I’ve been an avid bass fisherman all my life, so I travel out on Lake Gaston in all kinds of weather. Below-freezing winter days provide a particularly macho fisherman’s playground for discomfort. I can tell you, zipping along at sixty miles an hour in twenty-five degree weather will flap your pink ears upside your head and turn your cheeks to mortuary gray quicker than you can say, “I can’t feel my face!”
On such days, ski masks and goggles are mandatory equipment.
On really cold days, a fishing rod’s eyelets will freeze shut during a lure’s retrieve, which can be nullified by occasionally dipping the rod in the water. But, when the sun is shining — even in the bitter cold — and while fishing in a sheltered cove away from the wind, solar radiation heats up clothing articles to the point where shedding jackets and scarves is a necessity. That’s when I used to roll up the ski mask to the top of my head.
Once, many years ago, I fished for many hours in a quiet cove under similar conditions, enjoying the sun’s warming rays…
Later that evening I noticed three circular patches of sunburn triangularly centered on the top of my bald head. Ah, yes — the ski mask! I had rolled it up in such a way that the eye holes and curved mouth-slit exposed my naked, winter-white, bald-headed flesh. It was the worst case of sunburn I have ever experienced. Blisters formed and eventually peeled, and for weeks I was the brunt of every bald-headed smiley-face joke imaginable.
Well, Mr. Lee, aren’t you JUST a treat AND a sight for sarcastic eyes.
Up here in the nation’s capital area and on the Ottawa and Rideau and Gatineau Rivers we fish for pickerel (dore), barbotte, mudpout, sunfish, huge carp, catfish, to sell, etc.
From Canada
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Ahhh, Tim, your talents are endless… hahahahaha!!! I remember this story… but laughed all over again. And here… this is for you… :o)
Annie
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Love you, Tim!
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Thank goodness — no picture, which is rather difficult to take when the subject matter is the top of your own head. Some things are best left undocumented, anyhow
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Very funny post but where’s the picture! I have a strong feeling you have a picture of the smiley face.
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