Reminiscing...

They say pictures are worth a thousand words. So I decided instead of trying to talk forever about some of my favorite fishing adventures, I would share some photos of a few of my most cherished memories. The picture of the road is the path you take to get to my secret honey hole, pictured in the lower right. This is near at my grandmother's house outside of Wheatland, Missouri. We will often go down there for the weekend and run trot lines. To find out what a trot line is check out this link: http://www.fishing-tips-bait-tackle.com/trotline_fishing.html! We will go fishing in the creek throughout the day, catching small fish to use for bait. This is where my honey hole comes into play. I always walk out on the fallen tree where I will sit while I fish in the deep pool of water underneath me. Possibly the most enjoyable part is that you are able to see the fish swimming all around you. I will cast my pole and watch the fish fight for and nibble on the bait. We will run the trot line early in the morning, restock it in the afternoon, and run it again late at night. The catfish that I am holding in the picture are our catches from one of our morning runs. 

Last but not least is the picture in the lower left. This little guy is not connected to the trot lines like the other pictures. I actually caught him at the lake just down the road from my house. We were fishing for perch when I reeled him in. It may be difficult to see in this picture, but this tiny little fish swallowed a big ol crawdad! You can partially see one of his pinchers if you look down the fish's throat. I was completely fascinated with  this. It was definitely a first time for me!

Fishing for Fun

Nothing makes for a great summer like a little time spent on the water and being able to come home to fresh fried fish at the end of the day! As we realize that summertime is officially in the past tense, I would like to reminisce on a few of my favorite outdooradventures. Fishing is an activity I have enjoyed my entire life. Often times, people think of girls as too impatient to commit to fishing if the fish aren't hitting the bait. They think we get bored and are ready to leave or dive into the water and take a swim ourselves. While I will admit I have taken a quick swim on an occasional fishing trip, which may not help my case, I always find fishing relaxing and enjoyable whether I catch 0 or 20. While I enjoy a nice large mouth bass or a 25 + pound catfish as much as the next guy, I enjoy the general experience just as much. There's just something about being on the water or sitting on the bank, anticipating what may or may not come along. Whether I am fishing for perch, crappie, bass, or catfish, using jugs, trot lines, or the traditional hook and sinker, fishing is always a treat!

A Family Affair

This photo is from a few years ago. Pictured above is my mother, my sister, myself, and my oldest niece. My sister and I were both born in October, so we usually try to get together and do something in order to celebrate our birthdays. We will spend the morning or afternoon having quality family time and usually treat ourselves to some ice cream afterwords to make up for all of the calories we may have burned throughout the day. It doesn't have to be a special occasion for us to get together for a bike ride. We like to explore local trails as well. We bike the Little Blue in Independence more frequently than any other; however, my mother would really like to bike the Katy Trail someday. Hopefully we will be able to make it there sometime in the near future!

Biking in the Backwoods

With the leaves changing and the radiant colors of fall livening the countryside, October is a perfect time for a bike ride through the backwoods. The heat of summer has subsided and the cool fall air provides for a refreshing outing. Regardless if you are accompanied by a close friend or deciding to ride solo, it is always enjoyable. I feel like a breath of fresh air and change of scenery is able to do wonders for the mind. Whenever I feel stressed due to the burdens of life, I feel that I can always find a way to release those pressures by interacting with Gods wonderful creation. So if you ever get to feeling weighed down by the hectic world we live in, try to take a casual ride through nature and see everything that it has to offer!