by: Alex Gorichky
So many times, in an angling “career” you will find yourself reaching personal goals you have set. These can take on many forms and some will drive you mad with thoughts of accomplishment. Fly fishing, artificial lures, live bait, monster this or first that and so many more will tempt you. In an area such as ours and the vast opportunities we have at our fingertips daily sometimes make for an unexpected consequence.
I know I’m guilty of it and on a recent occasion I let that drive for achievement overshadow an epic fishing trip off the grid in Mexico. We had only hours for a shot. The charters where booked. And I thought everything was in the right perspective. Well, sometimes you (I) miscalculate. Turns out the drive for my first bonefish on fly was a tough call on that day and likewise my son didn’t get much opportunity that day either. We won’t dwell on the fact that the second boat of our two-boat charter stuck with shrimp and caught bonefish until they grew tired of them. Nope, not going to dwell on that.
How does this tie in you wonder? Well on that day we passed up many chances at a really good time in hopes to achieve some predetermined goal I had set forth. This is a common situation when involving your children, spouse, or friends in your love for fishing. Just because you enjoy soaking a large cut bait on the flats for hours in hopes that some massive redfish will eat and give you a tug, doesn’t mean your five-yearold child will be stoked for hours waiting. Even if the outcome is a redfish bigger than them…
A tight line, bent rod, fast action, and easy fun are what attracts someone to fishing. The endless hours of waiting are much like good wine or whisky in they’ve been given time to mature and are instantly recognizable to the right pallet. This goes hand and hand with the drive to hunt “glory species” like redfish, tarpon, snook, seatrout and more. Hundreds of chances at less desirable fish are passed up simply because they don’t have a certain name and not because of their fight or attitude. Ladyfish and jack crevalle are two great examples. One (jack) is the hardest pulling fish on the water pound for pound and the other (ladyfish) make searing runs with continuous jumps. Both are quick to eat just about anything put in their way and are a super star for new or old salt anglers. I’m reaffirming my drive to just enjoy the fun when fishing with family and friends. Continue that drive to produce – dream fishing experiences will never fade.
