Confessions of a Back Sliding Baitcaster! (With repentance!)

Fishing Warm water Forum
1

Confessions of a Back Sliding Baitcaster! (With repentance!)

Well, today a buddy wanted to fish Twin Butts near (in) San Angelo. Wanted to use our Yaks. He has a 9? Pelican and I have the 13 OK Prowler. I was not a member here when I got my yak. Early in May I was gonna take it out for the first time. In attempting a car top load, it slipped, jack knifed and whacked me so hard I thought I had broken a leg. Went ahead and went in Big Time pain and had HUGE contusion that took 8 weeks to fully heal. Needless I was not to thrilled with the yak and had not had it out since. However, since there would be two of us decided to try again.

The devil then entered into my life (again) and I fell into sin. I rigged two, not one, but two, Please forgive for saying this (sheepishly and very quietly spoken) bait casters! The shame I felt was palpable. Just prior to leaving, I did throw in the trusty and by now ubiquitous pearow three weight. Headed out to Twin Butts and almost certain physical pain and the hidden shame of having ratted out fly fishers everywhere!

Lots ?o little bass hitting the despised baits like, ?Yellow Magic?, ?Jitterbug?, ?Watermelon Candy Trick Worm?, those words that burn in your soul as past remembrances of forbidden but tasty fruit. O the shame, O the fun of it all. Nevertheless, quickly I repented and did penance. Paddled back to shore and made a blazing pyre out of the stuff of sin and degradation. Out damned spot! My heart belongs to fly fishing now, I will not stray, as for me and my house, we?ll catch our supper on itty bitty pieces of hair and foam.

I had found the fun in yakking, now to try it with the beloved fly rod. Pearow in hand, I swiftly, throwing a roster tail don?t ya know, paddled back to the killing fields. Proceed to cast a chartreuse JB flys popper and Look Out! Slam, bam Thank You, Ma?am. Yee Haw, cast to the stick-ups, pop it once and hold on. Yes sir, I am back, the heavy burden of blackened cast iron has fallen from me, the eyes darkened by lusting after gleaming winches on graphite legs has left me, my soul is free to make small loops and long wispy casts. To strip line with the best of ?em. The prodigal is home, slew the fatted bass!

2

:oops: I never felt guilty haveing my 50 or so baitcasters and another 40 to 50 spinning rods until now. I am so ashamed. I will fly my fly rods at half mast as I put away all of my other fishing gear.

Oh! The absolute shame I am feeling.

:wink: Your article had me laughing. Keep up the writing.

3

Good stuff Mark, had you considered our Lighterside?
Please?

4

Mark,

Although I myself have not used equip other than fly in a long time…with exception to the kids…which I have decided that they too will either flyfish…or…well they will not fish…yeah, yeah leme have it…

All forms of fishing equipment have their place and time…and there is really no reason for you or anyone to feel a lick of shame in employing them…All I have to say on the subject…

5

“…the horror, the horror…” :wink:

Unless your a purist, fishing is fishing? I’m not above going back to my spinning rigs if I’m not happy with my casting or if I need to get down to the bottom.
Racine

6

Mark has got hisself connected up with bad company down here in Texas :wink:

Robin

7

I guess I’m guilty as well. I do all kinds of fishing. It just depends on what mood I’m in, where I am, who I’m with, etc…

I even run trot-lines for catfish at times.

My situation may be a bit different than some. I fish for sport at times, but others are to put meat in the freezer. I forage the wilderness as much as possible for food, ingredeints for medicines, herbs, fruit, veggies, etc…(I am a practicing Traditional Naturopath). I limit my consumption of processed foods and supplies to a minimum. We even grind our own wheat for flour to make bread and other things. The Mrs. and I decided some time ago that this is how we wanted to live, so we now live on a mountain far into the wilderness.

I think there is room for all types of fishing, and one is not necesarily any more noble than another. My personal preference is for fly-fishing, but there is nothing wrong with drowning a worm if the mood hits you.

Semper Fi!

8

Mark

What sort of plastics are you fishing on those micro-jigs?

Robin

9

Pardon me but!I find great satisfaction with fish on the fly Humsoever.I find alot of satisfaction in knowing that the fixed income travels much farther afield,in pursuit of gill on the fly,When I have about 150 lbs of channel and blue cat fillets in the freezer.
So Gig ya ain’t alone as I hold my head proudly and proclaim I use a trot line to!and a bait casting reel or a spinning reel.But when thew trot line is out and the dawn has broke or evening is falling you might just see me runnin that trot line with my flyrod proped up in the canoe.
Dennis

10

:smiley: Well, I have yet to totally give up the spinning gear and probably never will. If for no other reason, the bait chuck rod reminds me why I fell in love with the delicate beauty and majesty of the fly rod.

11

When ya want to catch bass and they are deep like they are this time of year a fly rod just doesnt cut it. More and more I find myself fishing for bass instead of trout and more and more I find myself picking up the baitcaster or spinning rod.

12

As with so many things in life, moderation and variety are keys to happiness and fulfillment. Each style gives me satisfaction as each has its place in my bag of tricks to fool fish into thinking my baits/flies are real food. Yes, I even drown big old juicy nightcrawlers under a bobber (aka strike indicator) when I can harvest them from my yard and garden on warm spring nights. Spin fishing fills my fondest memories, as that is how I taught my children to enjoy fishing at an early age. Also, you don’t feel as bad when a Snoopy or Barbie rod gets knocked out of the boat by a 3 or 4year old, as you would if a fly outfit settles to the deepest part of the lake (they never settle in shallow water, do they?)

Fear not, for you have not sinned, nor have you placed limits on your fishing pleasures. Go forth and enjoy all that God has given you.

Joe

P.S. You really had me laughing. Keep up the humor.

13

I picked up a spinning rod for the first time last week in two years of all fly and nothing else. It felt good to be working a plug again. I find that all the techniques I learned being a flycaster has improved me as a spinner and vice versa. Last night I used a fly like a jerk bait getting it to change direction through the retrieve with fast flipping mends to the left and the right and caught fish that wouldn’t touch my fly using normal swings, drifts, and retrieves.

X amount of years using conventional gear, it’s experience don’t lose it.

14

Mark,
When you have recognized that you have done wrong. :frowning: You must turn away from that which is wrong and repent. :shock: That, you have done and therefore forgiven. :smiley:
Great Post. LOL!!!

15

Jacques Cousteau was allegedly to have once said that “sport fishing is a form of corruption” or something like that.
Guess I’m pretty corrupt :twisted: because I’ve reached a terrible point that if I can’t take it on a fly I won’t even try. :?