Angling Expectations
What follows is a brief discourse on the subject of expectations, as it relates to angling.
I remember vividly the day my attitude toward angling underwent a drastic overhaul. It occurred while I was still in high school. I had spent the day fishing the Root River in southeastern Minnesota, and had failed to raise a single fish. I returned home rather dejected, and encountered my Father in the kitchen. He asked: “have a good day?” “Disappointing,” I remember mumbling. “Didn’t catch anything,” my Dad said. It was more a statement than a question. I merely nodded. “Well, it was a nice day to be out,” he responded cheerfully, adjusting his bow tie, and heading out the door for a meeting.
I got to thinking back on my fishing trip. It had been a nice day to be out--the sun had shone brilliantly, the river had been garrulous, as had the birds, and I had seen a scarlet tanager. Yeah, I’d seen a scarlet tanager! It had been a pretty darn good day at that. So what if the fish hadn’t been biting. It still had been an enjoyable experience. From that day I have focused on the experience rather than the results. It has meant that I have always enjoyed the angling enterprise, regardless of whether the fish were active or not. And when I was privileged enough to catch a few fish, it was just that much better!
I now go forth with high expectations of having a good time, and I have not been disappointed. Moreover, I go forth expecting to learn something every time I go fishing. Nor have I been disappointed in that regard either. Such an approach to the angling enterprise almost assures that fishing will be fun rather than frustrating. Which, as I look at it, is exactly what it should be. Heaven knows we don’t need an additional source of frustration in our lives--rather what is needed is a makeweight to counteract some of the other frustration of life in the modern epoch.
I hope that the readers of “The Anglers Roundtable” will concur with this discourse on expectations. If it serves to heighten your enjoyment and appreciation of the art of angling, then I will be happy, indeed. Let me have the benefit of your thoughts on the matter.