We are all fascinated by the desire to catch bigger fish. If I had to consider this statement and think back to some of the most memorable fishing adventures, that might not always be true.
The Early Days
When I was a young child, I was fascinated with fishing. Any and every fishing trip was an adventure. I grew up as a country boy and lived near a small stream that was full of minnows, horny heads and redbreast bream. I would take my cane pole, outfitted with a monofilament line, cork bobber, split shot and a small hook. It was bait fishing and the bait ranged from redworms to crickets, grasshoppers or whatever insect could be captured. I would fish with worms, but sometimes the supply was limited and then anything creeping or crawling was fair game for bait.
The catch was always small, but it was a thrilling adventure. Sometimes, I would even scrabble in the shallow, rocky areas and catch crawfish to be dismembered and use the white flesh of the tails for bait. It worked, and the hungry fish responded well.
Occasionally, my dad would take me along on a trip to one of the larger lakes in upstate South Carolina, and we would fish for crappie with minnows. We were successful and usually harvested enough for a good meal. They were rarely large enough to filet, but were dressed and cooked whole.
Sporting Publications
As the years advanced, I became absorbed with sporting magazines and couldn’t wait to read the latest words penned by outdoor writers such as Homer Circle, Nick Lyons, Zane Grey, Ernest Hemingway, Ray Bergman and many others. The exciting tales of big fish and adventure fired my imagination and led to the interest in fly fishing.
My early gear was a fiberglass rod and an entry-level reel, outfitted with a level fly-line. I eventually learned to cast and caught a lot of small fish and an occasional bass on the gear. My earliest efforts in fly-tying were atrocious, but the desire was there.
Through the Years
Fate has dealt me a good hand and a long life. I have been lucky enough to fish in Montana, Alaska, Idaho, Canada, British Columbia and other famous destinations. Rivers include the Madison, Bow, Yellowstone, and others. Despite their fame and the size of the fish caught, none can equal those first, small fish caught on the little creek near my childhood home.
Small schooling bream
Havilah Babcock was, and is, one of my favorite authors. One of his short articles spoke to the fact that “You Can’t Go Back”. He tried to re-trace the footsteps of his youth on a small stream and was disappointed when he compared the current reality with the vivid memories he had of the stream. The pools were small, the fish were small and it was a disappointment. In his memory, he had created this vast environment with huge fish and mystery. In reality, it was a small meandering stream with tiny fish in it.
Final Thoughts
No, you can’t recreate the mystery and excitement of childhood. Back then, size did not matter. It was the experience and the imagination of a child that made it special.
Perhaps we put too much emphasis today on size of our catch. We really don’t have to catch a trophy on every outing. The enjoyment of the experience is the true measure of a good trip. Ease up, enjoy the trip, laugh more and don’t dwell on such high expectations. Just relaxing and enjoying being surrounded by nature’s magnificence is reward enough!
