A Fisherman’s “Black Friday”

For years, my mother, sisters and I have made a tradition to participate in Black Friday’s chaos.  Where most people go for the deals and discounts, we are driven by the actual competition and staking our claim.  Every year, we try to outdo the previous.  We wake up earlier, we enhance our systematic plan of attack, we find ways to hide the goods the night before to immediately find them the morning of.  Yes, you heard me – HIDE the goods.  It’s all about the competition!  Then, of course, all the players in the game meet at the local IHOP to discuss their attacks, bargains, and injuries over pancakes and hot chocolate.

Little did I know that my husband (and every fisherman of south-eastern Idaho) has the same frame of mind….with the opening day of fishing season. 

The Saturday over Memorial Day weekend , at 12:00am, marks the opening of fishing season on the lake.  And every year, my husband has been present and trying to arrive earlier and earlier.  Apparently, THOUSANDS of people show up that morning with their chairs, rods, and flies.  This year, my husband decided we’d out-do everyone and camp out two nights prior – you know, to stake our claim.  We’d set our chairs out the night before to “save our spot” on then rise up early with our rods to catch the first fish!

Mother Nature scoffed at us that night, trying to thwart our devious plan.

But that didn’t stop the fisherman.

(taken at 5:00am by me from INSIDE the camper)

Don’t even ask him how many fish he caught, or how many people were waiting along the banks of the lake to fish.  I’ll let you guess – with a hint: 

they’re both the same number.

Tagged as: Black Friday, fishing, husband, Idaho, personal