I recall a time about 12 years ago when in desperation took the last two hot dogs out of my fridge, and vowing not to have another dinner made of processed meat and being dead broke I headed to my favorite although unproven fishing hole.
Who would have thought that on a hot dog, and an old flounder rig I'd pull up a flounder. Who would have believed that in my inexperience, he flopped into the drink and disappeared only to be repeated 20 minutes later. This second fish was quickly secured and went on to serve as a wonderful dinner for me and my gal.
This started me on a journey. One, that although interrupted on many occasions, led to excitement, disappointment, satisfaction and many happy dinners. I went on that summer to learn how and where to catch my own bait so that I'd never have to depend on a hotdog and sheer luck again.
I was struck though by a plague of flounder disappearance. One that lasted years. It was, not surprisingly the first two flounder I had ever caught, and I learned quickly that they are a delicacy in my household. Be that as it may, I didn't know didilly about the "secret" art of catching flounder.
Oh, I bought the rigs, I bought the right hooks, I purchased the perfect pole and reel combo. I asked questions and always got the baits that everyone said get. I tried live, I tried dead, I tried artificial, heck I tried everything but the flounder remained my "Elenor" the most illusive fish ever. This fish could have been the loch ness monster for all the luck i had.
I experienced absence from the coast of my birth for several years and upon returning took up the hunt again.
I ran into a fella one day who was struggling on some underwater structure that was keeping him from getting his fish on the other end of his line. I waded out into the water, untangled his line and then helped him net a pretty nice red. We struck up a quick friendship (as most true blue fishermen/women will). We began planning trips together and went places in my two wheel drive truck that would make most 4x4's think twice all in the quest for that thrill of the fight, the struggle and the victory in my favorite tug of war. He always talked about catching flounder and I informed him of my 10 yr plague. He took me under his wing and said lemme show you something.
We didn't use those store-bought rigs. We used simple and cheap tackle. We used bait we caught ourself and we fished in places that surprisingly everyone else fished (unsuccessfully) I might add. But we, we started catching flounder. It was glorious, I was intentionally fishing for and finally caught my first flounder. ON PURPOSE this time. I took the lessons learned and finally became the intentional fisherman.
In all the years I've fished the third coast I have developed a bit of a reputation among friends and family as the "real deal" when it comes to fishing. I finally rounded out that reputation catching Elenor. Over and over and over again.
But more than learning the distinct art of catching flounder on rod and reel instead of on the end of a gig, I learned the secret of catching the fish of your dreams. Persistence. I learned that if you want to become a successful fisherman anywhere in the country (and trust me Ive taken this lesson all over the United States), you must be patient, you must be open to advice (the good and the bad) and you must just keep trying. Make new friends along the road to success, and become the well rounded (and well fed) fisherman.
Most importantly remember when you struggled to learn your art and pass your lessons on. We are the now, but that fella over there cursing his bad luck "again" is the tomorrow.
That is how to catch your favorite fish
Who would have thought that on a hot dog, and an old flounder rig I'd pull up a flounder. Who would have believed that in my inexperience, he flopped into the drink and disappeared only to be repeated 20 minutes later. This second fish was quickly secured and went on to serve as a wonderful dinner for me and my gal.
This started me on a journey. One, that although interrupted on many occasions, led to excitement, disappointment, satisfaction and many happy dinners. I went on that summer to learn how and where to catch my own bait so that I'd never have to depend on a hotdog and sheer luck again.
I was struck though by a plague of flounder disappearance. One that lasted years. It was, not surprisingly the first two flounder I had ever caught, and I learned quickly that they are a delicacy in my household. Be that as it may, I didn't know didilly about the "secret" art of catching flounder.
Oh, I bought the rigs, I bought the right hooks, I purchased the perfect pole and reel combo. I asked questions and always got the baits that everyone said get. I tried live, I tried dead, I tried artificial, heck I tried everything but the flounder remained my "Elenor" the most illusive fish ever. This fish could have been the loch ness monster for all the luck i had.
I experienced absence from the coast of my birth for several years and upon returning took up the hunt again.
I ran into a fella one day who was struggling on some underwater structure that was keeping him from getting his fish on the other end of his line. I waded out into the water, untangled his line and then helped him net a pretty nice red. We struck up a quick friendship (as most true blue fishermen/women will). We began planning trips together and went places in my two wheel drive truck that would make most 4x4's think twice all in the quest for that thrill of the fight, the struggle and the victory in my favorite tug of war. He always talked about catching flounder and I informed him of my 10 yr plague. He took me under his wing and said lemme show you something.
We didn't use those store-bought rigs. We used simple and cheap tackle. We used bait we caught ourself and we fished in places that surprisingly everyone else fished (unsuccessfully) I might add. But we, we started catching flounder. It was glorious, I was intentionally fishing for and finally caught my first flounder. ON PURPOSE this time. I took the lessons learned and finally became the intentional fisherman.
In all the years I've fished the third coast I have developed a bit of a reputation among friends and family as the "real deal" when it comes to fishing. I finally rounded out that reputation catching Elenor. Over and over and over again.
But more than learning the distinct art of catching flounder on rod and reel instead of on the end of a gig, I learned the secret of catching the fish of your dreams. Persistence. I learned that if you want to become a successful fisherman anywhere in the country (and trust me Ive taken this lesson all over the United States), you must be patient, you must be open to advice (the good and the bad) and you must just keep trying. Make new friends along the road to success, and become the well rounded (and well fed) fisherman.
Most importantly remember when you struggled to learn your art and pass your lessons on. We are the now, but that fella over there cursing his bad luck "again" is the tomorrow.
That is how to catch your favorite fish
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