It takes a few days, it won’t feel like Art until day 3 lets say. You need a routine and by day 3 you will establish said routine. It’s the fine details that make up a great fish camp. It’s that empty bottle of Jameson next to the fire ring that won’t move cause it makes everyone feel warm. The last piece of firewood just happens to be the best seat in the house. That is until it hits the fire on the last night, signaling the end of something you can’t put your finger on.
Fish camps do fall into that routine style of living wether you like it or not. Someone in the camp is going to be your coffee maker every morning. You will have your fat kid(figure of speech) that can’t go without morning grub. You can’t get through a camp without someone slinging out a knife and carving up some sweet weenier roasting sticks. You will get back in the evenings after a long hard day of wade fishing and hear the sound of the first beverage crack. You now know that it is time to relax and partake in a tasty barley snack yourself. Every night the same guys will stay up late and a few others will hit the sack right at dark.
Lets not forget about the camp smell. It follows you for days afterwards so you won’t forget it. Wet dog, firewood smoke, dirty cooler, greasy hair, wet wader, spilled booze, raw meat on the fingers(disinfecting wipes? who needs em?) and hopefully fish that makes that comfortable smell something you will yearn for until the next time you check out of society. You walk into a grocery store to resupply. You just know that smell is lofting off of you into everyone’s shopping cart vicinity. People look at you. They wonder are you homeless, a hippie or maybe a logger? No they see that stained hat with all the used, tore and tattered flies. They then realize your on an epic fishing adventure.
Like I said its a piece of art. No two fish camps ever will look the same, smell the same or even function the same. A fish camp is a thing of purpose.
What is your purpose? Tell us of your past fish camps, where they have taken you and what you remember. It’s that time of year so get outdoors and enjoy as much of it as possible! We are.
