Some people say a warrior doesn't choose his sword, the sword chooses them. On my birthday in 2009, Fishmourne chose me. My family had purchased the rod for my birthday and from the moment I laid eyes on it, I knew it would be different. There was a sense of power emanating from this fishing rod, as it it hungered for fish to catch. I knew from that day, Fishmourne would help me become a great fisherman.
When I first used Fishmourne, we christened it in the waters of the Noosa river. I had rigged it up, carefully securing the braid to my line, expertly attaching the sinker, swivel, and hook the way my father showed me when I was a lad. I threaded on the bait and cast off. We were told that nothing was biting in the area, and that we should move to the mouth of the seaway, but Fishmourne hungered, and Fishmourne knew that there were fish here. My father and I landed over 15 fish that day, most over legal size but we respected the ocean and only came back with a flathead, garfish, and a whiting the size of a small child. I knew from that day Fishmourne held a lot of power, and with great power comes great fishing.
Fishmourne and I continued our campaign of terror around Australia. I knew I would never go hungry again with this rod at my side. But like all great warriors and weapons, there is always something bigger and better out there, there's always the yin to my yang.
On a fateful fishing trip, I managed to hook a monster, I can't tell you what type of fish it was, but I like to think I hooked Godzilla, or Jaws, or maybe even Godzilla eating Jaws. Whatever it was, it snapped all the eyelets down my rod and nearly broke it in half. It was like that moment in Lord of the Rings when that dude gets his sword shattered and almost dies... a little bit of me died along with Fishmourne.
I had to get a new Rod, a new Fishmourne, so I headed down to my local fishing store and got a beautifully crafted, carbon fibre, counter balanced fishing rod. I felt its power much like Fishmournes, I knew we would be victorious over the fish armies of Australia again.
But It wasn't to be...
You see, I started my campaign amongst the cursed waters of Hinze dam, the only place I have never caught a fish. The skeletal remains of the trees who were reclaimed by the rising water level, sat lifelessly just beneath the surface. I wasn't confident anymore. The day ended up being less about fishing and more about untangling my rod from the trees both under and out of the water (don't ask!) That day, I cursed Fishmourne in the waters of Hinze Dam.
I still haven't caught a fish since that day. It has dawned on me that I need to bathe Fishmourne back in the waters of the Noosa River. It will be a long and arduous journey (2 hours down the highway) filled with peril (speed cameras and the risk of running out of snacks.) It is a journey I cannot do alone. Therefor I am creating a Fellowship of the Fish, a ragtag group of Fishermen (or women) to help escort Fishmourne and I to Noosa, on an epic quest to restore Fishmourne to its former glory. So dear readers, only one question remains...
The Fellowship of the Fish...
Are you in?
Nerd VS Wild will continue from where we left off (in Canberra) next week! I hope you enjoyed the return of Nerd VS Wild!
