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Posts: 2680
Location: Essexville, MI./Saginaw Bay. | What importance do you personally put on numbers? That is, just how often do you judge and relate your own fishing success and worth (to a degree) by how many fish you caught and how big they were on any given day?
I won't be so naive as to say it never matters to me and never effects my (fishing ego) back at the dock, where I find everybody else has done better than I. Yet, without the pressures of both friendly competition and/or a charter with people expecting at least fair results, the numbers thing has lost a lot of it's lacluster for me since I've become (lets say) older/wiser.
Still in todays world, it seems to have become increasingly more popular (even in casual sports) to stomp your opponent into the dirt, no matter what the contest. And I often feel the kids coming up in all this get the wrong idea about just what fishing is supposed to be about.
And then theres the other side of the coin, where they are taught that everybody wins and nobody ever looses. And in essence, killing the challenging spirit of that indeavor that usually advances and enriches that particular sport. And when they finally do loose in one of lifes little lessons, they don't know how to handle it.
So is it something everybody see's different depending on how you were brought up? Or does it indeed come with age and the realization that (in the scheme of things) it truly doesn't matter that much?
Edited by walleye express 1/27/2004 9:23 AM
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Posts: 1314
Location: Menasha, WI | Numbers and size can important to me but not so much for my ego as for a sense of accomplishment or satisfaction (a fine distinction, I realize). When I have a productive day I am able to say to myself, "Hey, your research and technique paid off, keep up the good work." It's not necessarily about doing better than others but about doing well. However, sometimes it's very rewarding to humliate your friends. Other days it great to work together so everyone can be succesful.
In short, if you fish enough you'll find that fishing can be pleasurable in many different ways in many different situations. Maybe that's why it's so fun. |
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Location: Rhinelander | Size and numbers only carry great significance with me if I can recreate the presentation and repeat. If I get a couple 8# fish on Wednesday, and can't get another to save my fanny the rest of the week, I write those fish off as belonging to the 'blind squirrel' syndrome. |
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Posts: 2680
Location: Essexville, MI./Saginaw Bay. | Originally written by sworrall on 2004-01-28 3:30 PM
Size and numbers only carry great significance with me if I can recreate the presentation and repeat. If I get a couple 8# fish on Wednesday, and can't get another to save my fanny the rest of the week, I write those fish off as belonging to the 'blind squirrel' syndrome.
GOD BLESS that blind squirrel. He's made me look good a lot during my guiding/chartering life.....
Edited by walleye express 1/28/2004 4:02 PM
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Location: Rhinelander | Absolutely, Express! That applies even more to Muskies, which I still guide a bit.  |
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Member
Posts: 378
Location: Omro,Wi. |
Does the size and number of fish matter? If you are in a tournament I suppose so,but over all any day on the water, fish or not is fun.I put in a LOT of time out there to keep my clients comming back,year after year.Last year I had 3-days that I went without any fish,but only one was with a client.Fortunatly he fishes with me 10 times a year,and understands the ways of life,on the water.I don't lose sleep over it.Fishing is fun,and having to catch a fish,would make me give it up in a heartbeat.Some days certainly can be better than others,like when it all falls together and catching them is even,boring after awhile.That is probably why I don't like to fish the tournament circuit.Nobody should get angry,or feel bad about not going home with first place.I'll stick to putting a couple of MGD's in the cooler,and be happy beating up on my buddies..hafe |
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Posts: 42
Location: Fergus Falls, MN | I'm not too proud to say that I like to catch numbers of fish. And I like to catch big fish. And, of course, numbers of big fish.
But outside of that little ego boost I do like to use numbers to gauge presentation sucess, or patterning sucess. And you can't do that unless you can repeat the day. I get very upbeat about a big day. I keep a journal every day on the water so everything is recorded. But, I'll usually set an alarm in my Palm to alert me next year of my last years sucess and try do duplicate it. |
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Posts: 22
Location: Bay City, MI | I've had some great days fishing, and I've been skunked before. Needless to say, the limit days are much more fun. Everybody puts time, work and money into their fishing trips, but good old fashioned luck has a lot to do with it too. The old saying holds true "a bad day of fishing is better than a great day at work". Size and numbers mean a lot less to me than hanging out with a good fishing buddy or two, and being light years away from work, the mortgage, the kid's braces, etc. Of course every time I go out I want to personally catch the biggest fish just for bragging rights, but if it doesn't happen I'm damn glad for the guy with me that pulled up a monster or filled his freezer. I'm also making him show me what he used (wink). |
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Posts: 714
| Personaly, not professionaly speaking, I don't measure the quality of the day on the water by the weight in the livewell. I measure it more by the satisfaction I get from sharing it with my friends or loved ones.
From the professional aspect, as I guide, I try to provide that which the customer wants the most. If all they want are big fish, so be it, but I explain that will reduce the number of bites, but those we have should be quality. If they want fish to take home, I explain we will try, and we will probably find some. If they say they just want to enjoy the day, spend some time together, be away from the office and maybe catch a fish or two, I really have a good time and so do they. Funny thing about that last group mentioned, those are the people that usually end up having the best days on the water of the three. I think because they came out looking for the true experience of fishing, just plain fun! |
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