If You Could Go Back

[Deleted account]

1 hour ago, Tennessee Boy said:

Good question.  It depends on how you defines better.

 

As far as being good enough to win a tournament,  I would say no.  Mastery produces big catches that are require to win in my opinion.  Being a master of one thing will not win every tournament but no one wins every tournament.

 

As far as enjoying the sport,  most people don't enjoy doing the same thing all the time so it's probably better to focus on more than one thing but not too many.

 

Where am I today 40 years later?   I feel like and very good at two or three things but still working to improve on them.  I'm working on two or three more things that I have a lot to learn about before I would call myself good.  I'm still tempted to try more things than I have time to master.

If after 40 years, someone is just ok at something, that's not the thing for them, I know several folks for which this is the case in tennis and cycling in addition to fishing. 

[Spankey]

Like you I’ve been fishing a long time 50+ years. Kid fishing…….I was a kid and fished for whatever would bite at the streams and quarry. I started trout fishing seriously at a very young age. To this day it is a big part of my fishing. My biggest regret was not picking up a fly rod at around age 12 years old. Learn it and live it. But no harm no foul, I take that a bit more serious these days.  
 

Bass fishing regrets……..probably not fishing a lot of different water around the country. Put myself on different water types that are out there. This is what I believe makes these pros as good as they are. I never put myself in the position to apply myself in places like Lake Murray, St. John’s, Gunthersville, Lower Mississippi. 
 

I can hold my own on a few rivers near me. In the full scale of thing not sure how good of a fisherman that makes me. Now that I’m retired and still able to get around problem free I need to test these different waters. 

[Junk Fisherman]

7 hours ago, the reel ess said:

I wouldn't have married my first wife, though it all led to the wonderful family I have now.

 

If it wasn't for my first wife, I don't know if or when I would have rediscovered fishing.  I fished as a kid with my dad but he was a big deer hunter and he stopped fishing when I lost interest in my teen years.  I spent way too much time socializing and partying throughout college and into my early 20s.  My former inlaws had a summer home in SW Michigan and I remember looking at the lily pads and weedlines the first time I went on a boat ride as the new boyfriend.  I remember thinking "This is like where I used to fish in fish Wisconsin with my dad.  I wonder how the fishing is."  A couple weeks later I returned using their 12' jonboat with a pre-rigged plastic worm (the purple one with a couple white dots) and caught a bunch of fish.  I've been addicted ever since.  

[J Francho]

54 minutes ago, Deleted account said:

If after 40 years, someone is just ok at something, that's not the thing for them, I know several folks for which this is the case in tennis and cycling in addition to fishing. 

I disagree.  You don't have to be good at anything to enjoy it.  I know people that have been playing a musical instrument for decades, but aren't really good enough to play out, but that is still a journey they enjoy.  Do what gives you joy.

[Jar11591]

1 hour ago, Deleted account said:

If after 40 years, someone is just ok at something, that's not the thing for them, I know several folks for which this is the case in tennis and cycling in addition to fishing. 

Tell that to my father who has been golfing for 50+ years and is still bad. He’s in his 70s, goes multiple times a week and has a blast every time despite never being below par. I don’t think he’s ever thought golf isn’t for him though. 

[Mobasser]

16 minutes ago, J Francho said:

I disagree.  You don't have to be good at anything to enjoy it.  I know people that have been playing a musical instrument for decades, but aren't really good enough to play out, but that is still a journey they enjoy.  Do what gives you joy.

Agree J Francho. Have some fun and enjoy it!

[Darth-Baiter]

forget fishing.  i would go back and ask Diana C out on that date!!

[PourMyOwn]

I'd load up on Wiggle Warts in the 1980s so I could sell them now and retire early!

 

 

[padlin]

I wouldn't have wasted fishing time trying to learn to golf.

[Mobasser]

One small regret I have is this: I went to a sports show in Kansas City many years ago, and went to a seminar by Larry Nixon.  I wish I would have approached him afterward and got a chance to meet and talk with him. One of the all time best IMO.

[Captain Phil]

I have very few regrets.  None that have anything to do with fishing.  I started fishing walking canal banks.   I ended up owning dozens of boats and fishing all over the world. I married my teenage sweetheart and we are still going strong after 57 years.  The best thing I ever did other than marry my wife was leave a big corporation when I was 22 to start my own business.  Working for someone else is good just long enough to learn to do things on your own.  I should have started saving earlier.  I spent too much money on things that didn't mean anything to me six months after I bought them.  I should have lost weight.  I should have gone to the dentist more.  That's about it....   

[Swamp Girl]

When I was a kid, I wanted to catch a bass that was at least 17 inches long. My brothers and I tied our fishing poles to our bikes with kite string and fished farm ponds. In our childhoods, my brothers all caught at least one bass at least 17 inches. I hooked a few, but couldn't land them with my lousy Zebco 606. So, that's what I'd change. I'd go back and buy a decent reel, like a Mitchell 300 reel. 

 

And I'd tell myself: "Don't worry, Pumpkin. There are days coming when you'll catch a hundred bass in a day that average 17 inches and your brothers will never tease you again." 

[gim]

1 hour ago, Jar11591 said:

Tell that to my father who has been golfing for 50+ years and is still bad. He’s in his 70s, goes multiple times a week and has a blast every time despite never being below par.

Since when is being bad at golf someone who has never shot a score below par?  He could have scored even par or a couple shots over par or have a single digit handicap for 18 holes and I would still label them as being good at golf.  Actually, I'd call them d**n good at golf compared to the average golfer.  I played varsity golf in HS for 3 seasons and not once did I score under par.

[SC53]

Only a couple of things I’d have changed. 
One would have been to fish some of the lakes in their heydays. I did a lot of the Florida ones but would have liked to have fished some of the Texas ones like lake fork, Rayburn, Toledo Bend and Amisted. There’s others in other states but those stand out. 

Second was to take Shaw Grigsbys advise when I fished with him in a Redman tournament on Kissimmee Chain in 85.
He said I had “it” and should persue bigger tournaments. Unfortunately I didn’t have the income to do that but would have been cool to see if I actually had “it”.  

[Jar11591]

50 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Since when is being bad at golf someone who has never shot a score below par?  He could have scored even par or a couple shots over par or have a single digit handicap for 18 holes and I would still label them as being good at golf.  Actually, I'd call them d**n good at golf compared to the average golfer.  I played varsity golf in HS for 3 seasons and not once did I score under par.

That is true. Although I’m not sure what his scores look like, he doesn’t hide the fact that he is a “terrible” golfer haha 

[Bankbeater]

I wouldn't have stopped fishing for those 15 or so years.  I probably went out once or maybe twice a year during that period.

[Deleted account]

3 hours ago, J Francho said:

I disagree.  You don't have to be good at anything to enjoy it.  I know people that have been playing a musical instrument for decades, but aren't really good enough to play out, but that is still a journey they enjoy.  Do what gives you joy.

Oh no, I love hackers, I sell sporting goods for a living, one more nephew through college and I'm doing Argentina to Alaska in reverse...

[PaulVE64]

I would have bought a weigh scale sooner.

Like an idiot I didnt get one until after I caught what is easily my PB smallie.

I've hooked 4# smallies that didnt compare but I dont know how big my PB was/is.

[Tennessee Boy]

5 hours ago, Deleted account said:

If after 40 years, someone is just ok at something, that's not the thing for them, I know several folks for which this is the case in tennis and cycling in addition to fishing. 

I’m terrible at golf but still enjoy it.   I get way more golf for my money than a scratch player.

[steve carpenter]

Fishing for over 60 years and wish I had grown up in Texas instead of California. Been here since 1969.

Fishing so much better than Silicon Vally area. Love the people and culture

[DitchPanda]

No ragrets ...not a single letter

[gim]

2 hours ago, Tennessee Boy said:

I’m terrible at golf but still enjoy it.   I get way more golf for my money than a scratch player.

Ya but have you ever been GOOD at it? It’s not any fun when you used to be really good and then sucked. That’s me. If you were always bad, you wouldn’t have a basis for comparison lol

[Woody B]

I wouldn't go back even if I could.  I've made mistakes, and I've learned from them.  The mistakes I've made and the struggles I've had are what have made me into the person (and fisherman) I am today.  I'm happy with who I am.  

[jbmaine]

If I could go back...................... I would.

[FryDog62]

I wish I wouldn’t have spent so much time chasing gravel lizards, but that’s what everyone in Minnesota seemed to do grow up doing...