| I recently had a conversation with "wonder bread | | | | vests, waders, nets, flippers,attractants, baits,and |
| boy" about a serious dilemma he was having.It seems | | | | yes dehydrated nightcrawlers, that have found their |
| that he has misplaced, lost or surrendered, to his ex, | | | | way into my fishing arsenal in over 40 years of |
| the bulk of his fishing gear.Now, this alone is a | | | | fishing.Lord knows, that if the nightcrawler should |
| monumental problem in itself, not the lost or | | | | ever go extinct, there is plenty of DNA in my fishing |
| misplaced part, but the trying to ask your ex for | | | | tub to bring 'em back into existence!!All that being |
| something that means absolutely nothing to her but | | | | said, I am now going to try and simplify your life by |
| would certainly open up a humongous can of | | | | giving you three simple rules to go by when choosing |
| nightcrawlers should you attempt to ask for it | | | | your fishing gear:1) Pick your fish species of |
| back..."Hi sweet.""Oh, it's YOU.""How ya been?""Cut | | | | choice.Don't try to outfit yourself with every type of |
| the chit chat wonder boy, what is it you | | | | fishing gear. If trout and bass are the predominant |
| want?""Well,(gulp) it seems-snookums- that when | | | | type of fishing you do, then get a good combo outfit |
| you tossed me out into the street and took legal | | | | that is adequate for both. The same goes for salmon |
| ownership of all my bank accounts and left me with | | | | and steelhead, if these are the fish of choice, outfit |
| little or nothing to subsist on in this world, I, silly me, | | | | yourself with a good middle of the road combination |
| forgot to grab my fishing pole on the way out.""You | | | | that will allow you to fish for both. Quite honestly, if |
| want your fishing pole back?""Ahh yeah.""Sure, you | | | | you only occasionally go fishing for a certain type of |
| can have it back, it's out in the | | | | fish--hire a guide and use his gear, or if you are a do |
| garage.""REALLY!""Yes, I have it all boxed up in that | | | | it yourself guy, borrow and share with buddies who |
| nice little shoebox, labeled @#$&*@#!!+, it's all | | | | may have multiple outfits.(Like me!!)Don't get me |
| yours.""Oh."---"Never mind.""By the way, my lawyer | | | | wrong. Different types of fishing really can be |
| will be contacting you about increasing monthly child | | | | enhanced and improved by having slightly more |
| support, cars don't drive themselves without gas you | | | | specialized gear and if you decide that you have |
| know. Have a NICE day...."So, as you can see, not | | | | plenty of expendable income... go for it. But if you |
| willing to risk the ramifications, wonder bread boy | | | | don't, it is just best to decide what kind of fish you |
| was suddenly thrust into the market of having to go | | | | really enjoy fishing for.2) Stay to the middle.The old |
| find some new fishing gear.Here in lies the real | | | | rule of thumb, that you don't want to buy the least |
| problem.WBB sidled on down to our local giant | | | | expensive and you don't want to buy the most |
| cowbird-which happens to be the Blackbird Sporting | | | | expensive, certainly applies to fishing gear. If you buy |
| Goods store--and walked in looking to replace his spin | | | | your fishing gear at the "dollar store" or the Salvation |
| fishing outfits. Finding replacements for the kids was | | | | Army, you are probably going to get what you pay |
| easy, he just grabbed Scooby and Spiderman combo | | | | for. On the other hand, don't be sucked in by the |
| outfits and knew that the kids would settle who was | | | | glossy ads and goofy graphs and bar charts that |
| qualified to be Scooby and who was qualified to be | | | | show why an extra $120 dollars spent on the same |
| Spiderman.Finding the right combo for himself was | | | | $60 dollar product will have you smiling and holding a |
| another story.So, there he stood in the middle of the | | | | mass quantity of big fish. I have seen plenty of good |
| aisle, staring with that "deer in the headlight look", at | | | | fishermen using good average run of the mill gear, |
| dozens of rods and reels that he had not a clue as | | | | catching as many, or out catching dudes with high |
| to which to choose from. Shimano's, Okuma's, | | | | priced fancy outfits. |
| Mitchell's, Abu Garcia's, Shakespeare's, Penn's, gear | | | | I have sat in sporting good stores and had salesmen |
| ratio's, ultralight's,micro's,Ugly Stik's,Daiwa's, two piece, | | | | tell me how "sweet" this rod or that reel is and |
| three piece, sensitive tip, ultimate stiffness, | | | | asked me to wiggle it around, then when I picked up |
| Maxim's,Quantum's....WHEW!!"I just want to catch | | | | a cheaper rod or reel and not felt any difference |
| some flippin' crappies."Wonder Bread Boy, turned and | | | | they looked at me like I was from Mars. |
| headed for the checkstand. The boys got there rods, | | | | Most brand name gear today is made pretty well, so |
| and WBB decided he would bait hooks and watch | | | | you can just pick ---the pretty one!!3)Don't scrimp on |
| them fish.All this over stimulation and multitude of | | | | the fishing line.To me, in just about any kind of |
| choices had him reaching back far into his neanderthal | | | | fishing, this is a big key. Get the right line, and get |
| tendencies, and he almost went home and tied some | | | | good quality. Whether it is having the right type of |
| kite string onto a flagpole. Thinking that $70 or $80 | | | | fly line, or the right test of monofilament, you will |
| was too much to invest, especially in "crappie | | | | catch more fish if you pay attention to the selection |
| futures", he figured he would fashion up a nice | | | | of your lines. Too heavy, and fish will sit there staring |
| "fishing stick" to pursue fish and avoid the trauma of | | | | at your line like WBB stares at aisle 32 at the |
| having to decide which combo was right for him.It | | | | Blackbird.Use floating line when you should sink. Or |
| has gotten that way.Fishing, like golf or skiing or just | | | | sinking line when you should float. And you will have a |
| about any sport has gotten way to specialized and | | | | nice day casting and/or walking on the river or lake.I |
| seems to require multiple quivers of gear for | | | | once used a fishing line called "Vanish",that was |
| different situations. You can't use bass gear for | | | | supposed to be the greatest thing |
| trout.You have to have "lake fishing" set ups, "river | | | | since....well....Wonder Bread, and the only thing that |
| fishing" set ups, trolling rods, casting rods.If you want | | | | "vanished" was the fish I was catching. Every fish I |
| want to have more fun with 9 inch fish, you have to | | | | hooked broke me off. I switched lines and started to |
| go "light". Level winds for salmon. Fly fishing gear for | | | | land fish after that. So that line has now "vanished" |
| "fly only" waters.You get the picture.It's maddening | | | | from my tackle collection and is now occupying some |
| as well as intimidating.I myself, own a small satellite | | | | space at a landfill....And vanishing from my tackle |
| operation of Cabela's aka "my playroom", that will | | | | collection is obviously no small feat!So, get the right |
| take my daughter at least two years to liquidate | | | | line and you can almost tie it on WBB's flagpole and |
| when I pass on to the big fishing pond in the sky. At | | | | catch fish. (with hook and bait of course...)There you |
| last count I had fifteen various rods, and way too | | | | have it, Wonder Bread Boy, you are now armed with |
| many reels and extra spools and such. Why I even | | | | enough information to head into your local sporting |
| found a reel I can't even remember | | | | goods store and confidently make a selection, so you |
| purchasing....STILL IN THE BOX!!!!!My gosh, I must be | | | | can fish with your kids.Or, you can wait about 30 |
| like a sleepwalker who wanders into the fishing aisles | | | | years and pick up a nice collection of stuff at my |
| and starts gathering up items, only to wake up and | | | | daughters' garage sale!A.J. KlottAuthor, writer of |
| not have a clue as to 'how did that sturgeon fishing | | | | fishing humor,and "fly tack" peddler.A.J. writes about |
| rod got in my garage'!!I've never even been sturgeon | | | | the people,characters and modern day events that |
| fishing.We won't even get into the six or seven | | | | surround the fishing world. His first book is due out in |
| tackle "tubs"--not boxes--of lures, flies,trolling rigs, | | | | December of 2005. |