Quote:
Originally Posted by numbskull
Most of us fish for fun. Part of that fun is a sense of accomplishment. Many people measure that accomplishment by size or numbers of fish caught. Others by difficulties overcome. Fishing with flies or plugs raises the level of difficulty. Freshwater fisherman recognized this decades ago and as their sport has shifted from food procurement to recreation the use of bait has diminished proportionately......to the point where bait fishing for "sport fish" is unpopular. In saltwater, the food procurement aspect of fishing is still a strong ethic, and this shifts the accomplishment balance towards how big and how much as opposed to how difficult. As more and more people fish, and the resource absorbs more and more strain, the achievement ethic will shift towards more difficult methods and catch and release. Most fisherman make this transition to some extent themselves over the course of their life, particularly as they come to repect the fish they seek, and as maturity diminishes the need for reaffirmation of one's status as a fisherman (and, hence, worth as a person) and removes the urge to compare what you are accomplishing with how the other guy is doing...........which is why Flap will still be able to smile when I outfish his sorry ass.
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That was a lucid, well thought out and comprehensive description of the bait vs. plug debate completely covering ethics and personal choice, except the last line which will never happen.
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