Eye for an Eye

I have talked before about the importance of wearing eye wear in the field, but usually I am talking about protecting your eyes from the sun.  Two weeks ago while fishing Leech Lake I had a little incident that probably should have cost me my left eye, but thanks to my Costa's, I am able to type this piece using both of them right now.

For those not familiar with Leech Lake, when it is windy the walleye move very shallow on wind blown shorelines and you can usually pitch jigs to these fish.  While moving along some wind blown rocks in 4 feet of water with my Minn Kota Fortrex I was pitching up into 1 foot of water and the fish were just crushing the Northland Jig/Minnow Combo.  The fish were not huge but the action was great and pitching jigs is about as fun as it gets.

As I was moving down the shore the wind was blowing hard against the outside of the boat, and with any mistake, I could have easily been pushed up onto the rocks. The conditions were perfect and the bites were fast.  These were the kind of bites that when the jig hit the water the line was already running to the side....fish on!

Then there was a cast that I will remember for a long time.  I pitched up shallow just like a hundred times before and just like many other casts, the line shot to the side and I set the hook.  However, this time the jig came flying back at me like a bullet from a gun hitting me in the left eye.  I wasn't quite sure what happened for a second, but as I regrouped, I could tell that both eyes were still working and my sunglasses seemed to be cracked.  After further inspection, my Costa 580 lenses were indeed cracked, as the jig struck area where the glass lens meets the frame, but they were still intact.

Despite being in disbelief of what just happened I kept fishing and continued to wear the cracked Costa's.  Now, as I look back on that day three things come to mind.  First, I was very lucky, as that jig had a 2/0 hook on it and no matter what it hit, it would have hurt to have it taken out.  Second, I am very lucky to not have lost an eye or put a hook in my eye.  Lastly, thank you to Costa or making the best sunglasses available as they saved me from what could have been a serious injury.