| I recently had a conversation with "wonder | | | | dehydrated nightcrawlers, that have found |
| bread boy" about a serious dilemma he was | | | | their way into my fishing arsenal in over 40 |
| having.It seems that he has misplaced, lost | | | | years of fishing.Lord knows, that if the |
| or surrendered, to his ex, the bulk of his | | | | nightcrawler should ever go extinct, there is |
| fishing gear.Now, this alone is a monumental | | | | plenty of DNA in my fishing tub to bring 'em |
| problem in itself, not the lost or misplaced | | | | back into existence!!All that being said, I |
| part, but the trying to ask your ex for | | | | am now going to try and simplify your life by |
| something that means absolutely nothing to | | | | giving you three simple rules to go by when |
| her but would certainly open up a humongous | | | | choosing your fishing gear:1) Pick your fish |
| can of nightcrawlers should you attempt to | | | | species of choice.Don't try to outfit |
| ask for it back..."Hi sweet.""Oh, it's | | | | yourself with every type of fishing gear. If |
| YOU.""How ya been?""Cut the chit chat wonder | | | | trout and bass are the predominant type of |
| boy, what is it you want?""Well,(gulp) it | | | | fishing you do, then get a good combo outfit |
| seems-snookums- that when you tossed me out | | | | that is adequate for both. The same goes for |
| into the street and took legal ownership of | | | | salmon and steelhead, if these are the fish |
| all my bank accounts and left me with little | | | | of choice, outfit yourself with a good middle |
| or nothing to subsist on in this world, I, | | | | of the road combination that will allow you |
| silly me, forgot to grab my fishing pole on | | | | to fish for both. Quite honestly, if you only |
| the way out.""You want your fishing pole | | | | occasionally go fishing for a certain type of |
| back?""Ahh yeah.""Sure, you can have it back, | | | | fish--hire a guide and use his gear, or if |
| it's out in the garage.""REALLY!""Yes, I have | | | | you are a do it yourself guy, borrow and |
| it all boxed up in that nice little shoebox, | | | | share with buddies who may have multiple |
| labeled @#$&*@#!!+, it's all | | | | outfits.(Like me!!)Don't get me wrong. |
| yours.""Oh."---"Never mind.""By the way, my | | | | Different types of fishing really can be |
| lawyer will be contacting you about | | | | enhanced and improved by having slightly more |
| increasing monthly child support, cars don't | | | | specialized gear and if you decide that you |
| drive themselves without gas you know. Have a | | | | have plenty of expendable income... go for |
| NICE day...."So, as you can see, not willing | | | | it. But if you don't, it is just best to |
| to risk the ramifications, wonder bread boy | | | | decide what kind of fish you really enjoy |
| was suddenly thrust into the market of having | | | | fishing for.2) Stay to the middle.The old |
| to go find some new fishing gear.Here in lies | | | | rule of thumb, that you don't want to buy the |
| the real problem.WBB sidled on down to our | | | | least expensive and you don't want to buy the |
| local giant cowbird-which happens to be the | | | | most expensive, certainly applies to fishing |
| Blackbird Sporting Goods store--and walked in | | | | gear. If you buy your fishing gear at the |
| looking to replace his spin fishing outfits. | | | | "dollar store" or the Salvation Army, you are |
| Finding replacements for the kids was easy, | | | | probably going to get what you pay for. On |
| he just grabbed Scooby and Spiderman combo | | | | the other hand, don't be sucked in by the |
| outfits and knew that the kids would settle | | | | glossy ads and goofy graphs and bar charts |
| who was qualified to be Scooby and who was | | | | that show why an extra $120 dollars spent on |
| qualified to be Spiderman.Finding the right | | | | the same $60 dollar product will have you |
| combo for himself was another story.So, there | | | | smiling and holding a mass quantity of big |
| he stood in the middle of the aisle, staring | | | | fish. I have seen plenty of good fishermen |
| with that "deer in the headlight look", at | | | | using good average run of the mill gear, |
| dozens of rods and reels that he had not a | | | | catching as many, or out catching dudes with |
| clue as to which to choose from. Shimano's, | | | | high priced fancy outfits. |
| Okuma's, Mitchell's, Abu Garcia's, | | | | |
| Shakespeare's, Penn's, gear ratio's, | | | | I have sat in sporting good stores and had |
| ultralight's,micro's,Ugly Stik's,Daiwa's, two | | | | salesmen tell me how "sweet" this rod or that |
| piece, three piece, sensitive tip, ultimate | | | | reel is and asked me to wiggle it around, |
| stiffness, Maxim's,Quantum's....WHEW!!"I just | | | | then when I picked up a cheaper rod or reel |
| want to catch some flippin' crappies."Wonder | | | | and not felt any difference they looked at me |
| Bread Boy, turned and headed for the | | | | like I was from Mars. |
| checkstand. The boys got there rods, and WBB | | | | |
| decided he would bait hooks and watch them | | | | Most brand name gear today is made pretty |
| fish.All this over stimulation and multitude | | | | well, so you can just pick ---the pretty |
| of choices had him reaching back far into his | | | | one!!3)Don't scrimp on the fishing line.To |
| neanderthal tendencies, and he almost went | | | | me, in just about any kind of fishing, this |
| home and tied some kite string onto a | | | | is a big key. Get the right line, and get |
| flagpole. Thinking that $70 or $80 was too | | | | good quality. Whether it is having the right |
| much to invest, especially in "crappie | | | | type of fly line, or the right test of |
| futures", he figured he would fashion up a | | | | monofilament, you will catch more fish if you |
| nice "fishing stick" to pursue fish and avoid | | | | pay attention to the selection of your lines. |
| the trauma of having to decide which combo | | | | Too heavy, and fish will sit there staring at |
| was right for him.It has gotten that | | | | your line like WBB stares at aisle 32 at the |
| way.Fishing, like golf or skiing or just | | | | Blackbird.Use floating line when you should |
| about any sport has gotten way to specialized | | | | sink. Or sinking line when you should float. |
| and seems to require multiple quivers of gear | | | | And you will have a nice day casting and/or |
| for different situations. You can't use bass | | | | walking on the river or lake.I once used a |
| gear for trout.You have to have "lake | | | | fishing line called "Vanish",that was |
| fishing" set ups, "river fishing" set ups, | | | | supposed to be the greatest thing |
| trolling rods, casting rods.If you want want | | | | since....well....Wonder Bread, and the only |
| to have more fun with 9 inch fish, you have | | | | thing that "vanished" was the fish I was |
| to go "light". Level winds for salmon. Fly | | | | catching. Every fish I hooked broke me off. I |
| fishing gear for "fly only" waters.You get | | | | switched lines and started to land fish after |
| the picture.It's maddening as well as | | | | that. So that line has now "vanished" from my |
| intimidating.I myself, own a small satellite | | | | tackle collection and is now occupying some |
| operation of Cabela's aka "my playroom", that | | | | space at a landfill....And vanishing from my |
| will take my daughter at least two years to | | | | tackle collection is obviously no small |
| liquidate when I pass on to the big fishing | | | | feat!So, get the right line and you can |
| pond in the sky. At last count I had fifteen | | | | almost tie it on WBB's flagpole and catch |
| various rods, and way too many reels and | | | | fish. (with hook and bait of course...)There |
| extra spools and such. Why I even found a | | | | you have it, Wonder Bread Boy, you are now |
| reel I can't even remember | | | | armed with enough information to head into |
| purchasing....STILL IN THE BOX!!!!!My gosh, I | | | | your local sporting goods store and |
| must be like a sleepwalker who wanders into | | | | confidently make a selection, so you can fish |
| the fishing aisles and starts gathering up | | | | with your kids.Or, you can wait about 30 |
| items, only to wake up and not have a clue as | | | | years and pick up a nice collection of stuff |
| to 'how did that sturgeon fishing rod got in | | | | at my daughters' garage sale!A.J. |
| my garage'!!I've never even been sturgeon | | | | KlottAuthor, writer of fishing humor,and "fly |
| fishing.We won't even get into the six or | | | | tack" peddler.A.J. writes about the |
| seven tackle "tubs"--not boxes--of lures, | | | | people,characters and modern day events that |
| flies,trolling rigs, vests, waders, nets, | | | | surround the fishing world. His first book is |
| flippers,attractants, baits,and yes | | | | due out in December of 2005. |