THE LAST FISHING TRIP, SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

We never know when we start out, if this will be our last fishing tgrip or not. I saw fishing as if it were your last trip and enjoy as much of it as you can. Even if it is blowing snow/sleet and the wind temps are in the teens or 20�s. ENJOY your time on the water, because we never know what GOD has planned for us. Not being MORBID, but facing life head on. Kind of like the old saying Live Each Day as if it Were Your LAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ENJOY your time on the water, because you never know.

Not being negative thinking or anything, but think about it. If something happened to you and you were no longer able to fish, you would REMEMBER that last day, since it was the LAST ONE. With all the wrecks and deaths in the world, we know we are just marking our time until we die. Not a happy thing, but you cannot get out of this live alive. Just be thankful for what you DO HAVE and ENJOY EACH DAY TO IT�S FULLEST!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHY am I writing this now? Lost a friend that loved fishing and have a cousin that is fighting ALS and I guess I got in a melancholy mind. We never know what life is bringing us and GOD has given us this time on earth to do what we can, not be morose about what COULD have happened. When I became a diabetic at age 11, the good doctors said I would live until I was 38, but they would guarantee that I would be dead by 40. Well, I changed the way I took care of my diabetes, changing my insulin dosage instead of eating the same diet all the time. I modified my insulin to my activities and what I was eating. The first I know of that did this kind of maintenance. Now, EVERYONE does it this way, so I might have been a pioneer with taking care of my diabetes. Maybe not, I just do not know.

Enough about me, let�s talk about fishing. WHAT would you do if you knew you were taking your last fishing trip? Or, would you change anything at all? Interesting question. If I knew that I was taking my FINAL fishing trip, I would try to enjoy things a lot more and not worry if I missed a fish or not. I would DEFINITELY give all my equipment a GREAT going over, because I do NOT want a story of a bushed line on a big fish. I would use baits I had faith in and maybe try some new ones that I have been waiting to try. Think about it, the LAST FISHING TRIP OF YOUR LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well, THANK GOD it won�t be for most of you, but it might be for some of us.

Just to think about it, you might change your trip to fish a lake you wanted to fish, or go back to your old home water to be some place comfortable. Maybe go to some of the Mexico lakes, or not even leave Texas, or go fish a Northern/Western/Southern/Easter body of water to try things a little differently. Either way, you will ENJOY yourself to the MAXIMUM because you know you won�t have any more trips. Just think about that for a second and let it sink in. WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE????? WHAT WOULD YOU KEEP THE SAME??? WHERE WOULD YOU GO?????????

Just some things to think about EACH TIME YOU GO FISHING. Because life is uncertain, we never know what tomorrow brings. We might lose friends/relatives each day of the year, so if YOU are one that doesn�t make it, just think how you might have changes things if you had it to do over again. LIFE IS UNCERTAIN and the devil makes us want to cheat death. Many people ask the question, WILL I DIE TODAY? I do NOT ask questions like that, but more to the point, WHAT CAN I CHANGE TO MAKE THINKGS BETER????????? I know, I am probably a weirdo and not thinking straight, but that was the way I was raised.

Think about it, you very last fishing trip. WHAT would you want to do on the water? Maybe even introduce someone else to this great sport? Maybe take a single trip with friends/family/loved ones and enjoy the day. Nothing wrong to thinking about it, but ACT ON IT!!!!!! Because we know tomorrow is not certain for any of us. ENJOY ALL YOUR TIME ON THE WATER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don�t THINK you will do it, DO IT!!!!!!! Sorry about bringing up a subject most people are uncomfortable talking/reading about, but I am trying to get you to THINK what kind of trip you would enjoy the most. Once you get that idea, DO IT, before your time runs out. I have lived my life with that attitude for MOST of my life, because tomorrow is uncertain and today is the GIFT and yesterday is GONE! Not trying to change the way you think, well, MAYBE I AM!!!!!!!!!!!

To close, imagine your PERFECT fishing trip and try to get to that level each time you go out. Will real life frustrate you with it�s changing variables?? SURE IT WILL, but try to make the best of every situation and if you get lemons, MAKE LEMONADE. It is all about attitude and your way of thinking. Am I trying to change your way of thinking? MAYBE, just MAYBE!!!!! Sorry for the wasted bits and bites, but I thought I might reach someone that is in trouble or thinking that the end is near. LIVE LIFE TO IT�S FULLEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. Make EACH DAT COUNT for something.

Now I am going to get off my soapbox and go to bed. I hope this gets you to thinking about your loved ones and your fishing. Try to make the best of every situation and life is much more fun, at least for me it is.

Respectfully,

Thad Rains

Damn, this does get me to thinking/ remembering. About 6 months before my father passed every time we talked he said he always wanted to striper fish Texoma. Me of course being busy with work and family thought there was plenty of time. NO he went down fast. I'll never forget it.

Thank you for the perspective

Thanks for your post. It fits my situation perfectly.

I spend all my time thinking about living, waste of time thinking about dying. Besides my boat is still in the shop and been there for 5 freakin weeks.
Have a good day Mr. Rains.

I have a picture of an 8 1/2 lber caught right out in front of Vals Landing back in the day at Fork. It was caught on a Black Buzzbait. What is so special about this? It was caught by my dad on the last fishing trip we had together before he passed away. I could spend an hour telling the story of the whole situation about how my dad picked the bait he was throwing and even in my later years when I have trouble remembering stuff, I can still remember that whole day and fishing trip and how awesome it was to have his picture taken and be put on the wall in the restaurant at the time. Then to have the picture given to me after he passed away is a treasure to me.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts Mr. Rains. We all get a step closer to that last fishing trip each day. I have fished with many on their last. Those memories are etched forever. Ever so often I pull up this little prayer to get some piece in how I want it to end.

A FISHERMAN�S PRAYER
Almighty and all-loving Father, we fishermen thank thee for blessings of thy great outdoors, especially the privilege to pursue our sport as free men and women in a free nation.
We especially thank thee for thy Son Christ, who so loved fishermen that He chose four among His twelve apostles.
In years to come, dear Lord, as each bassin� man comes to thee, remember that these are a special breed. Their spirits would not be content to walk alabaster streets as much as�.�Clear waters with quiet chop�. With enough honey holes to last an eternity�. And a bassin� buddy to share it with�.
In Christ's Name, Amen..

Good post. I haven't thought about my last trip but doing a lot of thinking about my last trips with my fishing buddies that have passed or can't get out anymore and wondering how long I'll be able to keep putting my boat in.

I just enjoy every outing and keep hoping it won't be my last. If I know when that time comes I'll pick out my favorite lake and ask my best friend to join me for one last trip together, if he's able to go. At our age you never know.

I noticed my dad slowing down some this hunting season and started to think about the same thing. I took a week off and him and i spent 6 days straight on the water together. Couldnt of asked for a better time! Got to enjoy it while you can!

Thank you Mr. Rains

Almost lost my best friend a couple years back. He says every day is a good day.

My dad took a man and his father out fishing to show him his boat that was for sale. Came back in and as they were putting the boat on the trailer the father was sitting down halfway up the ramp. He was dead right there sitting down after a fishing trip. 70+ years old just never know when will be your last trip. Enjoy them while you got them.

I think this is worth a repeat. Maybe not, because I only got 9 comments on it, but I am going to try to put it back up front to get to more anglers. Sorry it if offends you, but I think it is IMPORTANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tight lines, keep safe and good luck.

Thad Rains

Don't worry about that Mr. Rains. We are old school. Our post are long, specific to what fisherman need to know, will absolutely help you in the long run to be successful, help you to thank about what you are doing and centered around making changes. It just doesn't get any better than what you have written all these years.

THANK YOU Donald Harper. It feels good to be thought of sometimes. THANKS FOR OUR KIND POST!!!!!! AND BACK AT YOU, TOO.

Respectfully

Tight lines, keep safe and good luck.

Thad Rains

Back at the end of October 2012, I took what would be the last fishing trip with my father-in-,law on Pine Creek lake in Okla. We were fishing for crappie. When I docked the boat at the ramp and was helping him out of the boat (he had turned 90 that Aug.). We were just standing looking at the lake and he committed that this was probably his last fishing trip. I said, "oh hell Bruce, we got more fish to catch next spring". Little did I know at the time, he was right, he passed away on Dec. 16 after being hospitalized for over 4 weeks. I miss that old man cause he taught me many things about fishing in those 20+ years. We just don't know when our last or our fishing buddy's last trip will be. We just have to enjoy our time together each and everytime.

I think about the last fishing trip that I had with my Dad quite often. He died 9 years ago and we went out just a few minutes this before he passed. He didn't really even enjoy fishing, but he would go out and sit in the boat while I fished just to talk. Great memories. Thanks for the post Thad!