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