We'll Settle for Unsettling Waters

Never settle for less. Less than you deserve. Less than your worth. Less than extraordinary.

But, it sure is easier said than done, isn’t it? We settle all the time. Settle for the last donut that’s stale and smudged multi colored because all the other donuts have rubbed up against it being pulled out of the box.. Settle for the worst plane seat because it’s cheaper. Settle for the first paycheck that comes your way because you are fresh out of college and terrified for your life. Settle for the first parking spot because you are “so sure” there won’t be one closer and yet you’re not even in the same township as the event you are trying to attend. Settle for that one person because you think you won’t meet someone else in time. That or you don’t deserve someone better.

But, you do. Dammit, you deserve the creamiest of donuts and who cares if it adds another tire round you, go get it! That plane may come crashing down like Sinatra in May so go first class, order some nasty airplane champagne and pretend like you own some extremely lucrative startup techy company as you nerdly ask the cute flight attendant to show you where the lavatory is. Good, you should be scared leaving that cocoon of comfort and paid-for appreciation called University. Now, take what you learned from it,  buy the best looking suit, book every interview from here to there and make them want to pay you more because you are from the privileged generation and by God you come from an era where an Asian man pretending to ride a horse is called dancing and hats with straight bills and the price tag still attached is ridiculously cool.

And lastly, but most importantly…Don’t settle for him. Don’t settle for her. Settle? Why does anyone want to settle? I want life to be unsettling. Full of surprises and obstacles at every corner. Like stolen kisses because the girls worth kissing are the hardest to kiss. Hard to place casts that land you a fish even when someone told you the river was barren. Hugs from behind because it was the spur of the moment. A wade through stormy weather after a hot and humid day. And your handsome and friendly neighbor shows up after hearing you were sick to take care of you, watch some chick flick called Miracle (okay, so it says its about miracles and had cute boys in it), tells you your beautiful without all that girly stuff and at your worst, and whispers in your ear when he thinks you are sleeping that you’re the most important thing that’s ever happened to him. Ah, sorry been cooped up too long. Someone contact the weatherman and tell him people are suffering here from lack of fishing.

Settle? Hell no. Not when unsettling moments like that, the ones meant to stir the pot, make things messy and well just keep life extraordinary are way too much fun! Like all this unsettling flooding we’ve been having. We missed a few weekends, cooped up in the rain. But, we were sick of being held back and settling for nothing but bad weather. We decided to take a chance and dirty the water. Actually, the water was already pretty dirty. Chocolate to be exact as we took last weekend to hit the South Branch Kalamazoo river in Michigan and then journeyed the latter half to our most prized possession of rivers in Northern Wisconsin, the *********** river (sorry to be unsettling but we would have to kill you)…

Bridge Bum in Michigan

The waters in Michigan were clearer as we fished the day in this South Branch for trout and bass. Storms this summer have seem to bypass most of these inland rivers and keep the levels lower and still cool enough for trout. However, rivers like the Shiawassee and Grand were still at flooding levels and just too dangerous to wade. So, we stuck to the Kalamazoo where Dad landed a tiny brookie and AC caught herself a bass both using yellow twisties with white jigheads.

AC casting on the South Branch River

Perfect hiding spot for Brook Trout

We traveled on in hopes of more surprises. Which we encountered in a parking lot in Western Michigan where we ran into some car show guys displaying some funky rides that weekend...

Ford Meteor

Our favorite river's waters were, to be consistent with the theme, quite unsettling with chocolate tint and high levels of 8.20 where the average is about 7.30. We braved it anyways. Knowing there would be little chance of catching, we were pleasantly rewarded with 20 bass in the day using our trusty usuals of orange and yellow twisties with mutli colored jigs...

A Smallie Selfie from Dad

AC's first bass in the money hole

Twist and Smallie

She'll settle for that one...

Lunker of the day

Dad Hooked

Yet another trout

One hiding under the wood...

The face says it all... "AC, save your film..."

Ok, so sometimes you have to settle for whatever river you can get. But, before you say yes to the dress, make sure you aren't settling for Mr. right now.  Before you say no to opportunity, think about all the possibilities. Before you say maybe to that loser, look in the mirror and see how amazing you are, then turn the corner, something is waiting for you. Something unsettling. Maybe there's a fish there, maybe not. But, you got up, left the house and discovered for yourself. It's okay to make a mistake, just don't make it again. Oh, got to go, someone just brought in donuts and well, we ain't settlin for just any old one. I am going to unsettle for the best.

Cast Away,

AC & Dad