Friday, December 31, 2010

2010 Wrap up

Never enough time to fish but 2010 was an amazing year of highs and lows. Some trips worked out beyond expectations as where some wound up dismally in shambles. Let’s take a walk down memory line and re-hash some of the high points of 2010. If nothing else it will allow me to shamelessly work in another blog post for this year.

Species hit list for 2010: 
Largemouth bass
Smallmouth bass
Green sunfish
Bluegill
Creek Chub
Rainbow trout
Cutthroat trout
Brown trout
Black Crappie
Channel catfish
Splake
Brook trout
Yellow Perch
Northern Pike

Probably one or two species that are being missed like that razor back chub looking thing a few months back or that really big stick I fought with for 2 or 3 minutes thinking it was a monster. Should have made at least one trip for walleye, kokanee and a mackinaw or two. Woulda coulda shoulda.

A few picture highlights


(Above: This is arguably one of my favorite catches of the year and one of the largest crappie that I have caught. That day was a slabilicious good time.)

(Above: My largest fish of 2010 and a serious work out to bring to the boat. Catfish are so much fun that I have convinced myself to make at least one or two trips a year for these whisker fish.)


(Above: One of my better ideas this year was to start taking these trash pick up pictures. One of the easiest ways to make things better at virtually any fishery is to start by picking up trash when and where you see it. I absolutely believe this practice has helped the quality of my fishing in so many ways. It can do the same for you.)

2010 Posts in review. Let’s take a look back at some of my popular postings. I am often perplexed why some posts receive more comments and views than others. Adding the “stats” feature was a real home run for the blogger format as we can now see the views and not just the comments. Thank you blogger. Here are some post highlights from the year…some of yours and some of mine.

Some of your favorite posts…

Myrtle the Turtle

Stalker Lake

Photos from the Field

Some of my favorite posts…

Red Five I’m Going In

The Greatest Fish Story I have ever told…thus far

Jurassic and the Land of Orcs

Considering that my follow list started 2010 with only 15 or so followers, most of you have likely not seen these. Feel free to pad the comment section if you so wish. My blog is fueled by your comments.

Note: For some reason a few of my older posts have “deteriorated” over time. This must be a blogger format issue and have seen others complain about similar problems. If you read previous posts of mine and see something jumbled up, please shoot me an e-mail so that I may go back and correct. It is not uncommon for posts to get scrambled towards the bottom it seems.

Promises I probably won’t keep for 2011…

As much as I like to consider myself up to speed with the times and technology, the truth is that I just don’t have time to be a part time IT technician for my blog. The format will always be a bit stale compared to other blogs that get updated to the new features regularly. In 2011 I hope to freshen up the format and layout to keep up with Joneses. I have even reached out for a little help beyond the few random co-workers and the graphics team that I always seem to complain about.

My focus will always be on the content over the format and I hope that viewers have enjoyed the content thus far. I fully intend to keep this crucial component of the blogilicious rolling on. If there are things that you really like about this blog and would like to see more of the same…toss me an e-mail or put something up in the comment section.

Good luck and good fishing.

7 comments:

Mark Kautz said...

Happy New Year. Keep up the good work. Onward to 2011.

Mark

Dog Hair in my Coffee said...

I love your blog, Matt, and honestly wouldn't change a thing. Which is funny, because you KNOW I'm not a fisherman. But your writing is good - interesting, entertaining, informative. I like your concern for the earth and it's inhabitants (catch and release; turtles, picking up trash, broken glass, old fish hooks). My FAVORITE part of your blog is always the "Photos from the Field," although I know that is not your primary focus. I guess I just like it all. Rock on in 2011!

Sharon Day said...

The crappie was gorgeous. Can a fish be sexy? I also must comment that your pics are gorgeous. I love the colors and clarity and it makes me homesick for water, trees, mountains. I guess I'm a typical woman because I see the fish and start thinking of how I want to cook it. That catfish looked particularly fine. Hope you get those elusive fish this year. Will be watching to see.

cofisher said...

Matt, I've enjoyed reading your ramblings. With that in mind, have a Happy New Year and maybe we can catch up with each other sometime.

Wolfy said...

Glad I found you this year - look forward to following in 2011.

Have a great 2011.

Wolfy

truewonder said...

Colorado,
I haven't been on the net much...it gets on my nerves, I'd rather be out there than in here.
With that said, in complete agreement with Dog Hair. Your photos and inquiries through your own way of thinking is what makes your writing rich. Keep on it, stay with it and yes, it is good and well that you are so very conscious of the trash as well as the beauty...leaving one as is, discarding all else. We're lucky to have a guy like you who gives such a strong damn. Thank you sir, and you too- have a good 2011.

sage said...

Good idea with the trash pick-up. On the Manistee last summer, we came to a campsite that was so trashy--because it was so late, we decided to stay and clean up the site and filled the canoe with trash that we took to the next launch where we threw it away.