Field Notes from Jess ~ Rewilding in 2021 | Week 28/52 | Summer
Jul 04, 2021
Field notes from Jess ~ Rewilding in 2021 | Week 28 of 52
Part 1: The Battle
Chinook Salmon Fishing
With my new Lamiglass 8’6” pole and spinning reel (early b-day present from Scott), we put the phones in airplane mode and loaded the truck for 3 days of Chinnook Salmon fishing.
This trip was some kind of rite of passage for me. I’ve come home exhausted, elated, injured, stronger, defeated, wiser.
The Battle:
4 am wake-up to get a good spot on the River (3 days in row), welcome to combat fishing
Tick embedded into my thigh (found it while relieving myself at night in the woods with my headlamp on, oh the horror - see pic)
A Squirrel bit my toe while I was taking a mid-day nap in 90 degree weather
Poked my eyeball with a stick (luckily it’s just sore)
Thought I had a “fish-on” so when I aggressively set the hook…the line came flying back at me and I hooked my own butt (luckily it just went through clothing)
Had to pull an embedded tick out from Scott’s butt (I’m not joking)
Bruised my arm with my new pole from endless snags and unsuccessful hook-sets - see pic
Logged 10 hours/day casting and now can’t bend my index finger from swelling (it’s twice the size of the other index finger- see pic)
Got heat Exhaustion/heat stroke?
Caught 2 Salmon but one was a Native and had to go back to the river and the other was 4” (a smolt) so I came home empty handed
•••WORTH IT?!!!! Hell yeah.
Waking up before the sun lets you see the moon shine on the river and then transition to the sun rising over the trees
Now I know what a tick looks like and how to check for them. This was my first encounter
Wear close-toed shoes while napping in the forest
Not sure what to say about poking myself in the eye with a stick…it happens?
Wear sunglasses while fishing the river, flying hooks could empale an eyeball
Now I know how to pull a tick out of someone (you never know when you need to save someone’s ass 
)
)Have some info on Wilderness First Aid before heading to the backcountry is a great idea
Sometimes it’s all about the journey….
Part 2 tomorrow: The Victory
+3
