FishExplorer has been updated. See what's new... (hide this)
Fishing Styles and Life
Blog by: Lloyd Tackitt , TX 6/28/2017 (Return to blogs)
Fishing has been a fairly constant companion in my life, although it has changed styles many times over the years.
When I was too young to go fishing on my own I was taken fishing, it was a family thing. Sometimes it would be just one relative and other times there might be ten of them. Most of the time it was a day long event that included a picnic lunch. Caught fish were taken home and eaten.
When I was old enough to go on my own, but still a child, I went often. It was mostly a day long event that included a warm bologna sandwich, and apple, and a warm coke, and getting there by bicycle. Caught fish were taken home and eaten.
When I was a young man, single, fishing was often an event that included buddies. It was sometimes a day long event that almost always included beer. Boats had started to become involved, mostly jon-boats that were paddled but once in a while a boat with an outboard. Caught fish were taken home and eaten.
When I was a married man without kids fishing was generally a day long event, usually with buddies, beer and boats. It was also pretty specialized being mostly bass fishing. Bass fishing with rubber worms at that. Now and then when the conditions were right I'd fish some top water plugs, but mostly the rubber worms.
When I was a father fishing changed radically. It was rarely a day long event. I rarely got much fishing in at all, spending most of my time helping the kids. If lunch was involved it consisted of things like pop tarts and cookies and fruit juices in boxes. No buddies would come near this type of fishing. Boats were not involved, beer was not involved. Millions of questions were asked by the little ones, answers were provided but not exactly fact checked first. "Why do fish live under water daddy?" "They only sleep underwater, they come out at night and fly around." Of all the modes of fishing, this one was the best. Caught fish that could survive the experience were released, damaged fish were taken home and eaten.
When the kids were grown to the point that fishing wasn't high on their list of things to do I reverted to fishing with buddies, beer and boats. Lunch was usually some junk food picked up at the gas station when we stopped for gas. Most fish were released.
Now days I mostly fish alone, sometimes with family members, sometimes with a friend. Mostly alone though. Generally there is no lunch or beer involved because I generally only go for four hours or so, and all of the fish are released except once in a great while I'll take some home and eat them. Now and then I'll remember the camera and take a photo or two, but mostly I forget to carry it.
I wonder what the next phase will be like. I could get into sitting on the bank with a cane pole to be honest. Catching one now and then, maybe even keeping some to eat. Age is eventually going to slow me down to the point where that might be the best bet. If so, that's fine. I like to fish and I can adapt to whatever situation and style of fishing I need to adapt to. Got plenty of practice at that.
Blog content © Lloyd Tackitt
Comments
Flyrodn
06.28.17 5:59 PM
Fishing does change with time doesn't it? I, too, fish mostly alone, and these days frequently in short stints, but I do love full day outings when I can get them. Biggest change has been from whatever it takes to catch fish to fly rod only. May come a day that changes, but for now. . .
oley
07.11.17 2:24 AM
I too am at that age and point in my life where fishing is mostly a solitary event. That is when all my 'chores' are done or mostly done. Funny. I never thought much about this time in my life. I was too busy working and raising children/grandchildren. Then we retired and moved to the mountains. My busy life ended in the city and BAM, the primarily quiet style of life that comes from living in the mountains began. I should have done this earlier much earlier.
That being said, I have recently come into possession of a beautiful cane pole. Funny how things come around in a circle. I fished with a cane pole on the shores of the Flint River of southern Georgia as a youth and I hopefully will end life fishing with a cane pole sitting on the shore of some local pond fondly dreaming about the many fishing adventures past... Oh, and my wife. She may read this at some point. Luv you honey...
Lloyd Tackitt (author, aka Lloyd Tackitt)
07.11.17 10:50 AM
I love my wife too! Good idea to post that, just in case! :-)
About the Author
I live on the edge of the Brazos River. I walk out my front door and into the river and - boom - I am fishing just like that. For me the river is fascinating. The mile long stretch I fish is a microcosm of the river, I have it all in that one mile. Trying to figure out where the fish are, what they are doing, why they are doing it, what they are biting, if they are biting - this is what keeps me in the river casting flys. I fly fish almost exclusively. It isn’t that I am a fly fishing snob, it’s that fly fishing works – it’s effective - and it has added benefits. I carry all my tackle in a vest, no tackle box needs to be dragged along. The casting itself is fun, even when I don’t catch fish I’ve enjoyed the experience of casting. Fly rods enhance the experience of bringing fish in. I like the hands on the line feel instead of the feel of line spooling up on a reel and muted down through a gear and crank system. Fish fight better and feel better on a fly rod. Fly fishing just feels better to me than other methods.