Stuff We Like Inspired by our Travel
Fishing should be fun. Part of that is art and food and other things that don't put fish in the boat, but nevertheless make you enjoy the process more.
Tattoo Tuesday: Cat Got Your Tongue?
I’ve seen some great catfish mounts across the country. Upon a little bit of examination, I’ve also noticed that there are lots of catfish tattoos out there. Here are some of my favorites.
Tattoo Tuesday Tasty Tuna
Yellowfin tuna are not only reportedly brutally strong, but they’re also one of the prettiest fish around, which makes them prime for tattoos. Here are some of the coolest ones I’ve found.
Tattoo Tuesday — Sublime Sockeye
It took me until July, but I finally added a new species to the list of fish I’ve caught: sockeye salmon. The hardest part was getting to Bear Trail Lodge in Bristol Bay, but once we were there we were amidst a pretty good year of what is typically the largest run of sockeyes in the world. There were places where you could almost walk across their backs, and other places where you’d be wading and would feel them bump your legs as they swam upstream.
Tattoo Tuesday -- Geets on Parade
I’ve made no secret of the fact that Giant Trevally are one of my bucket list species, preferably on some pristine and idyllic flats like those found in the Seychelles or the Maldives. Their brute strength and willingness to eat topwaters makes them a no-brainer. I just hope that I have enough tackle to survive the inevitable break-offs.
Wally Gator on Your Arm
I don’t quite get it, but to our brothers and sisters from the north walleyes are like a religion. Up in Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin and all throughout Canada, they revere these fish. Not surprisingly, a simple search finds that many of them have added these fish indelibly to their bodies.
Tattoo Tuesday -- Welcome to the Jungle
You may not want to head to a foreign country any time in the near future, but if you’re jonesing for a trip to the Amazon like we are, there are other ways to think of exceptional South American fishing. Depending on where you live, and your level of risk-tolerance, the next best thing might be a tattoo. Here are some we like.
Tattoo Tuesday -- Snakeskin
When snakeheads first showed up here on the Potomac, they were a guilty pleasure for many of us. I don’t know that anyone was bragging about chasing or catching them in the early days. Now, they’ve become a cottage industry, selling all sorts of specialized equipment to proud fanatics who love their size, their fight and their wiles.
Tattoo Tuesday -- Gold Medalists in Bronze
Our first episode of Tattoo Tuesday featured the smallmouth tattoo on JP DeRose’s forearm, but he’s not the only brown fish freak in our sights. Smallmouths are a species that generate plenty of frustration, and drive some people to madness, but they also inspire lots of undying devotion – so much that people want to ink ‘em on their bodies.
Tattoo Tuesday -- On Sail
After an epic trip to Casa Vieja Lodge in February, I’ve become a little bit more than obsessed with sailfish. We caught 37 of them, including 23 in a single day. Every one of them stripped line, jumped at least 10 times, and put on an unforgettable show of acrobatics. Even when you finally get them to the boat and subdue them, they’re still gorgeous – lit up with iridescent colors. That likely makes them both tempting and hard to tattoo.
Tattoo Tuesday -- Swimbait Culture
As far as I can tell, there’s no segment of the fishing world that embraces angling-specific tattoos as readliy as the hard core swimbaiters. It stands to reason, because they’re the closest analog we have to the world of skateboarding, and the overlap with punk rock, heavy metal and hiphop cultures is apparent.
Tattoo Tuesday -- I Like Big Butts
As summer approaches, I am anxious to get back to Alaska, mostly because I had such an incredible trip with Keith Combs last year and want Hanna to get that same experience, but also because we’re running out of halibut. I shipped home a crateload of it after Keith and I fished with Captain Chris Hanna, but between our own stomachs and those of our friends, our stock is low.