The more time we spend doing anything, whether it's marriage, parenting, our jobs, or hunting/fishing ect. We all mature and it clicks, maybe what we knew or thought we knew was right or wrong. Maybe we learned something valuable from someone or had to learn the hard way. No matter what path or what the lesson, we all learned something good or bad.

My question relates to Fishing.

What have you learned from "Then To Now".
Could be over 20 years, 5 years, months, weeks.

I got into fishing heavy and thought I had all the answers, made friends along the way lost some also, mostly due to my pride and arrogance. Took a few years off and didn't seem to miss it until a few months ago.

I thought about when I start back what have I learned from the start. First my thoughts were about equipment and lures, then quickly shifted to my personal relationships with other anglers.

This is a few of my list.

1. You will never understand or know it all keep learning.
2. Spend more time listening instead of talking.
3. Enjoy and build the personal relationships fishing creates. (Lot of guys in the RHBC that I have never thanked for stuff they taught and helped me with)
4. Put a bead in front of your frog
5. Never stop asking questions, no matter what level fishing your at.
6. Don't mess with Stan Browning, his paybacks are much worse than you think.
7. If your mind is wondering while your in a spot THEN LEAVE.
8. Have Fun and Enjoy being on the water or bank.

I could go on and on, but want to hear some of yours. No matter how big or small the info of what you learned, post it if you like.

Line size makes a big difference, didn't buy into that till after many years of getting my butt kicked. Just figured 20lb for everything was better and wouldn't lose as many fish.

Turns out, you don't catch as many either.

Well thought out list. I like #2 the best. SW

Hey Casey.....I believe everything but number 6. He's a lightweight in a figuritive kinda way.

Don't Poke the Bear Okie

If the fishing is slow I will move to areas of a lake I don't normally fish. I do this to learn something new or a new area. That way I feel like my time wasn't wasted.

It took JP putting me in my place and a 2 week ban to figure it all out. I have learned to let things go that do not affect me on a personal level. That the TFF is not the place to air my grievances. This has helped me not only in the fishing world but with my career and outside relationships. In the end it is just not worth it.

I have met a lot of great people from this site and with it a lot of opportunities have come my way. I am thankful for that and enjoy the time spent on here talking about a hobby that I love.

Very good thoughts

Took me changing careers to understand how miserable of a person I WAS! Now, I'm happy in life again! Still stressed with schooling, but I'm happy inside and not so negative.

Casey,your question ended up about fishing but the beginning sounds more like you had a life experience lately. Sounds like the "now" is a better place than the "then".

I have learned that fishing for 5 bites per day is not the way to go. I have learned that the money I spent tournament fishing should have been directed in another direction farther South. I have learned it cost over $100 per day just to go fishing. I have learned if I have a good partner that will follow me, we can stay home for 12 days then go to Mexico and catch 100 Bass per day with 50 of those over 5 lbs.. I have learned that I could take all that money spent each month on tournaments and went to Mexico once a month for the rest of my life.

Not sure I read too much happiness or contentness(new word?) here... perhaps even some regret?

Mr. Harper, you've always struck as a positive person and I always enjoy your posts. This one seems quite negative. What gives?

It's easy to grin, when your ship comes in and you've got the stock market beat. But the man worthwhile is the man who can smile when his shorts are too tight in the seat.

Hay Nicky: This is just what I have experienced; always fishing for 5 good bites my whole life when I could have been in Mexico having a great time every day. But, just not as often.
Don't get me wrong I have really enjoyed fishing all my life and have met lots of good friends over the years. Friendships made it all worthwhile. Now it is all about catching and if you want to do that then you need to go with me and see what I am talking about. Once you go to Lake Oviachic other lakes in the US. are not desirable and there isn't a day that goes by that someone will say, "If this good looking water was in Mex. we would be slaying the Bass".

Stan is that you?