[schoolie monster]

Let's not forget that fishing is a leisure activity. Hopefully we all do this for fun and a little R&R from our lives, jobs, etc... Granted we are all probably a bit obsessive about it (after all, here we are talking about it on the internet), but bottom line, its supposed to be fun.

And its what we make of it. We all have our own preferences.

If one guy gets all geared up, spends a few grand on gear and accessories, casts further than anyone on the beach and catches zip... if he's happy, good for him! If I like flyfishing, or chunkin' mackerel (bass repellent) or prefer catching a thousand schoolies and could care less about keepers, or like reeling with my spinning reel upside down, if I'm freakin' happy, good for me. We can still poke fun at each other for these things, but it doesn't make them wrong or stupid.

I've only been doing serious saltwater fishing for a couple years... but I've been fishing for over 20 years. I'll put my largemouth bass or trout fishing skills against anyone out there. Does this make me better? Certainly not. Worse? No.

I'm only 30 years old and I've caught largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, striped bass, white bass, bluegill, crappie, white perch, yellow perch, walleye, northern pike, musky, brown trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, lake trout, bluefish, sharks, cod, scup, flounder, shad, hooked a couple albies (no, I haven't caught one of those bastards yet) and yes, even a damn wagger (aka skate) or two. Guess what, I've enjoyed every damn one of them and do myself good every time I get out there.

And I hope I can double that by the time I'm 60. What's my point? If didn't get it by now, you likely never will.

Take it easy.