UPDATED 10.7.18 My 39/39 Challenge has ended.

[8theB8]

Here are the latest updates from last weekend:

Skamania County: Ashes Lake 1.9lb smallie

Clark County: Horseshoe Lake 2.2lb largie

I blanked in Klickitat (access and WIND), lost the one that mattered in Yakima and blanked in Wahkiakum (tidal, lack of fishable waters, lack of fish? lack of access,,,saving this one for LAST)

[8theB8]

Clark:

[Amx]

Not many counties to go.

[grubowski]

You're getting close. I'm impressed. I once had a big goal, though not quite as involved as this one. My goal was to catch 2000 fish in the year 2000. I didn't make it so the next year I tried for 2001 fish in the year 2001. I kept falling maybe 150 fish short until the year 2010 when I got something 2040. After that I was done with that goal though.

On a side note, I made it to Spencer and found plenty of smallies, but they weren't very large. Were you at the far end from the launch where those larger points are? I really need to get a faster vessel than a float tube.

[8theB8]

Yes, far end and the farthest point right.

[8theB8]

Well, I had to go back and re-fish Columbia County last week (Thursday 8/9) and the trip went terrible! I launched originally at Lyon's Ferry State Park and ran to the right on the river....well, that put me almost immediately into Walla Walla County

I noticed this mistake while I was checking boundaries for Wahkiakum County...it sparked my interest so I reviewed all of my stops on the rivers and discovered my mistake on Columbia County. I also came close to screwing up Walla Walla County, but fortunately I jumped to the correct side before catching my fish there! Being a man of my word (not that anyone else would give a rip) I had to return and actually complete Columbia County correctly.

It was 105 degrees when I launched. By the time I boated the 1.1 squeeker smallie about 4 hours later, it was 112 degrees!! It was so hot at the end that my GoPro would only run for about 3-5 minutes at a time before shutting off and the camera itself was hot to the touch! It didn't record the official catch, or the two more I caught and the one I lost shortly after....I had to restart it multiple times and once again just to catch the run back to the launch. It also didn't record my bank fishing experience on Lake Rowland in Klickitat County the following morning??! Maybe time to replace that one?

Anyways, I doubled back to Klickitat County (apprx 4.5 hours) after leaving Columbia County and accidentally got routed into Oregon?! Where I had to sit through a stupid vessel inspection before returning to the Washington side! I was so focused on getting to my overnight destination before they closed that I nearly ran my truck out of gas along the way found a gas station on the WA side with 17 miles to spare Then, Friday morning, I woke up to 17mph winds that would build throughout the day to 35mph

Forces were aligning against me it seemed. I could not fish effectively! The frustration monster started eating at me. My work phone never stopped. I was getting tunnel vision on bait selection, catching nothing but 0.5-0.8 pound bass and I found a crack in my boat trailer while launching at Maryhill State Park Friday!

I finally snapped! With the thoughts of work piling up back home, the relentless wind, vessel and trailer issues, the oppressive heat, my own narrowing brain, access issues due to boat selection and a few other things, I pulled the plug and headed home fairly early Friday. I was disgusted and frustrated at the thought of having to drive 4-5 hours back to Klickitat County for a FOURTH attempt and that just added to everything!

I hit the brakes hard!! On the way home, I had plenty of time to process everything, I realized I was only upset with myself. This adventure is supposed to be fun! Not a race but a quest. Not a competition but an accomplishment. I was upset and frustrated with myself, period. I forgot to "fish" and began to "pound"! Repeating processes that have worked elsewhere, expecting the same results everywhere. Sometimes that's works, it's when it doesn't that you need to keep your head in the game and expand your approach! I was frustrated by the amount of techniques and areas I left on the table. I decided it was time to take a break for a couple weeks and decompress. Fortunately, this decision was made far easier on the way home, when the transmission on my truck started leaking!!

Not a good trip overall from a 'luck' standpoint, but a blessing in disguise I believe?! Getting repairs done will leave me no option but down time. Down time will rejuvenate me, and put me into September with falling temps, both ambient and water, which should only improve the fishing

It also may result in a new truck?! Which after 10 years in a one ton, going back to a half ton will be like driving a cloud around (a one ton with overload springs will test your kidneys even on a "smooth" road). I also gave up hunting Sold all my gear and left that hobby in the rear-view mirror along the road of this quest! I am an angler, simply put. I get more enjoyment out of 30 minutes of fishing than an entire season of hunting. It was beyond time to walk away...

So that's where it stands....I'll be back out there but my foot will be off the accelerator! I intend to slow down and thoroughly enjoy the last six counties

[Mike Carey]

I like your thought process...when it becomes a task it ceases to be an enjoyable past-time. I've had the same issue in the "quest" to catch a day's limits, forgetting it's the experience, not the results, that matter most. A break is a good thing sometimes!

[grubowski]

I just had a similar conversation with my sister about a disappointing photography outing she took into the Utah mountains where she didn’t get the shots she wanted. Sometimes we get so caught up in our hobbies and put so much pressure on ourselves that we completely forget that it’s supposed to be something that takes away stress, not create it.

Thanks for the info on Spencer. That’s kind of what I figured on the location. I think a John boat or Hobie is in my future next year.

[tmusky1]

Was watching your video thinking, "8's hitting burnout here"
Good decision to temporarily call it and pick up later.

P.S. that part about the work emails not stopping...I heard that, brother

[8theB8]

If I downsize my truck I may need to downsize my Jon Boat from a 12 to a 10?? I have modified it pretty nicely and managed to keep it light enough I don't need a trailer at all! Not sure if it would fit your needs or not?

Every email I received was someone not understanding what they were talking about and ALL of it was stuff I handled before I left

Shutting it off from here on out

[tmusky1]

You could keep your 12' jon boat and just pick up one of those load support extensions that slide into the hitch. Just a thought.
The Do Not Disturb feature in my phone gets used often when I'm fishing, that way my family can still contact me.

[8theB8]

More concerned with the width than the length?

[tmusky1]

Is it over 4' wide?

[8theB8]

Beam on both is 55" so it may not matter after all...

[grubowski]

If it’s too big for your new truck it will likely be too big for me. I just have a little RAV4 so it will probably need to be on the small side. I’m curious about your modifications though.

[8theB8]

Well, I'm not going to lie, it wasn't easy taking the weekend off

I almost rented a truck and headed for Clallam County with the kayak lol

I have downshifted mentally and really scolded myself for the techniques I didn't try but, plenty of time and locations left

Truck came back with a clean bill of health and the trailer was an easy fix so I will be back in business this week and weekend...now if the smoke would just clear out! I may hit Island County one night this week and possibly Clallam this weekend? The following weekend is Labor Day and I will gladly skip travelling that weekend. But, with any luck, I will be down to four counties by the following weekend and am looking forward to just taking fishing trips from now on. Doubt I will do any more multi-county marathons? Have to see how it goes. Everywhere but Island is a 3+ hour run one way so if I get somewhere and punch out quickly I may just continue on...

I did modify the map to give the smallies their proper credit

[The Quadfather]

Always enjoy the update, keep up your journey.

[8theB8]

Let the games resume 8.26.18

Staying on the Westside at first, now that the weather has cooled.

I have a game plan that could potentially put me at completion on 9.9.18?!

[8theB8]

Well I got off work at noon on Thursday and headed for Clallam County. Four hours later I was launching at Beaver Lake. One hour later I was on my way to Ozette (my original plan). I was only intending to check the place out for a future trip as it's a huge lake and I only had my Jon Boat. I walked out on the dock at the boat launch and spooked a couple bass out from under it! I hoped back to the truck and grabbed my Senko rod....moments later I was hoisting a 1.4 pound largemouth and checking off Clallam County!

Totally unexpected but I will take it! 5 counties left.....

https://youtu.be/x6WdO9mOORU

[grubowski]

Nice! My wife and I were both offered jobs in Port Angeles before we were offered jobs down around Olympia. One of my main reservations about Clallam was the lack of bass. I’ve always been curious about it.

Out of curiosity, where did you get your bass in Grays Harbor? Not a ton of options in this county either.