Lessons

Lessons seem to come in more forms than one can anticipate. When it comes to fishing, a lot of the learning comes on the water, though I've felt newly armed in the spring after a winter of reading without any fishing for months. We're experiencing a slightly longer season in New England than we have in a while, and I've been doing my best to take advantage of it, albeit from shore and not from a boat. I went to my favorite local pond today and found that one big bass legend's advice holds true under most conditions. Bill Murphy, author of In Search of Giant Bass, includes in his book an illustration of a hop retrieve with an interesting explanation. He says that the last ten feet or so of an angler's retrieve constitute a "low concentration area," to paraphrase, and by this he means that if someone casts to a specific spot, hops a bait for a few feet within that spot, and doesn't get a bite, he then reels the bait back to the boat without a thought. What Murphy points out about this is that if one is searching for a giant bass, as he did, one should be mindful of those last few feet. His point is that often a bass will follow a bait for a while without biting, and then once they're out of their "area" they'll make a decision to bite or go back, rather than keep swimming and move any farther away from an area of security. Sounds logical enough, except that it neglects what tournament anglers preach--make as many casts as possible and cover a lot of water. In another area of the book Murphy provides a photograph of himself with a 15 pounder, saying that it took him hours of fishing until a rain activated the fish into striking his lure. This also seems to illustrate the difference between big bass hunters and tournament anglers. In tournaments we don't have the luxury of waiting for the ideal conditions to materialize and produce such a big fish, though it might help our results. We need to boat a limit. But as big bass hunters we have all day to wait for the right bite at the right time in the right place. How does this apply to my fishing? Well, I was fishing a jerkbait, very slowly, and just when I thought I'd had it from that spot I began to reel the bait back in, quickly, when it suddenly felt heavy. I pulled on it, thinking it was a weed, and saw a fish turn on it and swim away. Murphy's lesson is one of patience and attention, something we all need to be reminded of every once in a while, no matter the circumstances or the goal.

Off Season

We're now into November, and while local ponds haven't iced over yet I would say that the off-season has officially begun. I will fish a few more times, mind you. But I don't expect to catch anything. Why bother? Maybe becuase it'll just be good to be outdoors before it gets too cold. Or it'll be out of a need to wet a line and throw a lure. And there IS the chance of catching something, though I think the chances of a sunny or crappie are better than a bass. At any rate, though it doesn't feel totally right to call it quits while there's open water, it is the end of the season.
So, what to do for the next four to six months? Plan a trip south, for sure! A number of ideas along that line have occured to me--a friend lives in Naples, Florida, which has some great saltwater fishing in the Gulf; there are also a number of guided trips available, including some Elite anglers, albeit for a hefty price; and then there's the first B.A.S.S. Southern Open in January. While this last prospect seems less like a vacation and more like a lesson, there are some benefits: one, it's three days of fishing for less than the cost of a guide; two, it's on one of the largest lakes in the United States, which is something to experience; three, there is always the chance of making one's entry fee back, nevermind some money or prizes in winnings; and four, there will be some damned good anglers there, so the opportunity to learn is great. Yes, it is far less about relaxing, but it does provide a lot of living.