“All About You”

Born in February under the zodiac sign of Pisces, it should be no surprise that Pete likes to fish.

There’s no doubt on the question of nature vs nurture. Pete’s parents never picked up a fishing rod until two years ago when they joined us at Casa Vieja Lodge for an epic fishing adventure. Okay, maybe they picked up a rod or two before that, but only to move them out of their way when he stayed with them for a little while before moving into our current home.

Pete’s Dad is allergic to everything and his mom is not a fan of the sun so getting Pete out on the water was not their first priority. On the contrary, it was everything to him. Here are his interests, in some sort of order:

Pete likes to fish.
Pete likes to talk about fishing.
Pete likes to write about fishing.
Pete likes to eat fish.
Pete even dreams about fishing.
Pete just loves every aspect of fishing.

If there’s something he doesn’t know about fishing, he’s going to find out. If there’s a desirable species that he hasn’t caught, he’s going to figure out where they live, how to get there and how to catch them.

Seventeen years ago, while he was fishing tournaments or fun fishing with friends, I was at home, cleaning, cooking and NOT fishing. Pete loved sharing his play-by-plays and I loved listening but only half understood what he was talking about. I figured if I wanted to spend time with him and understand his fishing jargon it was time to get a maid…..I mean join him.

Once Pete decided to give up tournament fishing and started to fish where he wanted to, when he wanted to, I was able to join him and I became his fishing partner. I’ve learned so much from him but also learned so much about him as well.

Last week he graded my bass fishing abilities, so I could let the opportunity to assess him pass me by. Today I present his report card with no holds barred.

THINGS HE DOES WELL

He never goes in with blinders on – Pete knows so many people in the industry that whenever he wants to fish, he’ll find someone or three that can give him the lay of the land, but it doesn’t stop right there. Pete will then map out the place --figure out the best boat launch, easiest gas station to get in and out of. Does that gas station have the best breakfast sandwiches, which include bacon? He’ll find a hotel or home with outside electrical, no bugs and a clean toilet seat. He’s always careful to assess whether the boat and truck still be in the parking lot when we get up in the morning. He will send me photos and TripAdvisor reviews on the more well-known places we go. I tell him I like a bit of a surprise. He, on the other hand, wants to know as much about everything as if he has been there before. We haven’t been on a bad trip yet and no one that has traveled with us has complained so thank goodness for his non-clinical OCD.
His hooksets are as if he is at bat in Yankee Stadium, swinging for the fences – Wood, boulder or fish, Pete isn’t going to have himself thinking “what if.” As he always reminds me, hook sets are free. I can’t explain how he even takes his stance or what is in his head prior to the set. I am usually on his right side, on the front of the boat and if I am not paying attention, I may find myself unbalanced and in the water as the fish is coming out of the water. I’m pretty sure if I ended up in the drink he would make sure the fish was in the boat before grabbing the rod I took with me and then me. Priorities, I get it. He shakes the entire boat and gets everyone in the near vicinity excited….and he calls me dramatic.
He notices every little subtle nuance when it comes to his boat – After seventeen years of marriage I believe Pete has finally figured out where the toolbox in our house is stored. Now maybe that is because all he cares about is the 20 x 30 structure behind the house that holds his boat. I can come out to find pieces scattered everywhere, paper diagrams he has made of where the parts should be replaced and then miraculously the boat starts up again and on the water she goes. I really wish the guest bathroom toilet would stop leaking!!
Great boat driver – Not only have I experienced his fine boat driving skills in 6-foot waves and other white knuckle conditions on the Potomac, but others have mentioned that Pete is the best in rough and substandard conditions on the water. He takes his time and doesn’t take dumb chances. I know this sounds corny, and anything out of the ordinary can happen, but I feel safe on the water with Pete and water kind of freaks me out (I know, I know, how is that possible when fishing is done in water?).

Pete Robbins with a massive yellowfin tuna in the Gulf of Chiriqui, Panama

THINGS THAT NEED IMPROVEMENT, NEED TO CHANGE AND WILL MAKE HIM HAPPIER

Slow the fuck down -- I know many people fish fast and Pete definitely falls into this group. I don’t expect him to soak his lure, but he casts two or three times at different spots going down a bank, or flips at every other piling on a dock. No fish? He’s out of there. I know lakes and rivers are big and no one is expecting you to cover each and every inch but find a spot and figure it out. Give it a rest and be willing to go back. If we are being guided and the guide sticks around when the bite is slow, there must be a reason. Relax, keep your lure wet, and keep casting.
Leave nothing for surprise – As I wrote earlier in this blog, Pete leaves nothing for surprise. He is so detailed and “OCD” that if the elements that are supposed to be there are not there, he stresses, which causes me to stress. I am already a stress case and then he gets mad at me for being stressed because of him. SURPRISE!! Don’t get me wrong – his preparedness is a great quality and has gotten us out of a few sticky situations but please let me be surprised occasionally.
Other people’s idiosyncrasies – Not everyone thinks like Pete, although he wishes that they did. It has taken me a long time to figure out Pete Robbins and guess what? I still haven’t completely achieved that. Pete is so methodical, logical and smart he sometimes forgets that people are on vacation and they just want to have fun. They just want to get their bait wet. In recent years he has really gotten better with this. Perhaps part of the reason we started the website is to help others become more informed and prepared. Pretty smart, Pete, you are a sneaky devil.
It’s hard for him to just have fun – We have gone on many “once in a lifetime” fishing trips (which invariably end up with us going back. For example, to El Salto over 20 times). It’s not that Pete wants to get his money’s worth he just wants to make sure the value and his time are well spent. He can’t get up on a workday but he is the first person to breakfast or at the ramp on a vacation day. I’m convinced that one major reason we are married is because I am always on time. Pete has to understand we are an anomaly and he needs to not get his hopes up that others will follow his “rules”.

It’s very hard to critique an idiot savant.

We each have our strengths and we each have our weaknesses that we BOTH need to work on.

Practice makes perfect so FISH ON.