Summer Fun

[bellcon]

I love June
It is the month I was married 23 years ago and the month my first son was born.

It is the start of summer!
As we get older we need to be wary of letting the beginning of summer loose its magical touch.
We “grow-up”, start working, pile on the responsibilities…and the start of summer becomes just another day.
I have fought this loss, I have stubbornly refused to let the magic of summer slip away, even if I don’t get to do the “summer vacation” from school thing anymore…
I will be damned if I am going to ever completely “grow-up”

Having a wife who loves summer and the outdoors, along with 4 kids who have been raised to spend more time outside than inside, makes it easier for me to set aside time to be a kid.

Sure I could make more money if I just worked through summer and kept my nose to the grind stone, but I was always taught to Work Hard and Play Hard.

After I had started my own business, my father saw how hard I was working and pulled me aside one day, I will never forget what he said: Don, you know you can never get back all those Saturdays you are working.

It was a couple years before I felt comfortable taking off work on Saturdays and I still find myself working 7 days a week at times, but I’m always working on a plan to PLAY HARD, and I always will.

This summer has just started yet the end of June is already here…
The Bell Clan is not wasting anytime though, we have already camped at San Elijo, and New Brighton Beach in Santa Cruz, this weekend we will be in San Mateo with a week in Catalina coming up around the corner.

I encourage you guys to get out there and grab the magic of summer, Work Hard and Play Hard. A wide open squid bite is always a fun way to spend the day (or night) and a “slam” is one hell of an accomplishment, but at the end of the day it is really all about did you have fun?
Did you play hard and have fun?

Some highlights from June 2011:


Fishing off the Palos Verdes Coast in an area doomed to close when the MLPA takes affect... yes we sometimes have WSB up north too:


Not the bait I was looking for, but a pretty little Senorita:


A nice butt from San Pedro Bay:


Some More June Fun:











Playing Hard in LJ:






I highly recommend getting up to Santa Cruz, New Brighton State Beach is one of a kind, Oh, and take your kayak!
we camped there for a week 6/19-6/26, cant wait to return:























Took a little WSB with us for taco night, thank you La Jolla!:


All good things come to an end... time to hit the road:



Like I said
all good things come to an end and June 2011 is just about over,
looks like the elusive "slam" remains elusive for me this month.
But as one good thing ends it leaves room for another good thing to start.
I was going to try and get that Yellowtail I need manana but it looks like I will have to wait until the weekend, and who knows what will happen then.

If you have stuck with this long post this far, then I hope your a little inspired to get out there and make the most of this summer...
We can still find that magic and play hard if we just allow ourselves the time.

It was said recently that I "asked the same fishing questions less than 2 years ago" as a certain newbie.
that person has his dates messed up
but it is true, I still love learning new things, experimenting and don't mind asking the silly questions.
Playing Hard and having fun is the greatest "Quid pro Quo" I can experience.

[Tman]

Wow...

Don, you ROCK

Wondered when I'd see the kids I hear about, I saw my Boy in both of your Boys' faces on that pier shot.

That is, what it's all about...

[Holy Mackerel]

Great pics Don, that travel trailer rig is NICE! Where you headed in that pic? I just got back from Tahoe area myself, love the forest camping!

[landwhale]

What a month Don capped by a family camping trip with some kayak fishing thrown in..................AWESOME

[wiredantz]

Ugh... don said he approves all nighters. We can't get them back so we must fish

[erinoo]

Your my HERO

[fishsouthcounty]

very very cool, inspiring post. I grew up pretty similar to your boys spending more time outside then in, and damn near every vacation in a tent on the dirt from the redwoods to ensenada, the mojave to catalina. Cant wait to have kids and give them what my dad gave me, and what you are seeming to give your children, a love, and very true respect for our earth and mother nature. Good job Bellcon.

[Amish Ed]

Very nice report. Looks like June's been good for you and the family. My boys don't like to fish, but hopefully one of my girls will.

[xpresso2am]

Man you are doing it right! My son (2 1/2) now loves to fish, but its hard for him to keep focused. I'm sure that will change.

Thank you for reminding me that it is summer and I need to put the pen down, turn off the computer and get out and have some fun!

[yaksailor]

Nice pics. Look out for that poison oak in New Brighton.

[Fiskadoro]

Great post Don. Definitely looks like Summer fun to me.

Jim

[THE DARKHORSE]

Very well written post, amigo; inspiring to say the least.

Let me get this straight: Surf my brains out every South swell this Summer, work hard, fish even harder?

Got it!

[ful-rac]

Amen!...to summer fun! Great pictures! I'm ready to go fish'n!

[fishinfreak]

gotta love steamer lane

[Electronics Squid]

Awesome Post. I've always loved the start of Summer. Unfortunately this year I'm stuck on the ship for most of the summer, but the bright side is I'll get back in time to still get some camping and plenty of fishing in.

Took my daughter last year fishing and camping for the first time and she had a blast doing both.

During the camping trip we hiked a trail up from Big Bear Lake to where it meets the Pacific Crest Trail, and she took a decent digger coming down a small decline, cried for a second and then said she wasn't stopping until the top.

As for fishing, few days ago I got the best email from my wife, it said that my daughter couldn't stop telling friends of ours that we haven't seen for some time about going fishing with me, and about how we're going to do more when I get back.

Can't ask for much more than I've got...a wife who let's me fish and a daughter who always wants to tag along on the back of the 'yak...

[StinkyMatt]

Nice write up Don. Fishing is just a little part of our life. Family is (should be) our life.

Whenever we can combine the two it can mean magic!

Congrats on theat WSB with the triple tail!

[bellcon]

Thanks guys glad you enjoyed

Martin:
we will hook up with the boys one day
Chris:
that pic of the rig is just before leaving New Brighton State Beach,
They now have a few "hook-up" sites, it is an awesome place to stay, you need to try it out, guarantee you will go back.

Yaksailor:
10-4 on the poison oak, but actually they removed a bunch of it, we have never had a problem, but you do need to keep an eye out for it,
especially when we take the 3 dogs for trail runs.

fishinfreak:
My oldest son just turned 17, he is as addicted to surfing as im to kayak fishing, and I encourage him to go as often as possible. He was a little nervous about Steamers, but after Capitola, and Cowells he had to try it, and he loved it.

Frank:
yes I definitely approve of "all nighters"... but I don't encourage others to do it, it can be dangerous out there at night...
(plus I like fishing alone)

Josh:
Yep, you nailed it amigo

Thanks for adding your stories to mine guys! from both the kids and fathers perspective

Stay inspired, and get them kids out there!
All of my kids have been to just about every zoo, nature center and aquarium California has to offer,
they love em, BUT they would still prefer to see it all first hand on land or on the water!

[Boneshaker21]

Great read! Awesome pics also!