Fear The Ticks

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Deftik
Deftik's picture
Fear The Ticks
<p>Make no mistake, this was not a fishing trip and what ensues can only be defined as traumatic.</p> <p>Since my mom is an avid beach lover I decided that I would take it upon myself to ensure she get to go on a much needed vacation (approx 5 years overdue) courtesy of me. But since when it comes to fishing like most of you, I&#39;m a borderline psychopath that needs to be locked up. I escaped at every chance to try and add a lifer, every time there was a window I took it. I ended up only adding one lifer this trip. The Dusky-Smoothhound (Smooth Dogfish). One of the easier fishes to catch in Wildwood, NJ I&#39;m sure as most of the locals kept reminding me, however I did it on very light line, using freshwater tackle and an ugly stick, so it was a lot of fun. I managed to land about 4 or 5 during my 3 day stay. Heres the pic below.</p> <p><img alt="" src="http://i737.photobucket.com/albums/xx16/deftik/IMG_1041.jpg" /><img alt="" src="http://i737.photobucket.com/albums/xx16/deftik/IMG_1018.jpg" /><img alt="" src="http://i737.photobucket.com/albums/xx16/deftik/IMG_1011.jpg" /><img alt="" src="http://i737.photobucket.com/albums/xx16/deftik/IMG_1009.jpg" /><img alt="" src="http://i737.photobucket.com/albums/xx16/deftik/IMG_1007.jpg" /><img alt="" src="http://i737.photobucket.com/albums/xx16/deftik/IMG_1002.jpg" /><img alt="" src="http://i737.photobucket.com/albums/xx16/deftik/IMG_1001.jpg" style="width: 1024px; height: 768px;" /></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>But here comes the entertainment folks. Pat_the_nat was so generous as to share one of his personal spots that would of landed me two lifers. So I talked my mom into leaving wildwood in favor of visiting the Atlantic City beaches (less nice imo), its almost as if the fish gods themselves decided my fate for this one. I drove a little bit of distance and there I was, chasing a lifer. For a few hours I stood there dumbfounded as I saw no signs of life in one of thee most fishiests (as moose would say) places i&#39;d ever saw. With every cast I waited for the bobber to bounce with such vigor, I knew the lifer would be mine and that my friends is where it all starts. As my favorite quote from the Matrix triology goes,<strong> &quot;After that, I understood the rules, I knew what I was supposed to do, but I didn&#39;t. I couldn&#39;t. I was compelled to stay, compelled to disobey&quot;</strong></p> <p>I refused to give up, that lifer would be mine! I decided that since my conviently located spot must have been heavily pressured due to obvious signs that I was going to traverse the New Jersey woods. Folks. Big mistake. For those of you who are not personally familiar with me I am a tick magnet, ticks love me, I&#39;ve had them in every spot that belongs to a human being, put me and 15 people in the woods, I will come out the only one with a tick. I bushwacked through the woods on a mission and there I was at a dead end, I could walk no longer. So I looked down, there it was a tick. No biggie, my life is defined by that, so is every fishing trip. However, I then noticed my entire legs were <strong>carpeted </strong>with ticks. I&#39;ve never defined anything in this lifetime as traumatic, not deaths, not anything but that my friends was traumatic. I scrambled to the car and threw off my clothes with ticks still jumping off of them into a cooler in my car, putting on a bathing suit, as I drove the car back to atlantic city, they came from the passenger side to get me as I drove in a frenzy to the nearest person to get the unseen ones off. Nevertheless I am not dead and I lived to tell the tale but wouldn&#39;t you know as I drove home from Atlantic City, one more tried to give it a go at my blood. All in all I&#39;d guestimate that I had between 20-30 ticks on me BUH! I thought you&#39;d all enjoy this story and at least we can all get a good laugh at Deftik!</p>
the pyromaniac
the pyromaniac's picture
Sure, that was worth a laugh,
Sure, that was worth a laugh, but on a serious note, it's always good to be reminded to be careful out there. Ticks are serious business, and Lyme disease sucks. I have a friend who has it and she's been in a lot of pain for several years.

 

 

 

Let there be fire!

SuperFrog
SuperFrog's picture
Ok, that post definitely has

Ok, that post definitely has two sides to the coin.

Side 1: AWESOME FISH, grats!

Side 2: Shudder!!!  Hate ticks!

 

 


It doesn't matter what you're fishing for, just as long as you're out there doing it.

Jknuth
Jknuth's picture
Whats a matter Mr frog....

Whats a matter Mr frog.....You have a bad dream or something? 

 

Jknuth
Jknuth's picture
Awesome dogfish man! thats

Awesome dogfish man! thats one I have been wanting for years.

pat_the_nat
pat_the_nat's picture
Hey Deftik- looks like you

Hey Deftik- looks like you had an eventful trip.  Those doggies are awesome.  Sharks with no teeth, perfect for the kids.  Locals hate them for stealing bait.

Sorry for not warning you about the pine barren ticks.  They're nuts down there, most dangerous animal in NJ.  I've been treated for lyme twice and was hospitalized for a week two years ago with ehrlichia.  Still have symptoms occasionally.  

It's amazing how 'fishy' those place can look but still be almost completely devoid of fish.  Not many species have adapted to handle that acidic tea-colored water.

SuperFrog
SuperFrog's picture
Dude... hush you

@JKnuth: Dude... hush you

 

 


It doesn't matter what you're fishing for, just as long as you're out there doing it.

Deftik
Deftik's picture
It's now my mission to

It's now my mission to acquire a mud sunfish, ticks or no ticks, but definately no Nj woods!

Dutch
Dutch's picture
Reminds me of a song......

Reminds me of a song......

The Hives - Tick Tick Boom

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqkJ30Kh7ZM