I want to thank everyone for their kind thoughts, words and prayers.

I’m doing just fine and the prognosis for a full recovery is quite good. I’ve always felt that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger – look out fish I’ll be eyeballing you again real soon.

Just three weeks before the heart attack I was swimming with big sailfish, chasing down big dolphins (both mammal and fish) and climbing up hills in the 100 degree jungle with a fifty pound backpack and I felt just fine…not the best place for a cardiac event – just goes to show you it can happen at anytime and anyplace. Those of you out there that are over 50, make it a point to have annual check ups, take low dose aspirin if you doc recommends it, and always have some available in your boat, truck and even your tackle box; learn the signs of a heart attack and don’t ignore them.

In the way of saying thanks I thought I would toss in a few images from a recent trip to Costa Rica along with a few other local shots; it’s sort of a hottie thread of a fishy variety.

The kayak fishing offshore was off the hook with a number of sailfish taken and one big, bad dorado. Due to their value in publications, I wouldn’t normally circulate these pictures (the reason for the watermarked copyright) on a forum, so please respect the copyright.

The first shot shows the 44 pound Mahi in mid jump. The first picture was not altered in any way other than color correction. The second shot shows a side view of another jump…this picture was diffused to compensate for motion blur and I spiked the colors a bit. That dolphin put on an epic fight and was a blast to watch.

Feel free to toss in a few pictures you might be proud of as well.

More to follow….

These two shots were taken from individual frames of high definition video that captured the fight, the jumps, and the kayak driven reviving of the fish and release.

More to follow…

congrats on the and best wishes for a speedy recovery.

and :shocked::thats how catching those fish is supposed to be done!! that looks way more of a blast then from the back of a 30ft+ boat! they must have given ya quite the rides.

now, were you reeling the fish to you? or you to the fish?

amazing shots!

Here’s where the advantage of having a two man kayak pays off. The angler connected to the fish can concentrate on landing it while the guide in the back can position the yak and back paddle if necessary.

That is great news and my best wishes on a full recovery. These are very impressive photos!

In April I went to California to film Trev Gowdy catching monster largemouth and smallmouth bass. The biggest bucketmouth went well over 13 pounds and the largest smallmouth landed was well over 6 pounds…larger bronzebacks were lost! Over 10 big largemouth bass were caught and the top five would have produced a tournament winning 50 plus pound bag!

All the largemouth bass were taken on BIG (five ounces) rainbow trout swimbaits. California produces a lot more than just fine wine.

wait guy number two was steering? thats cheating! :jester:

those are some gorgeous largemouth. i've dreamt of fish like that for ever. child hood dream is getting down to florida chasing the 20#ers.

so much fish pr0n!! love it!

also is it just me or do the eyes on the lm's look almost human? big and round with whites... almost creepy expression..

age doesnt matter if you have high cholesterol in your family or a history of heart disease . Get checked with a stress test at least once every 2 or 3 years and regular check ups . I had my first heart attack in 1997 I was 37 . my dad had his first in 1964 he was 34 and my brother had his first in 1994 he was 32 .

mike good point to bring aspirin with you . I never leave home with out my drugs .

I was hiking for a weekend on the Appalachian trail and when I got home that night I had to call 911 .

Glad your on the way to full recovery, love the pics. Excellent job.

Mike -

GET BETTER!

-ben

Mike, it's great to see you posting on the boards,rest and get well. I saw RonA this weekend and he looked lost as usual.
P.S. I need camera pointers.
Chris

Vermont Fisherman Catches Record Carp


WATERBURY, VT – A Vermont fisherman has claimed a new state record for common carp, displacing the previous record that had held since 1981.

Tyler Evans, 27, of Dummerston caught the huge fish when he went bow and arrow fishing with his 12-year old brother, Jimmy Evans, on May 28, at Retreat Meadows on the Connecticut River in Brattleboro.

It was late in the evening when Tyler and his brother carefully approached the big fish in their boat. The fish swam just under the surface. Equipped with a compound bow and reel spooled with 35 yards of 135 lb test line, Tyler aimed and let his arrow fly.

“You have to actually aim just a little below the fish in order to hit it,” said Tyler. “When the arrow struck, the water exploded and the fish took off, stripping off all of the line and towing the boat around before I was able to bring him to a stop. It fought hard and I wasn’t sure we were going to get him into the boat, but we eventually did after a 15-minute battle.”

Tyler’s huge carp weighed 42.46 lbs on the scales at Adam’s Seafood in Brattleboro. It was 40 ½ inches long and 29 inches in girth.

Doug Bushey of Swanton took a 37 lb., 9 oz carp in Lake Champlain in 1981 and held the Vermont state record until now.

Originally from Eurasia and Southeast Asia, the common carp was widely introduced to North American waters in the late 1800s. Although not highly prized as a game fish here, it is eagerly sought by European anglers for the fishing challenges it presents and for its table value.

“Tyler and his brother can be very proud of their catch,” says John Hall with the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department. “Just getting close to a carp of this size is difficult. They are easily spooked. But actually taking a 42-pound carp is quite an accomplishment because of their strength. This is a state record that is likely to stand for a long time.”

Tyler Evans (right) caught this new Vermont state record common carp at Retreat Meadows on the Connecticut River in Brattleboro on May 28th. The huge fish weighed 42.46 lbs.

THAT is sum serious fishin', Mike!!

definitely the stuff that DREAMS are made of,

yet there you are ~~delivering the goods, and
excellent pix of fantastic angling action!!

Great to hear that you are on the mend and
our prayers were answered. good advice about the
aspirin in the goodies bag; at 48 i WILL heed yer words.

THANKS a Million for the pescatroial erotica :heybaby: :heybaby:

Glad to see you are doing better!

this is the first I have heard of your illness

all the best

Dano

:fishin:Mike welcome back! Great shots of the most dangerous fish to catch and from the yak at that. Take it slow and be well!:fishin:

Mike, glad you are doing well. Thanks for sharing the pics.