Monday, June 27, 2011

I have a fishing addiction

I am sure that many fisherman will say that they are addicted to fishing. I'm not saying that they don't like to fish, but I can guarantee that I like it more.  It runs my life...While most men think about sex 5 times per minute, I think about fishing.  Not to say that I don't think about sex 5 times per minute, after all--I am a 28 year old man.

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I have patterned my career after my interest in fishing.  Most with the addiction go the professional fisherman route. While I would enjoy that as much as the next person, competition angling would take away all of the things that I truly enjoy about the experience.  Tournaments bring out boats and crowds and that is exactly what I am trying to get away from when I go fishing.  Give me solitude on a small wading stream, or early morning sunrises alone in otherwise popular fishing spots.  I will fish in rain and thunderstorms, and drag my canoe down creeks that some people think are too small to even hold fish.  I travel hundreds of miles in search of incredible scenery and incredible fishing. 

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I earned my master's degree in fisheries just to be a better angler. I specifically studied fish nutrition, but I studied everything I could possibly learn about fish. Habitat preferences, thermal tolerances, locations--you name it. I have put more time into studying angling then you could ever imagine. When I pull up to a boat ramp on a stream 4 hours away, I know without a doubt that I will be successful. Confidence? Of course, the best fisherman in the world will tell you that it is the most important of being a successful fisherman.

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One of my favorite fishing spots involves a 2 mile hike down a horse path, past some incredible rock formations and waterfalls. The only time I make this hike is in the dead of winter. January through March, give me rain by the bucketfull. The more rain the better. Most fisherman can't wait for summer...I can't wait until those fair weather fisherman get off of the water.

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