More madness from the Keys. Enjoy.

What do tarpon fishermen do on long, lonely nights when tarpon season is effectively over? Well, some do this.

I have slowly come to the conclusion over the last few years that Capitalism should be the enemy of all right thinking fishermen and women out there. It doesn’t matter if you spin or fly, if you only catch-and-release (“by Jove”), or whack em on the head for a living. If the motive is strictly profit, we lose … and the fish lose. And, (here’s the thing) it is always the short term interest, the near sighted investor that presides over the destruction of any “resource”. The fisherman who thinks he could supply the town instead of the neighborhood and ends up fishing himself out of business is just as guilty as the fish supplier who thinks they should supply the international market instead of the city.

There is a word for unchecked growth: cancer.

I know only 5 (maybe 6) human souls actually check this blog … and only 3 of those actually read it … but if we all share the same righteous indignation with another half-dozen, and they do the same. Well, we’d all still be at it for the rest of our lives, but at least we could say we tried. I mean, frankly, at this point there isn’t much hope. We have taken the wrong path. We have chosen poorly. We must push our stone to the top of the hill every … single … day. (And, we could only hope for such a lenient penance.)

So, all you in the business take note (if you read my blog, which you don’t, so never mind): your primary responsibility is to your benefactor … and she is Mother Nature. Never, ever, assume that catching fish is the main goal here. It is not.

What is the goal of golf? To play the game, right? Ok, ok, to win, but that is merely the result of having played the game well. Playing the game is really the main thing, and that is where the majority of the fun and entertainment is, right? If the goal were merely to win golf would only be one round long.

It is the same with fishing. The goal is just to go fishing, to fish. Catching a fish is merely the result of fishing well, and not everyone does that, right? Of course, there are days when someone who can’t actually play golf very well still wins, which is lucky for them and a lot of fun. It’s the same way with fishing.

In fact, I’d argue that on some days catching just one fish is better than losing track … and, if they’re honest, I’d bet a lot of the folks I’ve fished with would say the same. Fishing is not (or should not) be a quantitative experience, but rather, a qualitative one. That’s what bothers us about the countless grip-n-grin “hero” shots on the average fish porn blog. That’s what upsets us when some SOB kills a great fish just for the sake of some obscure record. (Catching The Biggest is, for those “anglers” the ultimate form of having more.)

Turn your back on more. Forget about the biggest or the most. Cherish the one that got away. Remember the slow days that were still great days of fishing. Take those fish porn blogs off your favorites list. Boycott the grip-n-grin mags. Remove those links on your own blogs to the same. Let’s embrace the quiet message, the paradox that less is more, that the first shall be last, that the poor shall inherit the earth, that we must lose our (selfish, greedy) selves to find our selves… and if you get there, can you help me find my way?

He fishes giant tarpon with a 9-weight,
because he has to under-compensate.

Once, when the fishing was slow
he invented the sport of shark hurling…
he is still the world’s only surviving practitioner.

He is…the most interesting guide in the world.

“I don’t always get to fish myself, but when I do I prefer bonefish.
Stay salty, my friends.”

Don’t know about interesting? Check it out here.

A review of the flycasting DVD “Taming the Wind: Prescott Smith Reveals His Secrets & New Techniques for Casting Into the Wind.”

A breakdown of the basic techniques covered in Mr. Smith’s instructional DVD, and the benefits of this revolutionary casting style. Though this DVD has been out for a while, I’d heard very little about it. So, I bought it, watched it, studied it, practiced the techniques, and used it to help teach a brand new fly caster. Guess what: IT WORKS! I really wish I’d found this DVD years ago. I KNOW I’d have gotten better faster.

Even though I cover some basic stuff in it, there’s plenty more there, trust me. Do yourself a favor and find a copy. Doesn’t matter where we are–the river, the lake, the beach, or on the flats–the wind is our biggest challenge…rise to the challenge with the movie.

____________________

His double-haul is so sharp,
you can get whiplash just by watching.

His fishing journal has been listed as classified
until the next ice-age, or he retires…
either way, you’ll never read it.

His fish never actually get away,
he’s just letting ‘em off with a warning.

He is… the most interesting guide in the world.

“I don’t always get to fish myself, but when I do I prefer bonefish.
Stay salty, my friends.”

____________________

If there was a book written about his life
it would be listed as a controlled substance
in most countries.

His wading shoes alone
have seen more action than most
fishing tournaments.
(What did you think I was going to say?)

As a rule he never runs unless he has to.
Then again, he never has to.

He is… the most interesting guide in the world.

“I don’t always get to fish myself, but when I do I prefer bonefish.
Stay salty, my friends.”