Tribute to My Father

I call this page My Support System for the best and most obvious reasons. They are the
circle that surrounds me now, the ones who support, endure and share in my life. But I have been remiss in acknowledging the first most important influence to my love of fishing: My Father. No one goes through life alone, and without being taught thebasics of any skill by the hand of experience. In the instance of fishing, each of us remembers the person who helped us catch our first fish-usually one of INFINITE patience and resolve to teach.

My father encouraged me from the start to not recognize limitations because of gender, but realize the ability to pursue and excel in sport, and in life. He took me fishing often, with the occasional saltwater venture. He hunted also, belonged to a hunting club, fished with his buddies, but the circle was closed to wives and daughters, who were only onlookers, never participants. I remember the day when I was 11 that I walked into the tackle store with Dad, and purchased my first reel; a Mitchell 300, with my own saved-up money. Dad had been pretty firm in his assertion that I should have my own tackle now-and that all of his I'd used for years were off-limits from then on...I had reached my coming of age and propriety that day in 1967, which was heralded in by catching a 4 LB. bass locally, and having my photo in the newspaper. Dad carried that clipping around with him to show EVERYBODY until it fell apart. It was still in his wallet after he passed.

Dad's style of quiet teaching was simple- whether it was fishing, hunting, shooting, playing pool, bowling, etc.: Watch/Make Mistakes/LEARN. He always invited me to come along with him; we enjoyed it all and we were a Team. Even after I'd left the nest, got married and settled , he'd give me a wink and I'd grab my jacket. I can't count how many times my father wanted to take me with him on those club and crony trips, to Canada for pike and bass, and snow-covered hunting grounds. And year after year, he always managed a phone call to tell me what his bagwas, and how he wished I could be there to exercise the skills I learned so well. But that was the way it was-we couldn't change rules, we couldn't change minds. Now is not the 60's, 70's, or even 80's for women. Dad passed away before I joined the fishing club- but I know he would have joined right along with me, our Mitchell 300's in hand.Those 25 year old iron-clads started me out in tournament fishing, until I finally wore them out one by one. I think of Dad often when I'm on the water, with his dog tags in my pocket from him, and a charm from my Mother too. And to my Mother's contributions to my life in fishing....that's ANOTHER story for another day!

I learned well. I remember well.

Thank you Richard Robert 1926-1987

(Originally posted on Lady Bass Anglers Cyber Club Website: 9/9/1999)

Everything I need to know about life I learned from fishing....

Some of us are obsessed. We didn't plan it, but there it is. Why not observe and incorporate fishing into our daily lives and dealings. Here's what I found out:

1. Big fish eat little fish.

That's how they got big. The predatory nature of fish insures their survival, constantly cruising to expand their presence on the planet. Predators will lie in wait for smaller, weaker creatures to venture into their line of sight or hearing, the weaker the better, less movement and energy to capture another victim. Why expend lots of calorie-burning motion to chase down a healthy, evasive mark? The bigger they get, the less they worry about larger predators eating them. And in this false sense of imagined invulnerability, they will have to eat that big flashy spinnerbait that is entering their territory. Instead of having dinner, they become dinner. There's always something bigger than ourselves out there.

2. Patterning Fish.

Fish are creatures of habit, their biological clock-works are programmed for their survival. They have no choice, nor do they wish any choices. Pattern anglers target their clocks, knowing approximately what they will be doing/feeling/thinking at any time of the year. So why don't anglers catch fish being where they're supposed to be? HA! This ain't bowling, where the pins stay still so you can sneak up on them. Kinda like human nature, which is far away and beyond complex comparatively. Fish biology in fishing is the study of habit, habitat and instinct. The study of human biology gives us just a few of the variable stanchions of pattern. Are we creatures of habit? Undoubtedly. But the true evolution of this species can only be measured in terms of our overcoming our habits, success in terms of overriding fallible patterns and urges to digress into inertia. If fish did any one of these things they would die and never know the difference. Only when man rises above these, do we truly triumph.