Why I Fish

It was always the same they never used a different method all those years, they caught fish and never thought to change their technique.

We had a few places that we always fished but never changed them neither; I believe there were 5-7 places on the lake. Mind you sonar units were around but were being used in other industries, the modern day fish finder wasn’t born until the early 1990’s.

Areas fished were picked out of knowledge and movement of the fish we were in seek of, and of course years of fishing the lake and recording or marking the area’s on the big map.

Never forget those days trolling around Big Hawk Lake, on the hunt for lake trout, silver or gold willams wobbler with or without live bait, (usually live bait, and minnows) on steel line to get the depth; we counted the line guide to determine depth of our lures.

It was all in their memory it was like clockwork watching these two veterans of the lake fish. They seemed to know where to drop their lines and for the most part the right depths, just by the time of year and knowing what the lake trout are or should be doing at that time of the year, and of course checking the maps.

Not a fool proof method, I laugh now when the days or outings we got skunked and the excuses (something no good angler should be without  ) well everything from days to early, too late, water to cold, to warm, the fish aren’t where they were supposed to be, sure was funny to hear them two talk.

This is where I started my journey fishing so many years ago; they always said you can’t catch fish if you know nothing about them or where they live (fish habitat). No truer words have ever been spoken when it comes to fishing; those words rang true then and even truer now.

Now I have many years behind me of fishing in all kinds of weather and different conditions, good catches and bad catches. Remembering my early days and those two just seemed to know year after year each location and how to catch trout, I started doing the same thing.

So over the years I have accumulated many maps and pieces of paper with things like water temperature, time of day, weather, technique, marking the areas where the fish were caught. It can be a few years before I get back to a lake, and these markings on the map are priceless in remembering what I used to catch fish on a particular lake.

Every time I go out and start to study a map and go over past strategy’s ,I can’t help but remember the times in that little 12 foot aluminum boat on Big Hawk Lake.

Remembering clear as day both of them telling me if you want to catch fish time and time again you have to know your fish and the lake they call home. Sure wish my father and grandfather were here to see how much influence they had on me fishing, thanks guys.

I guess that’s why I fish, what’s your story…