9-1-11

Sitting up here at the cottage reading the Deneki Outdoors Newsletter (info@deneki.com) and thought our readers might appreciate Deneki’s advice to their customers about making the most of their days on the water.  Some of it is Alaska and Andros Island specific but nonetheless applicable to our Michigan fishery.  So here you are:

How to Have a Better Fishing Day
1.   Look up and take it all in.  We all fish in some amazing places – don’t forget there’s beauty above the water too.
2.  Get to know your guide.  As in, ask them some questions besides which fly is their favorite.  Some pretty righteous folks like to guide – ask about their lives!
3.  Turn off your phone.  Work will be there when you get back, and you’re not going to be able to deal with anything that comes up on the water anyhow.
4.  Try different stuff.  Fish for dollies instead of salmon or sharks instead of bonefish.  Catching different fish in different ways is fun.
5.  Learn about the area. Is there a subsistence fishery?  What’s life like for the folks who live here?  What are the local conservation issues?  Understanding more about the place will give you context and that makes it a much richer experience.
6. Take pictures of things besides fish.  You’ll be amazed after your trip how nice it is to have pictures of the dining room, or the inside of the boat, or the folks sitting around the campfire, or your guide’s fly box.
7.  Bring along a novice.  Better yet, bring along a kid. Teaching people to fish is incredibly rewarding.
8.  Forget the numbers.  We count fish sometimes too…but forgetting the numbers takes the pressure off and works wonders with the ‘take it all in’ factor in #1.
9.  Drink lots of water.  Wherever you are, you’ll feel better at the end of the day.
10.Give back.  If you enjoyed your time on the water, consider supporting an organization that supports the fishery.  It’s the right thing to do, and it feels good!

Tight lines,

Captain Tom Kuieck