Among my many interests I do some reading in philosophy.� Most of it is like listening to a droning voice under a buzzing and flickering light fixture.� But there are some philosophers that not only are easy to read but they also make pretty good sense.�

Robert Pirsig is at the top of that list.� He has a lot to say, but one of the things is that he divides people into two categories.� Classic and Romantic are the labels he uses.�

Here's a very brief excerpt from his thoughts:

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�A classical understanding sees the world primarily as underlying form itself.

"A romantic understanding sees it primarily in term of immediate appearance.

"If you were to show an engine or a mechanical drawing or electronic schematic to a romantic it is unlikely he would see much of interest in it. It has no appeal because the reality he sees is its surface. Dull, complex lists of names, lines and numbers. Nothing interesting.

"But if you were to show the same blueprint or schematic or give the same description to a classical person he might look at it and then become fascinated by it because he sees that within the lines and shapes and symbols is a tremendous richness of underlying form."
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I'm thinking that might kind of work for fishermen too.�

Perhaps the "technical" fishermen, the ones who are deep into details of fish behavior, making their own lures, tying their own flies, water temperatures, oxygen levels, PH levels, etc... perhaps these are Classical Thinkers.

The Romantic Thinkers are the fishermen that love the sensual aspects of the experience.� The clouds in the sky, the wind, the smells, the feel of the water, the sounds, the feel of a fish on the line...

These same categories might be thought of as left brain and right brain oriented thinkers.

I know both types of fishermen, enjoy their company equally, but differently.� I bet fishing guides see these differences all the time.

I could have condensed that for you. One fisherman tells you what time it is when you ask. The other fisherman tells you how to build a clock.

With that said is the following true/false: All philosophers are classical but not all classicals are philosophers.

I just like to play the game.

Oh.. I think there are a whole lot more than that..

And after running a tackle store for about ten years I think I have met most of em..

There's Old School Guy.. Still fishing with Red Ambassadors and Hula Poppers..

There's New School Guy.. $600 dollar reels, $80 dollar swim baits, and four twelves..

There's Flipper Guy.. My category.. If his rod tip won't hit the bottom, he moves in..

There's Structure Man.. (Usually a red "S" on his T shirt..) Will not go near a hardwood for fear of scratching his boat.. Fishes water no less than twenty feet deep..

There is Crankbait Guy.. Won't consider anything that does not have at least six hooks on it..

There's Plastic Man.. If it ain't rubber.. Forget it..

There's Gentleman Jig.. It don't matter.. Shallow or deep.. If it ain't got hair.. It ain't goin no where..

Of course there is Swimbait Sam.. "Swimbaits catch big Fish!! I don't care how dirty the water is!"

There's Tournament Man.. If it ain't fishing for money he ain't interested..

There's Catfish Charlie that we all are familiar with..

There's Live bait man.. If it ain't breathin', you ain't really fishin..

There's Ranger Man.. Nuff said.. (Save it..)

There's Speedboat Man.. The fastest boat is a pre-requisite..

There's Canepole Man.. I am sure a lot of us started there..

And last but not least, There is, "I cain't catch any fish Man.." Someone we have all been at one time or another..

I am sure I have left out a few.. But these are regulars that I see all the time..

And I think at one time.. I have been all of em..

There are two types. One that catches a four pounder and tells you he caught a five pounder and the other that catches a four pounder and tells you he caught a seven pounder.

You forgot,
I caught 200 fish in an hour man.
I have to have at lest 2 of every bait there is man. (Has to be James' favorite)
It was somethings fault that I didn't catch anything man.

And of course there's "I fish to have a reason to drink beer man."

There is also the telephone man and the dynamite man. Lots of these up in Oklahoma

Any way you look at it; we are absolutely blessed to be able to take the routes we so choose to get on the water and fish the waters we so love to fish. I am with James; as I have gone through all stages of the fishing life. It is a never ending process that will usually end where you feel most comfortable as you grow older. It is important to me to leave a foot print that will help others when it is time to take up resident on the Big Lake.

There are only two types of fishermen.

1) Those who know they are fishermen and love it.

2) Fishermen trapped inside the body of non-fishermen who are fighting desperately to get out.

I think I have gone from one type of fisherman to the other. I used to tournament fish all of the time. Used to sit a lake map of my next tournament in my living room floor a week before the tourney to study every time I walked by, checked water levels at the lake to see if it was rising or falling, checked current tourney results to get an idea of weights being caught. Absolutely loved tournament day and enjoyed even when weather conditions were a challenge to put up with. Only thought of results for the day but only took a bad day as more of a challenge to practice and get better.
These days I still love the competition and the whole thought process of fishing a tournament but I also get a ton of enjoyment out of things I never used to think about. Talking trash to birds, turtles, dogs, beavers or any type of wildlife I run across and wondering what they are thinking about me while this is going on. Staring at a sunrise, plants in the water, clouds in the sky, looking for deer in the woods, splashes in the water. The fellowship with other anglers that share this lifestyle. So many things that make up a day on the water other than a final result of fish caught. I think the trade off for getting older and realizing that I cannot compete as well as I used to with my limited time on the water has been replaced by just as many awesome memories of being in a boat with family or friends has moved me from being one type of fisherman to another and I am just fine with that.

There are those that think they are professional tournament fishermen and those that fish for fun and food.

Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. Henry David Thoreau

I never felt that way until recently.

I believe the entire quote goes:

"Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. It is beer."

Henry David Thoreau