It seems I spend more time buying cra-p to put on my boat, more rod/reels to add to my collection and own more lures than I could ever throw in a lifetime...

The question lingering in my mind lately has been "why?". Is it all really just in fun? Or perhaps its that distant and unrealistic idea in the back of my head that says "I could be a pro!"... Let's face it, that's not realistic. So what is it? I honestly don't know anymore.

I love this sport. There is nothing like being on the water just as the sun is breaking over the horizon and the only thing you can hear are the ducks and the water gently hitting the side of your boat. But do we really need all of this cra-p we own to have a good time? I'm not so sure we do anymore. I know when my dad use to take me out it was in a 14 jon boat with a 20 hp motor. Those were some of the best fishing trips I can remember. Fast forward to present day in my Bass Cat that runs 70+ mph, Power Poles, Depth-finders and enough fishing equipment to gag a maggot, and I can honestly say my fishing experience is a lot less rewarding now.

I'm not sure what it is, but its not the same. Maybe I'm losing the meaning of what its all about. Or maybe it has gotten so big and popular that I'm just trying to keep up with the Joneses.

What ever the case may be, I miss that old feeling that I had when I was just a boy fishing with his dad in an old jon boat.

Well,if you ever decide to return to your roots and give that boat in the pic away let me know.

Fishing with Dad years ago without all of today's equipment was the best .

We just need to get out bro! And not let db's like we dealt with today get us down

Sweet rig!

well said..Rick

+2
The things I like to remember is when he told me pretty new boats don't catch more fish......but then come to think about it he never talked me out of buying a new when it was time.....

Meh, I think it's half keeping up with the Jones's and half finding something to spend the money on that we work for.

I buy tackle in triplicate half the time because just in case it's a good one I want more in case I lose one.

I don't need this boat, I don't need a rod locker full of Revo's and I'll never be a pro nor do I even plan to fish the opens. I used to drag race and race motocross competitively and that's what gave me my "I need the best" attitude. It's also what made me not try to fish competitively. When you take it too seriously, it becomes more of a job than fun. I take everything and run with it and it steals the fun. I still buy the best fishing gear I can sanely afford but it's for MY enjoyment now, not to try to beat the next guy.

After all, if the bills are all paid, who cared what you blow your money on right?

Take a kid fishing.I don't know if it will bring back the fun and excitement to you, but it sure did it for me. I'm lucky to have an 8yr old grandson.He loves to go fishing with his PaPa.BTW dad passedaway long ago ,but the memories will last till I'm gone.

[quote=] When you take it too seriously, it becomes more of a job than fun. I take everything and run with it and it steals the fun. I still buy the best fishing gear I can sanely afford but it's for MY enjoyment now, not to try to beat the next guy.

After all, if the bills are all paid, who cared what you blow your money on right?[/quote]

Exactly!!!

Its exciting just doing it. Why do I want the best stuff honestly because I wanna be the best. Not a pro but I wanna be the best at the weekend angler thing. I wanna go out and catch fish when everyone else comes back to the dock and says they had no luck. Its a challenge to catch a bass on a lure that really if you think about it doesn't resemble much that swims in the lake. Its a passion and some sort of a sickness but its what I have to look forward. I go to work everyday looking forward to my days off so I can have the chance to fish on my days off.

Remember my younger single days, having to have whatever new lure was just coming out,and same here buy 2 for the one I might lose, the Big Humminbird 8000 (Which I wish they still made, LOL) and I even had the Color C Lector, I think is what it was called. Got married, and next thing I knew had rugrats, the boats priorities, got dropped and pushed back under the trees. My now 2 teenage sons bought a brand new boat last spring, and going through my lil 14 flat MonArk and cleaning it out was fun was an eye opener on how much I spent,..and knowing now one of my Bagley DB3s that cost almost 4bucks then and now I have to buy one for each of us, wouldnt buy the hooks. The Metallic Key Hider was fun, it had a spare key for the truck, and a quarter in it. They understood the spare key, but had lost looks on their faces when told that was so I could use the payphone at the boatramp, if broke down.After all that time, my old lures and techniques work wonderfully.I told my boys, the Bass aint watching TV!

I love that! Thats great... So true!

Good post, I remember the lake trout that spooled my Zebco back in 1970 on June lake in Mamoth Ca. like it was yesterday, but it doesn't bother me much anymore to break off a giant. Take a kid fishing and some of that will come back.

Memories of the old days are nice and every year I go back to my old home and fish out of the same old aluminum boat but without Dad. Not only is the fishing not as I remembered and being cramped up in that small boat all day isn't all it's cracked up to be. When I return back to the bass boat and good equip I feel like kissing it. Try it and I think it will change your mind about the good old days. The good days are here now.