"Jonathan Cook" wrote


Guess I'm easily satisfied.

About the only fishing that doesn't put me in that state is
powered-motor trolling. All else (including trolling while
paddling a canoe) I find easily carried away into that "timeless
state". Just ask my wife :-)



I'm spoiled too, Jon I would not have the same attitude given less freedom
in the use of my time.

I'm often struck between the similarities between my changes over time ( I
was starting to say development or progression, but I don't want to imply
improvement, just change ) as a waterfowler and those I'm experiencing as a
fly fisher.

In waterfowl hunting I was very much a 'get my limit by any legal means'
kinda guy for years, but gradually I started adding my own rules much
stricter than the laws.

Towards the end I'd often call the species I would kill next before the
opportunity and simply pass on any shots at other types of game, until I
successfully decoyed that species. Three years in a row, when our local
Canvasback limit was two and finding any on known hunting areas nearly
impossible I declared a week or so in advance that I would finish my season,
the last Sunday with a limit and a limit that included doubling on Cans (
two from one group) as the last two birds of my year. I succeeded by
'doing the research' and having the patience to wait until things were just
right.

Very much like my current trends in fly fishing, I got to the point where I
had my duck boat behind the truck 100% of the 3 month season, and often
hunted every day for weeks BUT, I seldom just got up early and went hunting.
I'd hit the water for short periods at the best times. Many times I've
been working in my yard at 10AM only to notice a wind shift that made me
drop all work and been picking up the decoys, limited out, by noon. The
'hunt' became for the best conditions and best times, not best techniques,
or even places ( the last few years I only hunted at a lake about 5 miles
from my house). And for the last many years I absolutely refused to shoot
unless the birds 'did it right' ... the artful fooling with call and decoys
was the sport.

In a similar vein, I find that many times ( not all ) I'd rather just sit
and enjoy being there than "work at" catching yet another fish. I'll wait
till later when it gets more like I like it, when I can ply my feather and
fur decoy where I can see it and visually judge the fishes response.