Lemons to lemonaide

[Guest avid]

As many of you know, I suffered a very painful elbow injury last week.  I got my shot and everything seems much better.  But while the pain was acute, I couldn't fish a jerk bait or popper with my preferred right arm.  So I would cast the bait with my right arm and hold the rod on the forward cork and "jerk" or "twich" it with my left arm. Then move my left hand to the reel and quickly crank in the slack, then quick back to the front cork, and so on.  This seems to have imparted a rhythm or action that got the fish biting.  I tried duplicating today with just my right arm, but it didn't work, so I went back to using the method I used with the left arm doing most of the work, and started getting bites again.  

The moral to the story is that every setback creates an opportunity.  The trick is to find it.

[kid with a rapala]

thats asome avid i dont post much but glad your getting better and u found a technique thats helping you

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Cortisone shot I assume?  Be careful not to do more damage while you are pain free.  I had a problem with a shoulder when I used to ski, I kept getting cortisone shots and it was good to go for a month or so.  All said and done, I needed surgery on my rotator cuff in the end.  While it was numb I was continuing to damage it and didn't realize it.

Good luck bud.

[Chris]

I broke my wrist one time and was in a thumb spike cast for a long time and had to learn to fish with my other hand. Now I can pitch a jig with either hand.

[just_another_newbe]

I agree with LBH, some docs are quick with the pain killers but you have to remember, the pain is there to remind you that your injured and need to take it easy to heal. if you keep masking the pain you'll soon forget your hurt and do some major damage. I don't blame you for wanting to keep fishing, just go easy on the elbow for a while.

[paparock]

I'm glad to hear you are doing better Avid! Take care of that arm. It's great you found a new system to get bit. Just don't overdue it.  

[Guest avid]

Thanks for the "go easy" advice.  I know it's true, but bass fishing is more than just what I do it's kind of like who I am, if you know what I mean.  Even though I feel much better I'm still wearing the wrist brace and elbow strap when I fish.  I'm also paying much more attention to body mechanics.  My doctor is a competitive amateur body builder.  He understands the need to continue doing the things we love, while paying attention to prevention via, posture, body mechanics, awareness, and prosthetic supports.   Even so, I understand that I'm "playing with fire" to a certain extent.  But so be it.  The alternative is Prozac.