Avalonjohn44 Posted April 30, 2009 Posted April 30, 2009 I posted this on my blog, but wanted to share it with you guys, people that appreciate Bass Fishing the way I do... Here it is: So when I'm not alienating most of my friends and having family members de-friend me on Facebook for posting my anti-(name removed so as to not violate BR's politics rule) diatribes, I like to try and squeeze in some fishing time at least once a week. It doesn't always work out that way, and some weeks I'll be privileged enough to go two or three times, but I like to shoot for once a week... I had few passions growing up. Three to be exact. They all revolved around the water. I could never get enough swimming in it seemed. I was never very athletic or particularly graceful, but once I got into the water, that all changed. I was an otter. I was a fast swimmer, and nobody could dunk me. I stayed in longer, swam when it rained, and even swam when it was probably too cool to swim (this past summer the water temps were in the low fifties, but my cousin, my wife and I went swimming anyway it was painful) We dived off docks, scaled pilings like some Polynesian coconut hunter to do flips from, even jumped off bridges. It was a passion easy to fulfill. Jump in the water as much as possible, boom. Done. Another was crabbing. Summers spent on the Jersey shore gave me a love of crabs that still eats at me today. We still plan at least a partial week up in Avalon just so I can get up there an crab I disagree off for a couple of days. It started as catching crabs with my cousin and our mutual friends off the public dock, but also from our old boat the Scotty Good. We caught them for my grandfather, a crab aficionado. My cousin and I (who I fear I have embarrassed with this right wing extremism blog) would bring home hundreds of crabs a week for our Pop-Pop. They would last him through the winter. He's gone now, but every crab I catch and eat will forever be for him. But as I grew older, Fishing outpaced everything else. I fished with my cousin, I fished with my brother, my dad, and my friend Cat. I fished with my wife when we dated, and fish with her still. I fish with my kids now. Especially with Pop-Pop gone, and crabbing therefore losing some of its allure, fishing is where it's all at for me. I can't explain the allure of fishing to someone that did not catch the fishing bug. It might be unexplainable, perhaps. I could no more convey to you what I feel for the combination of dark water, the outdoors, and the tap-tug bite of a fish, than a Nascar fan could convey to me why he likes to stare at what amounts to me to a traffic jam in a hot, stinky, sweaty, cacophonic mess of a racetrack. I won't ever have the phrases or the words to tell you what clicks together' inside me the moment I see my lure arcing in the air, the spool of my reel shedding line with a whirrrr sound, and the lure plopping down into the lake. I don't know where to start telling you how a fish on the end of my line, fighting to throw my hook, is a mystery each and every time up until the moment I see it. I seriously get a little breathless, and my heart speeds up, just trying to capture the feeling on paper. Some people fish a couple of times, and can throw the twenty dollar rod and reel in the closet for a year before dusting it off for a yard sale. They weren't bitten. Some people buy twenty rods and reels, each many hundreds of dollars, and follow up with a boat, a house on the lake, entering tournaments and chasing dollars and trophies. I would like to compete, but not really for money (though I would love the money), I want to one day gauge my skills against those of these so called professional angler. I want to see how I measure up. I also would like to maybe write a local book about the fishing holes I haunt, some secret, some well known. And maybe even get my own boat and start a guide service one day. But most of all, I want to pass my love of fishing off to my kids. I think I've given it a good start. I take them with me often. The boy, at four, can cast like a fiend and he got his first bass (a chunky two pounder) last summer. He talked about it for hours. The girl made me about as proud as I can be, when she told her mother that night after she caught two bass that today was the best day of her life. I just posted on Facebook that I was daydreaming about fishing My wife wrote back from home: Soon babe... soon; weekend doth approach.' My heart beat a little bit fasterI'm holding her to itCan't wait. Quote
Surgin Posted April 30, 2009 Posted April 30, 2009 Seems we share the same passion. That is a great read, well done. As with you so many of my friends and family don't get it. Like you said how do you explain it? I too, am waiting for the weekend. A weekend of many ,many, casts. Hopefully returning lunkers. Quote
Sfritr Posted April 30, 2009 Posted April 30, 2009 Well said....... The best memories I have of my grandfather and dad all revolve around a lake and fishing. I hope its as contagious as swine flu..... Quote
Super User fishinfiend Posted April 30, 2009 Super User Posted April 30, 2009 Can you PM me those anti-(name removed so as to not violate BR's politics rule) diatribes ? Quote
Avalonjohn44 Posted April 30, 2009 Author Posted April 30, 2009 Can you PM me those anti-(name removed so as to not violate BR's politics rule) diatribes ? LOL Quote
CJ Posted April 30, 2009 Posted April 30, 2009 That's a great post. I would think everybody here could relate to some part, if not all of what you wrote. I can't explain, in words, what it means to me either. I, like you, want my kids to have the same freedom I do. If they want the passion, I want them to have it. I know one of them does! Good write! CJ Quote
Super User fishfordollars Posted April 30, 2009 Super User Posted April 30, 2009 Now that's a good read. You have a standing invitation to get yourself out here and enjoy this area if you like. Heck, there are tons of tournaments every weekend as well as every evening of the week, so if that's what you want let's go see if we can win a couple. You don't need to worry about a place to stay either. Front bedroom is always open. Just give me a few days notice and let's get it on. Jack Quote
Avalonjohn44 Posted April 30, 2009 Author Posted April 30, 2009 Now that's a good read. You have a standing invitation to get yourself out here and enjoy this area if you like. Heck, there are tons of tournaments every weekend as well as every evening of the week, so if that's what you want let's go see if we can win a couple. You don't need to worry about a place to stay either. Front bedroom is always open. Just give me a few days notice and let's get it on. Jack I'm touched and I appreciate the offer! Quote
moloch16 Posted May 1, 2009 Posted May 1, 2009 Going fishing gives me that excited crazy feeling like I'm getting ready to perform on stage or some thing. I get butterflies in my gut I'm so excited. Quote
Back2fishing Posted May 1, 2009 Posted May 1, 2009 I too have had the fishing bug all of my life (47years Young ) last year my wife and I got ourselves a new boat . 3 years ago my wife got breast cancer went through all the surgery and treatments and what not and so far by the grace of god she is now clear of cancer. We spend as much time fishing as we can . It is so AWESOME to spend time out on the water with my wife , I can't Wait to get out this year. Sorry for the long post . Kevin Quote
swilly78 Posted May 1, 2009 Posted May 1, 2009 Can you PM me those anti-(name removed so as to not violate BR's politics rule) diatribes ? If you write about politics as well as you write about fishing, it should be a great read! : Quote
Avalonjohn44 Posted May 1, 2009 Author Posted May 1, 2009 I too have had the fishing bug all of my life (47years Young ) last year my wife and I got ourselves a new boat . 3 years ago my wife got breast cancer went through all the surgery and treatments and what not and so far by the grace of god she is now clear of cancer. We spend as much time fishing as we can . It is so AWESOME to spend time out on the water with my wife , I can't Wait to get out this year. Sorry for the long post . Kevin I'm really happy to hear that your wife is doing well. Prayers coming from NOVA that she stays well. Your post wasn't long... jeez, mine rambled on 10 times that length... Quote
Avalonjohn44 Posted May 1, 2009 Author Posted May 1, 2009 Can you PM me those anti-(name removed so as to not violate BR's politics rule) diatribes ? If you write about politics as well as you write about fishing, it should be a great read! : Thank you! If you want to view my blog, PM me, I don't want to further violate any posting rules... Quote
Super User MALTESE FALCON Posted May 1, 2009 Super User Posted May 1, 2009 Great read. As so many have stated, I also have the "Passion". I think it's impossible to explain to anybody, either you have it, or you don't...............I'm glad I have it. Falcon Quote
Captain Obvious Posted May 1, 2009 Posted May 1, 2009 Great read, The best word I found to describe fishing is wonderful, just plain wonderful Capt.O Quote
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