Big Indiana Bass

By John DeVries

This time of year always makes me think about my family and my relationships.  I’m not sure what causes it or why, but it always seems to happen to me around the holidays.  I tend to weigh things, probably too much, thinking about how much time I spend doing the things that make me...me.  It can be quite confusing.  So many positives, but so easy to see the negatives.  Sometimes it can be hard for me to get motivated for the next year. Where did the year go?  Boy, my kids are getting big.  I sure did spend a lot of time away from home last summer.  On and on.  It usually takes me to January to get my mind back right and start missing fishing again.  That’s about the time my wife kicks me out of the house to go get my fix someplace south.  She says it calms me.  She says I get twitchy.  I love my wife.

Regardless of what people say, we remember our failures first and foremost.  You know it, I know it.  I can hardly replay the best days of my life, but those I fell short, well, those are easily recalled.  I’ve had plenty of great days in my life, however, I guess I choose not to focus on those.  It’s not because I can’t, I guess its because of the way I’m wired...

Good days lead us to the end of a good day. But what have we truly learned?  It may have been great at the moment, feeling as though we can do no wrong.  Every movement we make leads to a positive outcome.   The good days keep us coming back. The good days remind us of why.  But we all, regardless of our level in this sport, have more bad days than good.

Too many times we get caught up in making a check.  Winning a tournament.  I’m  just as guilty of it as anyone.  Even thought I know better, I struggle with my motivation, I struggle with my “why”.  There is so much depth to this sport.  So many things that can be taken from it.  Success is for but a moment, the pain from the struggle is what forms a man.  Don’t know if that is one of my sayings or if I read it someplace. But one thing I know is fishing will test you, in so many ways.  Sometimes to the point where you want to quit.  I think we have all been there.

Why do we risk thousands, if not tens of thousands, to a sport that gives us back, at least monetarily, little in return?  Why do we keep coming back?  In 2005, I spent more on fishing than what many make in a year working.  I fished the southerns and the northerns that year.  I’m not proud to say it, but I never caught a check.  Not one single check!  I am, however, proud to say, I still fish. I’m not a rich man, at least when it comes to money.  I do live a life many wish they had.  I have the love and support of a wonderful family and have the best friends time and love could buy, but I’m not a rich man.  At least the way we would sum up a rich man in today’s economy.  I feel rich, and I may not express it to many, but my blessings make me feel as though.

So you’ve gotten this far.  Read through all the hubbub. Thank you.  I’ll get to my point.  For me, this sport is not about the winning.  It’s not about the money.  I am driven from something else.  I’ve never thought, not for one day, I was fishing against another person other than myself.  All I’ve been trying to do is connect the dots to come back to that awesome day we have all had, at least once.  But why?  Regardless, I guess the point of me writing this whole thing is to get us to think about the why, to remind, even myself.   Maybe, just maybe, we come back next year refocused on the real reason for doing this.  And in that we find our success.

Big John

I stumbled across this meme the other night, and was curious what others thought.

No question that the Internet has focused more fishing pressure, more quickly, on waters where the bite is "hot" than ever possible in the past - that's got to be a negative as far as the fishery is concerned, though some anglers from a 'catching' perspective might view it possitively. Witness the smallie catches and related Facebook postings as a recent example. There is also the issue of fishing forums and forum reports. It was a big problem with stream pressure and naming rivers back in my smallie days, but more recently I've even watched the state crappie board basically become worthless this past year largely due to controversy and comments related to fishing reports, and the following lack of participation and postings to the board - dead. It seems all forums eventually end up in the dumpster if fishing reports are part of the equation.

However, on the other hand, there is no arguing that the Internet has made fishing tips and knowledge more accessible to anglers than ever before, which would seem to be at least somewhat positive. Tourney results can now also be had in a matter of days, unlike times past when you waited for a mailing, and then only those that fished knew what happened. Plus, let's not forget things like Google Earth and other mapping software that makes scouting lake and rivers much easier than ever before, possibly opening us up to finding new waters, or knowing our waters better. Another plus.

Angler behavior seems to stand on it's own as a separate issue apart from the Internet. Lazy anglers who just want to  hop on the "bent pole pattern" have always been around, and always will be. Yes, technology has allowed this to happen easier, or even more frequently, but human nature hasn't changed much. There have always been those who go out and put in the work, and those who would rather just be taken to the holes. In that regard, the Internet is just another "tool" that makes it easier, or at least more convenient, for the motivationally challenged to practice their craft. But again, that's not a direct fault of the Internet, as much as a human behavior trait, in my eyes. Perhaps you could argue that the Inernet/Facebook/Instagram has created a culture of self-interest where anglers are willing to go to greater lengths to show off their catches to friends and competitors?

So "The Internet" - good, bad or indifferent in regards to fishing and fishing pressure on your waters?