An empty calendar means it’s time to go fishing

I’ve said it many times before, and I’ll say it again — there is no better feeling in the world than having nothing to do and all day to do it.

Last Saturday, I finally had one of those coveted days. After three weeks of intense landscaping work, business travel and other miscellaneous chores, the clouds literally and figuratively parted to reveal a wide-open, 75-degree Saturday.

Priceless.

All week, I looked forward to my fishapalooza. On Wednesday, I made a stop at Sportsman’s Warehouse to grab some supplies, including an impulse buy — sneakers designed specifically for traipsing around in the water. They weren’t cheap, but I highly recommend them for anyone who spends a lot of time fishing on foot. After one trip, I can already tell the new kicks were a sound investment.

On Friday night, I made all the final preparations. I packed a lunch, re-spooled and tuned up my reels and loaded the car. If you think this all sounds totally geeky and slightly obsessive-compulsive, you’re not wrong. But preparation is vital to any successful trip (and it’s kind of fun, too).

At last, the Saturday sun came up. There was not a cloud in the sky and just a hint of breeze in the air.

Promising.

After a quick breakfast, my trusty companion Winston and I were ready to rock and roll. Winston is a 5-pound Yorkie, but he’s the toughest, most intrepid 5-pound Yorkie you’ve ever met. And he loves the sight of his life jacket because he knows it means we are going fishing!

We met up with my buddy Justin and took off to our top-secret honey hole. When we arrived, it was already getting warm, the fish were active and we had the place all to ourselves.

Perfect.

We caught lots of great fish, and lost a couple big ones, too. We won triumphant battles and fought frustrating snags. We chugged ice-cold ginger ale and crunched flamin’ hot chips. Winston found a nice soft spot for a nap, occasionally wandering over to have a snack or check out our latest catch.

We came. We saw. We FISHED.

As the sun chased the western horizon, it was time to pack up and hike out. We drove home with two nice stringers full of panfish and a pretty decent sunburn. But, more importantly, we returned with that one-of-a-kind feeling that comes from a day full of doing what you love most.

Because, like I said before, there is no better feeling than having fishing to do, and all day to do it.

Here’s hoping one of those days comes your way soon. Tight lines!

This story was originally published April 5, 2016 at 8:25 PM with the headline "An empty calendar means it’s time to go fishing."