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Id have to give you a resounding NO on that question mi amigo. When I do get a chance to wet a line, alone or with company, I can have as good a day with or without catching a fish. It would make it better to catch a fish.. any fish.. no matter the size for sure, but for me that does not define a good or bad day of fishing.
I have gone out and fished and not had a nibble and have come off the water tired, happy, maybe water logged, and grinning from ear to ear.
Like most of the rest of you the enjoyment comes from being on the water, communing with nature, being challenged by the water, the weather, but most of all the fish. Trying to figure out what they (the fish) are doing, how deep, how far out, what fly, fast or slow retrieve, which way to cast.. all of it is what makes the day good..
As many have said, any day on the water fishing is better than being any where else..
MacFly
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I say "NO" it don't matter at all!!!! GOLDENS are hard to come by so to me, any size is a trophy. And I only need ONE trophy[cool]
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oh hell.. we are talking wild goldens only.. well in that case it would have to be huge to make it a good day.. [laugh]
MacFly
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i know getting out is its own reward..but putting all the work and thought into it and getting skunked can be kind of discouaging,,i like to catch at least 1..no matter the size..
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So true Lurtch. And CHEERS........ DR[laugh]
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I agree with you as well. It's hard for me to leave if I haven't even caught one fish. This is my go-to excuse for when I get home late from fishing... I should probably get another one since it clearly has lost it's effect on my wife. [angelic]
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im always late when there not biting and early when they are..my wifes pretty much givin up on the time thing..it only took 18 years..
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a stuborn holander never gives up..its in the blood..
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i used to take a bottle of crown with me on the river and take a drink every time i cought a fish..i fell in the river alot had to quit carrying the bottle..a little restaint is good!
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I never equate a good day on the water with a certain number or size of fish. For example today I was fishing a local stocker pond with my son. There was a dad with two kids who was there that obviously didn't know the first thing about catching fish. We showed him a few things and his kids got to reel in a couple of fish before they left. I felt great not because I was able to outsmart hatchery pets[crazy] but because two kids had fun and will have a story to tell their friends.
The best part of the day was when one of the stockers I released just didn't have the will to live and was finning on near the top a huge osprey came down and took it home for dinner. What a beautiful show.
As far as what consitutes a trophy. My favorite fish are the bluegill in spawning colors caught on a light fly rod and a small stream brookie also caught on top. To me both experiences are incredibly beautiful and can be challenging depending on the gear used.
Windriver
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awesome story windriver.. reminds me of last summer with my grandson.. I helped him cast upstream and watched as the fly drifted down into a tree limb pooling some water.. had him pull back on the line a bit and I watched the tip dip a little.. I told him to pull in a little more line and lift the tip of the rod slowly.. he did so.. I watched the tip twitching and told him to bring the line all the way in.. when he did he had a small sunfish hooked.. I could see his chest swell as I took the picture of the event.. :-)
MacFly
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![[Image: happy.gif]](http://www.bigfishtackle.com/images/gforum/happy.gif)
So what is so bad about catching an 8 to 10” Golden Trout? The first things people ask when one returns from a fishing trip is how many did you catch and how big were they? I mean catching a wild golden on a two wt is a lot of fun. They never ask did you have a nice day? Hell yes! Any day fishing a mountain stream has got to beat the heck out of sitting at home watching the boob tube and listening to someone blasting away with a leaf blower. So does size & volume dictate a successful day on the water to you?[/size][/#008000][/font]
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