| First of all, we need to look at the word ... recreation. | | | | Why hard work? Every time I come home from a |
| When I break it down, it comes out re-creation. | | | | fishing trip I am worn out for a few days. That's |
| What this means to me is a re-creating of myself; a | | | | because I work hard while at play. I am up and down |
| way to get away from it all and do some soul | | | | the banks hiking around the lake looking for my target: |
| searching and some thinking and ... re-create my ideas, | | | | largemouth bass. I cast and I cast and I cast; always |
| inspirations and motivations; a break in the pattern that | | | | keeping the bait in motion and trying to find the fish. |
| allows me to reconsider things in my life and make | | | | So, do I go to get away from it all? Or, do I go |
| adjustments. | | | | because I love the thrill of the hunt; the catch. |
| But the term is large. Typically, recreation means | | | | If you think that serious bass fishing is a 'vacation," it's |
| activity. What do you do for recreation? Watch TV? | | | | not. Again, it's hard work. |
| Garden? Go out to restaurants or bars? What? | | | | Even if you're not hiking up and down the banks, even |
| It implies relaxation. It implies a way to get away from | | | | if you are in a boat, it's hard work. You are constantly |
| the normal grind and have an element of divergence; | | | | casting, reeling and landing fish (hopefully). This will |
| have some fun and forget it all. | | | | wear you out if you only fish occasionally. |
| Not so for the bass fisherman. | | | | So, to me, bass fishing must be an obsession. I mean, |
| I know I have mentioned to people that I went fishing | | | | certainly, I don't do it to get occasionally, though it is |
| and they said, "Oh, that sounds relaxing." | | | | that. And I don't do it to forget the world and all it's |
| What is relaxing about bass fishing? Probably nothing. | | | | cares, though it does help with that. And I don't do it |
| There are times I go to be outdoors, and there are | | | | because I am looking for a way to relax, though I do |
| times I go to catch bass. Catching bass is not relaxing. | | | | find it to be relaxing as well as tiring. |
| In fact, bass fishing is hard work. | | | | What's in it for me? |
| If you want to throw in a live bait and hang by the | | | | I must do it. I am obsessed, maybe better described as |
| shade tree, so be it. Granted, that is fishing ... but not | | | | addicted to the adrenaline charge I get when I catch a |
| the style of bass fishing I'm talking about. | | | | bass. I need the satisfaction of feeling powerful |
| What I am talking about is active bass fishing where | | | | because I have fooled the fish in it's own domain and I |
| you are in hot pursuit of the prey. Walking the banks ... | | | | am now the king. I have to have that. |
| fishing from the boat ... whatever your style may be, it | | | | By the way, I will have to write more later, because |
| is hard work. | | | | now I must recreate. Maybe I will see you there. |