Patience is a virtue but it is sometimes not a virtue of mine! This statement I relate to the chilly winter months when I am cooped up and cannot reach the river to wet a line. When a human being has an itch the natural reaction is to scratch it, so what happens to that same human being when he cannot reach the middle of his back to relieve the irritation. It begins to drive him nuts! Well this is exactly how I feel when I cannot fish, Irritated!
As the harshness of winter is hopefully behind us, it is now time to watch those DVD’s that have been collecting dust on the shelves and reading those fishing books you were given for Christmas. If I cannot fish I may as well read about it! As I learn and hone my fishing skills, reading and watching videos is an essential part of becoming a better fisherman, a more knowledgeable fisherman which transfers into more hook ups while on the water. Let’s set the record straight here, I am not speaking of those cheesy e-books you see plastered all over the internet stating “catch a bag full of trout every time you fish” kind of books, what I mean is a good book written by a reputable author who you know is accredited and knows what he is talking about through many years of fishing experiences.
For the spinner fisherman or bait caster a great book to own is one written by a serious fisherman who has been fishing for a long time. Bob Izumi shares with the reader his enthusiasm for the sport of fishing and his many years of fishing knowledge. Bob Izumi generously shares his many professional fishing secrets, secrets that are sure to appeal to both novice and experienced fishermen throughout North America. Some highly useful information discussed in the book include how to teach your kids to fish, how long you should fish in a given spot, how to land a fish without a net and how to determine fish activity levels. These are the topics and skills I am interested in learning about to improve my skill level as a fisherman!
For the fly fisherman there are many books by many great authors which talk about everything from how to cast to how to tie your own flies to match the hatch. Two authors come to mind when I think of the art of fly fishing, Lefty Kreh and Bob Clouser. Lefty has written over twenty books on the topic of fly fishing and with a fisherman as accredited as Lefty, how can you go wrong with buying one of his many books and learning from him? For the beginner I suggest Lefty’s book titled Basic Fly Fishing written by Lefty and Jon Rounds. Bob Clouser has also been around for many years as well and his new book Fly Fishing for Smallmouth: in rivers and streams needs to be on your shelf if you love fly fishing for Small Mouth Bass. So many books to improve as a fisherman, to become more informed, to become serious and dedicated! I cannot list all the books and DVD’s as there are so many to acquire but I think the point has been made. If the winter weather has your river frozen solid, stay inside and cozy up to a good fishing book written by your favorite author.
Pass on what you read about by the fireplace to someone else. Passion, dedication and education is what I pass on to people weather it is a client or a small child. Sharing the love of fishing and exchanging knowledge with a stranger beside a river or lake is the reason I love read and learn. I believe we owe it to ourselves to learn and pass on our knowledge with some one else. Education and conservation is important for every fisherman from all parts of the world.
