Basic Training And Fishing Fever

[coryn h. fishowl]

         I'm honestly not sure what the goal of this post is, nor how well I can still form a grammatically correct sentence after the reduction of multisyllabic words in my vocabulary (and steep increase in my five letter word vocabulary) that I underwent in Army basic training. Including reception, it had been more than 11 weeks since I had gone fishing. Although based on how long the days felt, one would think that all that army funding that certainly wasn't allocated towards our crappy hand-me-down gear, was used to build a time lengthening device. Not having anything to read actually helped mitigate the pain of being exposed to information about the newest Rapala I was missing,and through some amazing act of willpower, which most likely entailed more laziness and a deep yearning to hear music than actual willpower, for the thirty minutes we usually were given our phones a week if we were perfect, model little G.I Joe's, I managed to force myself away from this website. Being as Bass Resource is so laden with nostalgia of all the fishing gear I left behind that when I close my eyes I can almost smell the sweet (to use this term lightly) fragrance of Powerbait and can nearly feel a treble hook caught in my hand...or that one time, as a child, that my back cast went to far and almost tore more than my shorts. Luckily I knew that pain probably meant I shouldn't cast forward.

         Anyway, I'm now far away for Fort Sill Oklahoma and the entertaining artillery strikes that I know would have been both my saving grace and biggest antagonist in my fishing adventures, should I have had the opportunity to go fishing. It would be my salvation for the convenience of providing me with an excuse as to why the fish are spooked, due giant HEAT rounds that I can even feel the shockwave from, and my most extreme annoyance for the frustrated fits of profanity laden, boot stomping that I would have felt justified in executing, being that I could blame artillerymen,that would actually be the thing terrifying bass...it's a vicious cycle. Now I am at fort Huachuca Arizona, at AIT, and in a few weeks I will be afforded the freedom to do such things as go fishing or hunting, and though you can lease the gear to do so from a sportsman center, my noble pride...and complete inability to notice or catch the money flying out of my wallet at light speed as I walk through a Cabela's convincing myself with the fervor of a drug addict or a priest that I need this or that bait to live virtuously, laden with the burden of a massive stringer of bass (about which I will be exceptionally humble of course.) Simply put, it would seem that I have lost the ability to fathom what it feels like to have a fat bass in my hand, to have a long black pole that isn't the barrel of a rifle...and most of all, to walk like I have all the time in the world. So help me remember what that's like. Tell me how your season is going, about the trials and tribulations of your longest haitus of fishing, or if you are military then about your deployments...especially if you were sent to a place where the only water was buried under dunes that mockingly flowed like water. Hell, tell me your poor ice-locked sons of guns about your cabin fever...because given that I spent the better part of my winter seasons losing my already frail grip on sanity in Illinois winters or succumbing to OCD-like repetitive, stubborn behaviors in tiny Louisiana, chocolate milk farm ponds...it'll make it all seem fair that I now get to fish while it's your turn to deal with the ice; (unless you're one of the homicidal, psychopaths we call ice fisherman) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[coryn h. fishowl]

my computer did that thing again where it double post...meh, I'm to tired to care and I got wakeup at 4:00 a.m....no matter how used to it I become...waking up before 6:00 without a fishing pole or a bow in my hand seems like a cardinal sin

[Bluebasser86]

Thank you for your service and hopefully you'll get to hit the water soon, sounds like you need it 

 

Been a really mediocre season for me. Numbers have been okay, size has been severely lacking. Been staying close to home with my son having not even being a year old yet, trying to save money where we can. The local lakes aren't very good for anything of any size unfortunately. When he was born I went a month without fishing, that's the longest I've gone in a long time and it was rough!

[Skeeter Dan]

First I want to thank you for raising your right hand to serve and protect our nation.  Now drop down and give me 25 and say more pt Sargent.  Our Troops that are still fighting can't bass fish.  So I fish for them. After A I T  if you get to stay state side you'll be able to go bass fishing. If your not N.G.or A.R. the ARMY will send you where ever they need you that you can count on. Their choice not yours.  So stand proud .        

[Sam]

Be patient and come home soon.

 

The bass will be there for you.

 

As for "Fort Silly" --- see any rattlesnakes?

 

When I was there for ROTC and then some Signal Corps training we saw some B-I-G rattlesnakes.

 

No places to fish but who would want to fish in that area of the country with those snakes around.

 

Thanks for your service. Make sure your insurance is with USAA and come on home.

 

P.S.  it is still illegal to shoot fish with an M-16 in the states!!!!

[BrownBear]

It’s a dry heat…lol.

Fort Huachuca, been there, done that, loved Huachuca Canyon, about the only place that had any trees and running water around. One thing I found from being in the Army for 20yrs, is that you make the best of what you can where you are stationed. Go see Tombstone(get the Death by Chocolate at the restaurant across from big nose Kate’s), Phoenix, the Copper Mine in Bisbee and the Grand Canyon, point is just go and have fun!

 

So the fishing has been good here in Georgia for me, caught some of my PBs here just enjoying the time out on the water.

Thanks for your service!

 

Chief Oz

[desmobob]

Thank you for your service!!!

 

No matter how long you have to wait between fishing trips, the fish will always be waiting for you.  And the patriotic fish will be waiting especially for you.

 

Tight lines,

Bob

[hatrix]

I can't believe they let you use your phones in basic. I would of guessed you would of been at relaxin jackson and not sill. I guess maybe they all do now. I wish I they were gave us anything let alone a phone. Don't worry though buddy because lots of posts have lake on them that are well private since its military and are usually never fished. Some even have multiple and are good size. I wish I could go back again and fish the places I fished in Georgia. I put a hurt on some fish and all I had to use was the junk they sold at the PX on post. There is some giants out there for sure that no one knows about since no one fishes it. Get a map once you go to AIT and you might be in for a treat. There is no guarantee it will be easy to get there and you might have to make your own way since it might be in the middle of woods but its could be a gold mine.

[ColdSVT]

you have bigger fish to fry right now new guy...the fish will wait trust me. they waited for me for 12 years...actually they got bigger!

[coryn h. fishowl]

Be patient and come home soon.

 

The bass will be there for you.

 

As for "Fort Silly" --- see any rattlesnakes?

 

When I was there for ROTC and then some Signal Corps training we saw some B-I-G rattlesnakes.

 

No places to fish but who would want to fish in that area of the country with those snakes around.

 

Thanks for your service. Make sure your insurance is with USAA and come on home.

 

P.S.  it is still illegal to shoot fish with an M-16 in the states!!!!

Haha, no rattlesnakes, but plenty of scorpians and giant beetles. Snakes don't bother me, I grew up playing with copperheads, removing them for people in Louisiana. Yeah, all my stuff is with USAA, after all, I have to get paid a day early so I can go through those slim Px pickings first lol...and unfortunately we can't shoot any wildlife, no matter how much more tasty they would be than the Chow Hall food. However, I did see our resident 6'5" big sonofagun, freak out when a bird landed on him at the range while I drill Sergeant told him to do pushups for interacting with the wildlife...and whoever coined the name Fort Chill or Fort Silly is full of crap lol, but Jackson is laid back.

 

It’s a dry heat…lol.

Fort Huachuca, been there, done that, loved Huachuca Canyon, about the only place that had any trees and running water around. One thing I found from being in the Army for 20yrs, is that you make the best of what you can where you are stationed. Go see Tombstone(get the Death by Chocolate at the restaurant across from big nose Kate’s), Phoenix, the Copper Mine in Bisbee and the Grand Canyon, point is just go and have fun!

 

So the fishing has been good here in Georgia for me, caught some of my PBs here just enjoying the time out on the water.

Thanks for your service!

 

Chief Oz

Thanks, as soon as I get a pass to go anywhere n base...food is priority, followed closely by fishing. 

 

I can't believe they let you use your phones in basic. I would of guessed you would of been at relaxin jackson and not sill. I guess maybe they all do now. I wish I they were gave us anything let alone a phone. Don't worry though buddy because lots of posts have lake on them that are well private since its military and are usually never fished. Some even have multiple and are good size. I wish I could go back again and fish the places I fished in Georgia. I put a hurt on some fish and all I had to use was the junk they sold at the PX on post. There is some giants out there for sure that no one knows about since no one fishes it. Get a map once you go to AIT and you might be in for a treat. There is no guarantee it will be easy to get there and you might have to make your own way since it might be in the middle of woods but its could be a gold mine.

Thanks for the advice! I've been picking the brains of the firearms dealer at the Px about fishing holes.

[Skeeter Dan]

Haha, no rattlesnakes, but plenty of scorpians and giant beetles. Snakes don't bother me, I grew up playing with copperheads, removing them for people in Louisiana. Yeah, all my stuff is with USAA, after all, I have to get paid a day early so I can go through those slim Px pickings first lol...and unfortunately we can't shoot any wildlife, no matter how much more tasty they would be than the Chow Hall food. However, I did see our resident 6'5" big sonofagun, freak out when a bird landed on him at the range while I drill Sergeant told him to do pushups for interacting with the wildlife...and whoever coined the name Fort Chill or Fort Silly is full of crap lol, but Jackson is laid back.

 

Thanks, as soon as I get a pass to go anywhere n base...food is priority, followed closely by fishing. 

 

Thanks for the advice! I've been picking the brains of the firearms dealer at the Px about fishing holes.

No you can't use hand gernades either or hand cranked field phones. Could have been worse you could be at Ft. Polk La. Tigerland USA Uncle Sam Ain't Released Me Yet US.ARMY RAAAAAA

[Rhino68W]

Good ole Fort Chill! I went to Relaxin Jackson haha. Anyways, I'm a medic at Riley and I have bee having a good year. Bank fishing has been fun and productive all year long, but with winter rolling around, I will soon be in your situation. Godspeed and you will be fishing soon enough. Save your money there at AIT and stay away from the females, just dont do it, guy...