Next time you think you had a cra*py trip, try to match this one.

Took off with 3 buddies on Friday afternoon to head to Wisconsin for some steelie fishing, and drove through intermittent down pours of rain for 6 hours before getting there. Did I mention that the Service Engine Soon light came on, Engine wouldn't shift in to Over drive, and we had no speedometer for 3 hours?

Got to the hotel at 11:00 p.m., unpacked, had a beer while riggin rods and getting ready for the morning. Turned out the lights at Midnight and hit the sack. Did I mention that the drunks coming out of the lounge were cranking their tunes in the parking lot till 3:00 a.m., making sleep virtually impossible?

Alarm went off at 3:50 a.m. and stuck my head out the door to check the temps, and was greeted with 45 degree weather. Did I mention that the wind was blowing 30 mph, and it was drizzling?

Got a cup of coffee, loaded our gear, and were sitting on the river bank at 4:45 waiting for legal fishing time. Did I mention that it began to pour sheets of rain, and the winds picked up, with gusts over 50mph?

Daylight broke at 5:46 a.m. and we began to fish. Out of curiosity, I took a river temp and it was 40 degrees. Pretty sweet temp for this time of the year. As it began to get lighter, I noticed that we had about 4 inches of visibility in the water and it was the color of a cup of coffee with cream. Just for giggles, I put a stick in the water to monitor the water level. Did I mention that the drizzle had turned to steady rain?

About 9:00 a.m., I checked ny marker and the water had raised about 3 inches. Their was a lot of dead leaves in the water, that was making virtually impossible to fish without getting trash on your line, but we kept fishing. Did I mention that they opened the gates on the wier to let all the crap down river? We were inundated with logs, pop bottles, rubbers, leaves, styrofoam coolers, gloves, a few T shirts, and other misc trash that had collected in the pristine water shed upriver, over the course of the last few months. Did I also mention that the water was rising even faster now, and we had 0 inches of visiblity, and the water resembled chocolate milk?

At 10:05 a.m., my buddy had a boneless brown trout to release, so he headed for the Shell station to set it free on a heated potty. Did I mention that the temps dropped 22 degrees between 10:05 and 10:30a.m. and you could see your breath?

At this point we decided to head for the hotel, pack our stuff, and head for home. Got all loaded up, and hit the road. Did I mention that the rain had now turned to snow?

We got about 50 miles down the road, and ran in to full force blizzard conditions. We averaged a little over 10 miles per gallon driving in to the gale force winds. Did I mention that the wind was still blowing with gusts over 50mph, and every time we hit an overpass or bridge, the Yukon slid over a half lane without turning the steering wheel?

We drove for about 6 hours, and went through several spots where we had complete white outs, and could not see 10 feet from the end of the hood of the vehicle. Cars in the ditches, over turned tractor/trailer rigs, multiple car pile ups, and glare ice patches on the road that lasted for miles. Did I mention that we had to take some back roads at times to avoid sections of the Interstate that had been shut down by the Highway Patrol?

Made it home safe and sound by dark, and threw all my gear on the work bench in the garage. Did I mention that the kids were playing in the snow outside, while I was gone? Did I mention that they left both garage doors open, and half of my garage had 2 inches of snow in it?

Just re-packed my stuff a few hours ago, for my next planned weekend get away, which is March 23rd. Can't wait to go. Did I mention that my wife and kids think I'm a dumba*s?

Can't imagine how they could think that way, hawk. What, just because you risked life, limb, and property for a fish?

sounds like a perfect trip. like last week when it snowed 3 inches in about 15 minutes while we were floating down the quinault river. ( wind was blowing about 50

Hey brado
That just seems like a normal day on the river for you doesnt it
Dances Out

sucks to be you :p :p :p :p :p :p :p

Sounds like 75 percent of my trips to the Hoh....

Oh, yeah, Hawk?

Well, the last time I got out, it was 44 degrees out and I had to wear a sweater. The sun hurt my eyes so I had to wear sunglasses.

Getting out of my truck, I spilled coffee on my boot.

Then I walked down to the river and only caught one.

All right. I guess yours was worse.

Gonna be out here this spring?

Fish on...

Todd.

The question is did you catch any fish, hawk? j/k

I'd say you definitely qualify as a dedicated fisherman! And you're ready to di it again.

KB, the answer to your question is no. I got skunked.

Believe it or not, it's the first trip since 1994, that I didn't land a fish on every day I fished. A 7 year streak has come to an end.

I turned 40 at the end of February, and my whole world is turning to [Bleeeeep!].

So Hawkster, do you want a little cheese with your whine?

Geez. hawk, and WE'RE supposed to feel sorry for YOU back there in the midwest?

Now THAT'S a streak that was begging to be broken (kinda like the U of Miami home win streak ). Your arms must look something like Popeye's, huh?

We're glad to hear you survived your trip. I gotta say, any guy willing to put the effort in like you do, deserves to be rewarded with a streak like the one you were enjoying. Time to start a new streak now.........think you can beat the last one??