Do Your Hands Still Shake ?

HOGTIDE · 03-25-2001, 09:12 AM

Remember trying to get the scope to hold still on that first Big Buck or Branch Bull?...better yet, how about the first time you untangled your leader, lead and chrome- bright Chinook from a slimey net? Can you believe it was that difficult to grab the needlenose and unbutton the hook from that bleeding hog's mouth? Your hands were shakin'!

Well, we've got a pack of well-weathered veterans on this board, but my guess is...given the right fish...given the right situation...you still get the rookie-rush-shakes. How 'bout it...done any shaken, lately?

[ 03-25-2001: Message edited by: HOGTIDE ]

Fishin Magician · 03-25-2001, 09:29 AM

Happens all the time......Why else do we go fishing? It is my drug of choice!!!!!!! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

First Bite · 03-25-2001, 09:55 AM

Hog
Did the shakes big time a couple weeks back when I got freight trained on my first cast. Ditto the next drift down when I hooked and landed my biggest hen ever. It's hard to re-tie when the hands are trembling. Gotta love it.
Mark

Fish Hunter · 03-25-2001, 09:56 AM

Oh yeah, finally bagged a fine 6 pt bull last fall. Luckily the shaking started after the bull was on the ground. The section of time when I got him seems like slow motion when I look back on the individual events, but it all happened very quickly. The mere sighting of a creature like this feels like a gift from god especially when the season is open and a tag is in your pack. To make a long story short I found some great sign, fresh rubbed bark laying on fresh snow, put myself in position, made a solid shot, and got lucky. Even with all the practice, planning and preparation, these events just happen to you. Or are they given to you?
I was every bit as excited when my wife bagged her 1st buck last fall, a nice 4x4 Mulie. It's been so great to see her get into it and share the experiences with me. I think she really understands this obsession I have with fishing and hunting. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

WheresMyBobber · 03-25-2001, 10:04 AM

I gotta admit, the other day after I released an unclipped fish and was tying on a new leader I noticed my hands were shaking.

Well, that's a good thing! That's what it's all about, having fun and getting the full enjoyment out of this hobby of ours. If I EVER get to the point where I don't feel that excitement, it will be time for me to find something else to do.

Up-4-Air · 03-25-2001, 10:37 AM

Even a 17 lb springer does it for me. Especially when the wind is about to blow you into some piling or up on the beach. Even releasing a wild one (last Friday) is a thrill. If it ever become "ho hum" I'll take up gardening. [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

Timber Man · 03-25-2001, 10:47 AM

My Dad always told me when your hands stop shakeing its time to quit Fishing and Hunting!!
TM [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Pete · 03-25-2001, 10:48 AM

H.han..nds.s sh.sh..sha.aking?? You Bet! It was so bad on Friday my buddy was rotfl. I threw a pair of Fisker scissors in the drink, flavored my coffee with fish blood and nearly ran into a piling. The best evidence is the nearly illegible squiggling on my tag. How does anyone expect me to write clearly after I just boated a hog?

Snagly · 03-25-2001, 02:01 PM

Those shaking hands eventually steady, but what stays with you for hours is that huge smile pasted on your face when you've done something very, very skillful (or lucky). Years later, the memories of those times can bring the smile right back.

The Shakes is yet another reason to go fishing (and to tie up a bunch of rigs before the trip so you don't have to rely on more than one knot tied with unsteady hands).

DF · 03-25-2001, 02:43 PM

I know what its like! 2 days ago I caught my first 2 salmon out of the boat. The first was a hatchery fish. Kept him I was shakin so bad I couldnt grab my leatherman. Its was bad. Then after that it took me about 15 mins to get rigged again to get back in the water. My dad says I was talkin so fast he couldnt understand me. Then later that day I caught a WILD ONE! HE WAS BIG 30 pounds or more no joke he was HHHUGGGEE. I was shakin so bad after I through him back I couldnt stand it. And a question for ya guys. When you hook a wild fish. Are you aloud to net him? or is it agianst the law or dose it harm the fish. Im not sure if ya net em or not. thnx [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Up-4-Air · 03-25-2001, 03:21 PM

Dustin, I released a wild fish last Friday without netting it. With two people it wasn't that difficult. Invariably the fish, the line, and the dropper get tangle, even if you keep the net over the side with the fish still in the water. The net sure doesn't do the fish any good if you have to fumble around trying to get it back out. Bottom line, I prefer releasing wild fish without the net if possible. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

HOGTIDE · 03-25-2001, 03:56 PM

DUSTIN!!!!! Way to go kiddo!!!!! Welcome to the world of shakin'! Yes...we can go after school, when daylight time moves in.

The other strange pheonomena is how a dark day turns bright and a cold day turns warm, with just one little hookup!

Shannon · 03-25-2001, 04:35 PM

When I crawl up on holding fish where no one else is at is when I start a shakin'. I love to spot fish. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Of course if you asked me years ago about the shaken it would have been from a hang over [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] Acompanied by alot of sweat.

RichH · 03-25-2001, 05:16 PM

A few weeks ago when I caught my biggest steelhead ever I got a real good dose of the shakes. After releasing him I had to sit for awhile to let the shakes stop enough to allow me to cast. Made my whole season.
[img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

MetalHead · 03-25-2001, 05:44 PM

Oh Ya! the worst shakes I ever had was the first Bull I ever shot with my bow. Bugled him in to 15 feet and put an arrow through him I couldnt stand up and walk for 20 minutes just sat there and stared at him. I will never in all my life forget that. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

CAGEY · 03-25-2001, 05:47 PM

HOGTIDE,I have been fishing for 50 some odd years, i have no idea how many fish i have caught. Even after all these years as soon as that darn big slabside hits the deck i cant even fill out my tag for fifteen minutes. It is soooooooooo wonderful. When and if your hands quit shaken maybe the thrill has gone.

03-25-2001, 06:19 PM

Gotta agree with FISHFINDER there. Nothing like staring at your rod for hours without a nudge and suddenly watching the divining rod head towards water. Hooking and/or landing the fish makes it worse, but just the takedown is enough to turn me into Porky Pig.

"Abadeebadeebadeebadee Whatta rush!"

FISHFINDER · 03-25-2001, 11:05 PM

Boy, you guys really have it together if all that shakes is your hands. I have to sit down to re-tie after even getting a bite because my legs are shaking so bad. The steelie I caught last week bit the cast before I hooked it and figured it would be spawned out before I was able to regain my composure enough to cast again.

"Shakin in my waders" (hmmmm, sounds like a good moniker)

Jellyhead · 03-26-2001, 08:28 AM

Good Thread Hog,

I still get the shakes every time I succeed at something I've been trying soooo hard to do.

Like last year, I caught a 8 1/2# largemouth on a coastal lake (my biggest yet [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] ) I could hardly find my pliers to remove the jig from her mouth before releasing.

And my first turkey. What an exciting hunt, I was so nervous and intent on getting that thing, I don't even remember pulling the trigger.

And like this weekend. My first springer in 4 years (I took a little break from springer fishing to chase spiny rays) I almost forgot what It was like to tie into a fish that big, wadda rush! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

It's the reason I fish, I don't get that feeling watching the tube [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] If I ever quit getting that feeling, I'll take up golf or something!

Aaron

Fuzzybutt & Angel · 03-26-2001, 10:21 AM

Hell yes, I shake uncontrollably when I land one,either kept, or released, but its sure funny, I dont shake when I am fighting the fish...or atleast I dont think I do, its only after the hook is out, and the fish is gone, that I tweak, sometimes pretty bad.last year during the C&R season on the Sky, myself and a close friend went up there in the afternoon, for just a couple hours, off the bank. we ended up landing four BIG natives in about an hour. there was some shakin' going on that day for sure.
Fuzzy

Silent Approach Jigs

[ 03-26-2001: Message edited by: Fuzzybutt & Angel ]

Osprey · 03-26-2001, 10:47 AM

How many of you can't sleep the night before a fishing trip too,
Mrs. Os says I'm just like a little kid.....DUH!!!

I still shake don't matter 5lbs....50 lbs well maybe a little more shakes with a 50#

But as the "BigGuy" said "when you stop shaking it's time to give it up"......Os

STRIKE ZONE · 03-26-2001, 12:06 PM

The night before fishin is like the night before Christmas when I was a kid.The day I don't shake is the day I'll give it all up.
That will be never.Good luck,
STRIKE ZONE

hound · 03-26-2001, 12:19 PM

great post hogtide....
i still remember my 1st elk hunt with my dad
i was 14.he took me over to the pine creek unit..opening morn of we go..dad puts me underneath a tree.he says you sit right here and those elk will come over the hill...and by god 1 hour later here they come.10 15 20 cows and the last a spike.now what do i do?shoot shoot!!! i was shaking so bad i couldn't hit a 747 at 20 yards.anyway he got away but man what a rush..dad and i 30 years later still laugh about that morn....
oh and by the way i got my wife out for the 1st time this last saturday...and she hooked in to a nice 20 lb native..released unharmed..so now she's hooked for the year....
you got to love the pacific northwest eh? [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

willierower · 03-26-2001, 01:40 PM

The shakes eh?
A couple weeks ago a friend and I floated the North Santiam. We both got fish. When my buddy landed a chromer summer he was shaking so bad it shook the whole boat.
I always get a mild case of the shakes when I hook up. 3 years ago on the Siletz I tied into a hog fall chinook. Once I got a look at him I had a severe case of full body shakes. Once landed we tried to wiegh it oon a hand held digital scale that went to 50lbs. Anyways the scale wasnt enough it jst wigged out. It took a good 45 minutes of trying to calm down before I could even think of fishing again. By the way the fish wieghed 51 lbs.
But what really gives my the shakes is a big ole blacktail buck. I dont even have to be hunting to get the shakes when I see big buck. One afternoon there was a huge 4x4 buck in my driveway. My wife said my face went white when I saw it. I was shaking so bad I couldnt talk.
You just have to love that feeling.

rags · 03-26-2001, 01:48 PM

Hog,
I still get out of breath and shake like a rookie. I was going to the Peninsula a few weeks ago and dreamed the night before I was getting bit. The next day I released a 21lb mint bright buck. The bit was just like I dreamed about!

finclipped · 03-26-2001, 02:05 PM

I don't get the shakes real bad, but I always turn into a Bird Dog, ears perked up, eyes wide open, tripping over things, forgeting how to stand up, generally making a mess, trying to anticipate which way the fish will turn. Once the buggers in the net, I shake a little bit.

But I definately have friends who shake worse and I usually have to rebait or tie up gear for them, so we can get back in the water.

RJ · 03-26-2001, 02:07 PM

yup kinda like my lil' buddie the mouth moves but no sound comes out

it dont take much to turn me into a basket case.RJ

Jellyhead · 03-26-2001, 02:12 PM

Oh yeh, I forgot to mention the DREAMS!! I've caught so many lunkers in my dreams. It's funny how A guy can dream about that stuff. (If I'm able to get to sleep, the night before a fishing trip)

You know the other funny thing, is that I never used to have the dreams when I was fishing almost every day. Now that the days I can fish are further apart, I dream more. Maybe my mind is telling me something. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Aaron

No Pilgram · 03-26-2001, 02:45 PM

I always fish with Rags when I am in the Northwest. He is my guide of choice. Never been skunked with him at the oars!! We are just like two little leaguers getting a base hit in the playoffs when we even hook a fish (size doesn't matter)Remember the 34# springer on the Clack last year?? Good thing we had a cell phone in case we needed to call 911 to rescue to old farts in a drift boat. Lets do it again this year!!!! Get feeling better and get back on the river!!!

03-26-2001, 02:54 PM

I don't even let my wife know when I'm dreaming about fishing anymore. She kept taking it personally.

HOGTIDE · 03-26-2001, 04:27 PM

Here is an embarrassing example;

My daughter bought me a new flatfish for my birthday this week, so I fished from the anchor today, just so I could tell her how wonderfully her flo-green lure worked. Well, about 2 minutes after I walked that dog back, my rod took a dive that I thought was going to snap my rod holder off...just as quickly it popped back up.

I jumped up, set the hook on nuthin'-but-H2O and then started shakin' and pacing back and forth for the next 30 minutes. It took a hail storm to get me back in my seat.

What a sweet-disgusting feelin'.

OR Coast Range · 03-26-2001, 04:41 PM

I had the same experience plunking at Prescot two weeks ago. Got hit hard, I thought he was going to take my pole back to the Pacific [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] By the time I got to my rod he was gone. I was a little wobbley kneed for several minutes after that.

Isn't living in the Pac NW great [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

OneLastCast · 03-26-2001, 05:45 PM

Do my hands still shake??

When hunting more than fishing but the thrill is still there. I have a good fishing buddy who after every fish always says " I hope I didn't say anything to offend you"...he loses complete control and he is one of the better chinook fisherman in the Nehalem valley! That is what makes it fun.
I have been hunting for +/- 25 years and have certainly killed my share of bucks but several years ago I shot a little forked horn outside of Nehalem and when I got up to it I couldn't believe it. A forked horn and I was still excited. That is why we do this.
Two years ago my wife shot her first nice Four Point in Eastern Oregon all by herself. When I finally made it to where she was she was doing an Indian war dance (yeah, she's part Indian) and was literally laughing and crying at the same time. It will never get any better than that.

OneLastCast