I don't know If this goes with the theme of the thread but.... The most positive thing that happened to me this year, with regards to fishing, was cutting ties with a longtime fishing partner.
I have thoroughly enjoyed this year and have stepped outside my usual fishing parameters and tried different presentations, I tried some combinations that others might consider oddball combinations, and generally didn't have the distractions and negativity from the previous years.
It's safe to say that not even 50% of the bait combunations were a rousing success but there are a few that I will fish at least a decent part of my time out on the water.
To pick just one; a Siebert outdoors Zenith shakeyhead paired with a smallie beaver. I had always fished this with a Zoom finesse worm. I was thinking about it one night and decided to try the beaver as It made sense to me. I caught a 7 during prespawn with that exact bait and will throw It from bare banks to the thickest brush. To say I'm pleased with this combination Is an understatement!
