School vs. Fly Fishing

Blog Forums Fly Fishing School vs. Fly Fishing

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  • #3022
    Michael Exl
    Member

    So I’m sitting in my 11 o’clock class the other day thinking about what I’m going to do with the afternoon. It is just beautiful out and I know I have been dying to get out and fish. The only problem was that I have two exams the next day that I needed to study for with one being at 7:30am. I thought its way too nice to be in the apartment all day studying. I’m going fishing. I knew that if I was going to go out I was going to go all out. So I decided to head north and go after my favorite species.

    It took me about 2 hours of driving to get to my destination. Now I had over a 2.5 mile hike which took another hour. So there is three hours that I could have been studying but it was just too nice out. As soon as I got to the water I knew it was going to be a great day, I could see fish all over. I got geared up and began casting to some fish.

    After about 10 minutes I’m hooked up. The line is flying off the reel quickly followed by the backing. In a matter of moments I have 75 yards of backing out. I finally turned the fish and began to bring in back in. After about 20 minutes of fighting the fish I get a good look at it, right about 30lbs. I’m thinking what a way to start the day. As soon as I thought that the line goes slack. I won’t say what came out of my mouth, but many of you could guess. I composed myself and got ready for round two.

    I’m hooked back up in about 5 minutes. Same routine line zooms out, but only about 20 yards of backing. I know it’s a nice fish but not on par with some of the others swimming around. After fighting the fish for about 10 minutes I finally have my prize. It’s not the biggest but its always nice to get the skunk off.

    Have to do my carp pose.

    Back to fight another day.

    After releasing him I continued to fish for another couple hours hooking up to more carp. The biggest I estimate being right around 35lbs. I got off the water and began the hike back to the truck and the long drive back to Purdue. I didn’t get back until midnight and studied for a couple hours. Woke up took my exams, almost positive I got A’s on both and will have A’s in the class. So after looking back on the trip I figured I made the right choice.

    #25093
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Rookie… 😉

    My buddy and I would pass each other on our way to class and a simple look from one of us determined if we were skipping class or not.

    #25095
    Avatar photoSteve K.
    Member

    Nice Bandito!

    I’m not gonna ask where….but damn that looks like salt water.

    #25094

    Yeah when I was finishing up my PhD I found myself going fishing an awful lot during the week.

    #25096
    todd settle
    Member

    Nice choice Mike. The tug trumps school everytime.

    #25097
    Tim Pommer
    Member

    I skipped out today too.

    #25098
    Gary Sundin
    Member

    Gawd!

    #25099
    Aaron Otto
    Member

    So my first two years of college we’re in MN.

    #25100

    Stupid question.

    Why do you think it took me 10 years to graduate?

    Pick a profession that allows you many days on the drink…………………….right, Bill?

    #25101

    BTW-nice ass carp.

    #25102

    Get it while you can boys!

    #25103
    Avatar photoBob Riggins
    Member

    Yes, you made the right choice if you made a good grade on the exam.

    #25104
    kevin powell
    Member

    In school I was an avid kayaker and would always schedule classes to meet the needs of my trips – no mondays or fridays. Good for drinking as well, in Athens because the drink night was always Thursday.

    #25105

    Lando’s right… We both became school teachers, because we love kids so much. Oh yeah, and it gives us a lot of opportunity to fish.

    When we were going to college together Lando and I would work until 2:00 a.m., go musky fishing at 4:00 a.m., then go to school, and then goto work again that night. Not sure when we slept, but fishing was much more important than sleep.

    #25106

    You can sleep when you are dead.

    #25107
    Neal Osborn
    Member

    I graduated from 27th grade 😮 and spent the better part of my twenties studying.  Although I don’t regret any part of my training I do wish I had a memory of skipping school and catching a big fat hog like yours.  Nice fish, great pics.  

    BTW, Mike, what’s that in your right pocket?  Hope your not picking up bad habits (tippet or chewbacka?)

    #25108

    7 years of college down the drain…

    Good choice…

    #25109
    Michael Exl
    Member

    Neal,

    That would be some tippet in my pocket.

    #25110
    lee church
    Member

    I’m feeling more and more at home on this site w/ every post!  This being my 5th year of post-secondary…4 undergrad, 1 med school.  I feel like I’ve gotten the fishing/studying combo down to a science.  I usually have to pay one of my buddies in half cases of beer for his notes or “befriend” some good looking women in the front-row…you know the type!  I’ve never been one to sit in lecture….we refer to it as “death by PowerPoint” not my style!

    Aaron, your story is all to familiar to mine…ROTC, O’Chem, etc.  Only exception is that I went/go to school in Duluth so my drive is a bit shorter!

    Y’all are great thanks for the thread Mike…good luck w/ your studies my man, its all about balance!

    Churchy

    #25111
    todd settle
    Member

    Thanks for making me feel old Lee. No powerpoint in my day, just the old overhead projector and a grease pencil.

    Brings back memories of Diff EQ and trying to stay awake.

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