Lost Chances

[salmonlips]

Had a tough day today. My wife was in a car accident, "not her fault" that totaled out her Mustang Convertible. The car was absolutely her pride and joy. I bought it as a Christmas present in 1998. After dealing with the hospital, "she's hurting but OK", the insurance company, looking for a lawyer, etc. I got to thinking. I don't have a single picture of my wife in her car. It hurt to watch her cry just thinking about it. Fishing related? I don't have a picture of the 24#6" steelhead I caught on the East Fork Lewis on valentines day in 1980. It was the biggest steelhead I'd ever seen. 15 minutes after it was caught, someone caught one 25#2. I guess it didn't sink at the time that I had caught the fish of a lifetime. No pictures of my Clackacraft driftboat either, bought brand new by my wife the day after I stuck my $200 dry rot special on some rocks in the South Santiam with her in it. The picture of my first spring chinook, April 1, 1964 proudly hung on the wall at Coon Island for years and years. When I went to Harlow this spring to ask for it, someone had beat me to it. The picture board is now someone's coffee table. My wife had her car, I remember the boats, the fish and the people that I've shared the whole experience with. I want a picture of my boat crossing the bar at Tillamook, of my grandson's first steelhead (not yet caught) and my wife's next car. If you feel like it, let the board know the images locked clearly in your mind that through some oversight you've never stored on paper for others to see

[ampersat]

mine was a native winter steelhead on the sandy. dumbed up and forgot my camera that morning. hard to say with the way the mind works, but i swear it was the biggest fish i've landed yet.
i definitely need more pictures of my wife; just can't have enough of those.
when we start having kids, i'm buying a new digicam and a cd burner. then i'll have too many pictures.

speaking of pictures, i was at costco yesterday and saw the neatest thing. it's a kodak digicam with a cradle you dock the camera in to get your pics. the kicker is that it comes with an LCD panel picture frame. you can do a single pic or a slide show. it's a little steep at $450 or so, but would definitely make one really cool christmas gift.

[DF]

I have been in the same situation.
Hooked into a spring salmon on the columbia. Got him in he was wild. Biggest fish I have ever caught. No camera :depressed: !
back in the water he gose
with no picture

[Firedog]

Wow that post really makes me think. Brings up a lot of memories that are stored away of big fish let go and animals missed or never taken pictures of over the years. Brings up memories of fishing with my great grandfather on Gobar creek. Makes me wish I had more than one picture of that first steelhead I caught when I was five. I dont know where that picture is. Makes me wish that I had more pictures fishing with my Dad, he doesnt fish anymore and those times we spent on Tillamook bay together are some of my best memories. Now I take a lot of pictures but it those time that are gone that we all wish we could have back.
Salmonlips thank you for this post and glad to hear that your wife is OK. Happy Holidays. Firedog