Tuesday, April 10, 2012

SPRING FORWARD

What a crazy start to the spring of 2012! It has been a busy schedule with several Outdoor shows, traveling with the family on vacation and preparing for the upcoming fishing season. Oh, did I forget to mention the weather??? Traverse City hit 86 degrees in March and as I write this, it is snowing on the 10th of April. I'm not exactly sure how this will affect the bass fishing season, but I guess we will all have to wait and see.

The show season this year was a busy one and a lot of fun. I alway's enjoy meeting new people and seeing old friends as well. One of the highlights, is seeing the new products that people come up with. You never know what you will find and then you say "wish I would have thought of that"! Some products are great and others go back to the drawing board. Two products that I found very interesting this year are both made by Michigan companies. The first I'm sharing with you is an eyewear retainer from ARC Outdoors. This is the best eyewear retainer I have seen in my fishing career. They are made in the USA and come with a LIFETIME WARRANTY! Be sure to check them out at www.ausableriverco.com The next product that I am sharing with you is from Luna Sea. They have a product called the "Cush It". This is a unique item that helps cushion the butt of the rod while fighting fish or setting the hook. The "Cush It" comes in a few different sizes and will work for everything from bass fishing to hard core saltwater fishing. Be sure to check these out at www.lunaseasports.com .

Vacation this year was a two part fun fest for the family and I. We headed East to Virginia and then to Washington DC. I wanted to get some more time on the James River to hopefully help out with this years tournament there. The kids enjoyed the Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg and I went fishing. I learned a lot, caught a few fish and I'm looking forward to the tournament this year. This was definitely time well spent on the water!! The second part was heading to Washington DC. I had never been there and really wanted to see our Nations Capitol. We did the whirlwind tour hitting several of the sights. We are definitely going back! Washington DC is an amazing place. It is hard to say what the best part was, but the most humbling was Arlington National Cemetery. If you have never seen this place, make it a point to go. Pictures and words from books cannot describe the actual feeling or sights.

As I prepare for the upcoming season, several thoughts have been running through my head. Will this season be as good as last? Are we going to catch any 7 pounders? What will be the hot bait this year? How many trips will I run? With all of these questions running through my head, I realize that they will be answered as we spring forward into the season and there is no need to rush the answers. However, I can't help but remember the trip to DC. These thoughts and memories are still running nonstop in my head. Seeing all of the graves at Arlington, the World War II memorial, the Iwo Jima memorial, the Korean War Memorial and the Vietnam Wall, leaves me with a greater understanding of the sacrifices made to insure the freedom we have here in the United States of America. The ultimate sacrifice that was paid by the men and women on these memorials is breathtaking to say the least. I will never forget this trip! I will alway's remember the sacrifices made by the names and faces of the people on those memorials. I would like to say thank you to all of the past, present and future people who will put there life on the line to protect our FREEDOM!

Have a Great Day!

Capt Chris