“Ah, sometimes I grow so tired

but I know I’ve got one thing to do,

ramble on.”

Ramble On – Led Zeppelin (1969)

Just another day of chasing those Knox County, IL strip mine bass – April 21, 2018

You know, at the outset of this project I stated that each post would have an associated song lyric and I’m sticking to it. However, this one sure begged for a movie line so I elected to use it for my title.

If you do not recognize the line, it comes from the movie “Field of Dreams”, one of my favorites as baseball is another of my passions. I always have a good time seeing where these posts are going to go and it’s fun when I can work in a little something extra. But we’re sticking to the fishing part of the outdoors today.

These days my “Field of Dreams” is an expanse or two of strip mine terrain pockmarked by a bunch of fishing holes. If you’ve ever had the pleasure of covering such overgrown, undulating, eroded landscapes on foot you understand that the stuff of dreams can sometimes turn into a bit of a nightmare.

Too many times I have found myself fishing my way into the mess, hopping from pothole to pothole while reeling in solid numbers of bass only to have reality holler at me that it’s a long way back to the truck. Yeah, but there’s one more spot I’d like to hit since I’ve made it this far…and maybe that other one to the east is worth a shot…

Nothing like being well over a mile from the truck, sweaty and beat but with no choice but to put your head down and wade your way back. And that mile plus estimate is the old “as the crow flies.” Folks, there is no such thing as a straight line in this environment. Nor is there anything that resembles “flat” for more than the length of a long cast.

Nope, if you’ve elected to go the distance out, you’re stuck with going the distance back. Every time I do this thing I always wind up with another familiar lyric playing in my head as I kick myself for trying it again.

“I do believe that I’ve had enough.” Time for Me to Fly – REO Speedwagon (1978)

Sure would be nice to fly, too.

Anyway, on the specific trek recorded in today’s screenshot I wound up landing 19 bass. So that’s what, roughly 637 steps per bass? That’s a lot of work, makes you wonder if it’s worth the effort to go the distance.

Stay tuned for the 2019 verdict as those fishing holes open up again in April. Talk to you later. Troy