Finally went fishing since the surgery (Utah Lake report 10-24-06)

[iconoclasticPaul]

I haven't fished much at all the past three months... because of graduation from Utah Valley State, and a week later I went into surgery for a cochlear implant (Bionic ear) which was a great success)which put me out of commission due to recovery and lack of motivation for fishing afterwards because I have been learning how to listen with the new bionic ears.

I decided to get myself out of the house and go to Utah Lake... thought I would work the bubble up but to my chagrin, it was not shore accessible at all thanks to the phragmites growing thick with those killer mosquitos from hell swarming around as you step into the dead weeds...

I had to walk around to find a spot where I can safely cast my line out... there wasn't a free spot that was known for holding fish... so I had to go to Lindon Harbor. The fishing was great... I could hear the water gently lapping the shoreline for the first time... I could hear the migratory birds honking or chirping their way south... I could hear the water break as the fish slurped their food... those were the sounds I've never heard before the surgery... and now I can hear for the first time... what was so sweet is I could hear my reel scream as I caught my LMB which was a decent 17 incher... and a 15 incher... I realized all those years fishing, those were the real genuine sounds.... heck I now realize those boats other people were unloading at the dock made a heck of a lot of noise. Wow... haha it was a fun day listening around the lake, and hearing the fish slash and burn my reel and splashing as I retrieved them. Hearing the birds from way up was interesting too! It was a great day to be out and be alive!

Now I gotta take my boat out of the dry dock and into the water this weekend... the question is where.... point me the way locally then I'll be grateful. Today was the first time I've logged onto BFT in a long while... so I am out of sync...

Thanks!
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Welcome back Paul. Been wondering what happened to you after graduation. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Congratulations on the successful surgery. I'm sure it will open a new world of sound to you. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Sorry we can't offer a lot of encouragement about the fishing. It is a transitional time and you catch fish one day and not the next. Utah lake has really been stingy with walleyes this year.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Look back through some of the recent threads and you should get the idea.[/#0000ff]
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[Kent]

Paul, great news on your bionic ear![] I'm sure each day is a great new adventure for you -- thanks for posting your hearing and fishing report.
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[lunkerhunter2]

I have been on here for almost a year now, and i have never read a thread to this nature. That is so cool that you can now hear things. Now the only problem is you will be able to hear people complain, horns, and airplanes.[]
BTW: If you don't mind, what was the initial cause of not hearing?
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[CROSSINEYES]

hey pauly good to see your still kicking. sound is a wonderful thing my freind and im glad you now know what it is to hear. enjoy you new world. only bummer is now you can just turn your back to block out the old lady sceaming.lol
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[TheCanadian]

That is cool man. It would do us all good to go a little deaf every once in a while,, then we'd appreciate the sounds of the outdoors that much more.

I would tell ya to head to Strawberry. My last trip up there was 3 weeks back, and it was HOT,, but it slowed a little I heard, but due to the recent reports, seems like it's on fire again!

Good luck with everything.
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[utwalleye]

Hey Paul, right on, glad you surgery went well. like some of the other guys have said, hearing is a wonderful thing. later chuck
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[iconoclasticPaul]

Hey all of you BFT'ers, thanks for all of your heartfelt comments.

I have to confess... this has been a real surreal trip for me... psychedelic at best to say the least. Wow... it's really a strange trip for me... after never heard anything for 42 years, and then all of a sudden, I can hear everything now... put it this way, before the surgery, my audiologist tested me and I was at between 110 to 115 decible ( severely profoundly deaf)... and just a week ago I went to the audiologist to be tested with the bionic ear... and I was tested out to 20 decibles!!! The normal range for all of you normal hearing fishermen and fisherwomen is at 25 decibles... go figure... what a huge improvement, and I can hear just about anything!

I could hear a pin drop in the same room... and one day, I was with some neighbors when I heard a bunch of birds chirping, but I couldn't see where they are... and my neighbors laughed at me and said amazingly... "the birds are chirping three blocks away and thoses are the homing pigeons the neighbors keeps in their back yard!" I was blown away... three blocks away?! I never knew that! This is a miracle that this technology is around in this day and age for all of us!

Looks like I will be hitting Deer Creek this saturday... for those fall walleye action... I think they're in there for sure!
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[GEEZER]

I gotta say a little prayer of thanksgiving for you. That's wonderful. I grew up with a boy whose parents were both totally deaf and really gained an insight into what they had to deal with -- every day. Again, that's wonderful for you.
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[utwalleye]

Hey Paul, where are you going to fish at, at d.c. ?? I haven't done very well at d.c. in the fall, only a few fish mostly on the RR side.
I did get 1 up there about a month ago, 17in. in about 25 feet of water. most of the eyes should be heading for some deeper water 40 plus. good luck, let us know if you score. later chuck
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[iconoclasticPaul]

Chuck,

Walleyes can be found... you go back and forth from the island to the RR. They're still on the flats but deeper so require 2 oz BB in 40 feet at 1.5 MPH. Hope this helps!
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[Gumbo]

Paul, that's great news. I'm excited for you. This is a great reminder for me that, while I can hear, I need to listen more. To the birds chirping. The water lapping. Reminds me a Robert Frost poem, I Wonder About the Trees. It starts out:

I wonder about the trees.
Why do we wish to bear
Forever the noise of these
More than another noise
So close to our dwelling place?

Next thing you need to do is go to a BYU football game!!
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[cadresults]

What a great post, and congrat's on your success. It is nice to have people give me a reality check. Too bad we take things like that for granted.

Hope you have more great trips!
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