCHMAN LIVING LIFE ON HIS OWN TERMS AND REMAINING A GENTLEMAN, GEORGE FRENDSHUH’S HAT, MY WIFES’ TENACIOUS SUPPORT WHEN THINGS SEEMED BLINDINGLY DARK, FAST EDDIE’S UBIQUITOUS “CAN DO” SUPPORT, OUR KIDS EXCELLING IN SCHOOL WITHOUT A “SSL” PROGRAM, THE RELAXED EASE WITH WHICH BIRGER GNEUSS TRAVELS, PEOPLE WHO STOP TO OFFER AND THEN HELP YOU ALONG THE WAY EVEN THOUGH YOU’VE NEVER MET THEM, JOHN CANNFIELD SAYING “IT’S ALL GOOD”, FLY FISHERMEN IN FULL REGALIA, CHILDREN FOLLOWING THE BREAD CRUMBS TO ADULTHOOD AND BECOMING YOUR FRIENDS AS WELL AS OBLIGATORY GENETIC SUBORDINATES, RANDALL HOUSTON CASE AND HIS EVER PRESENT RANDYNESS, THE CONTAGIOUS NATURE OF KINDNESS, THE TRUCK DRIVER HELPING ME TO CHANGE MY TIRE LOOKING UNDER THE CAR AND JUST STARTING TO GIGGLE WHEN HE SAW MY VACA UPHOLSTERED OILPAN, ENRIQUE’S SHOULD BE FAMOUS QUOTE “MI CORAZON ESTA A FUERA”, THE LOOK ON EVEN THE MOST EXPERIENCED FISHERMENS’ FACE WHEN HIS PANGA HITS THE BEACH AT 20 MPH, THE GUYS THAT CATCH “THE LARGEST FISH OF MY LIFE” ON EACH OF THREE CONSECUTIVE DAYS, RANDY “ROBIN HOOD” ODEN ON PIG PATROL, FOLKS DEBATING AD INFINITUM WHETHER THEY WANT 12 OR 13 BEERS IN THEIR ICE CHESTS,THE PRIDE THAT FATHERS BROADCAST WHEN SONS OR DAUGHTERS COMPLETE A SUCCESSFUL FISHING TRIP, HOWARDS’ DIBILITATINGLY TERRIBLE JOKES, TEENAGERS AND PARENTS PUTTING ASIDE THE AGE OLD STRUGGLE OF GROWING UP TO GO FISHING TOGETHER, BILLY MC CANN RECANTING THE ONGOING SOAP OPERA AT THE REDWOOD ROOM, THE ANTICIPATION ON THE FACES OF FISHERMEN AS WHATEVER IT IS RISES OUT OF THE DEPTHS, RAMON WANDERING AROUND IN AN OPERA INDUCED FOG (I’M NOT SURE WHERE PENZANCE IS BUT HE’S THE PIRATE), YOUR KIDS DOING SOMETHING THAT TELLS YOU THAT THEY REALLY WERE LISTENING, JANES’ SUCCESSFUL STRUGGLE TO FIND HER ROUTE, JAMIE LAWSON A NEW AGE RENAISSANCE NERD OF THE FIRST WATER, THE AGELESS JOY ON GENE DAHMS’ 85 YEAR OLD FACE AS HE CRANKS HIS ALL ON A YELLOWTAIL, FIGURING OUT WHAT THE HELL JORGE IS TALKING ABOUT AND WORRYING BECAUSE IT’S KINDA STARTING TO MAKE SENSE SORTA, THE OLD SCHOOL CHARM THAT RED DAVIS HAS BY THE TON, KIDS OR ADULTS WHEN THEY DISCOVER OR REMEMBER THAT YOU CAN HAVE A GREAT TIME WITHOUT CELL PHONES/LAP TOPS/FACEBOOK/IPODS OR ANYTHING ELSE WITH A CORD, BATTERY, OR HEADPHONES, MIKE JAMES PRACTICING HIS UNIQUE VERSION OF VERY PLEASANT AND SUCCESSFUL DISORIENTATION, THE BEMUSED CONFUSION THAT THE CAPTAINS HAD WHEN A VERY OUT OF THE CLOSET LESBIAN TRAVEL GROUP WENT FISHING, ROOSTER BILL RESPONDING “RIGHTEEO” TO BOTH WORDS OF CAUTION AND ENCOURAGEMENT, DAYS WHEN CUSTOMERS SAY “THE FISHING WASN’T GREAT, BUT BOY DID OUR CAPTAIN WORK HARD”, THE WASTE OF NOT SQUEEZING ALL FROM EVERY MOMENT, THE FOLLY OF TAKING YOURSELF TOO SERIOUSLY,
AND A LIST OF MENTAL MUTTERINGS THAT COULD, SHOULD, AND HOPEFULLY WILL CONTINUE GROWING FOR A LONG TIME.

THANKS TO ALL,
DAVID