Sweet dreams

[Fours]

It's the night before an early start on the bank.I may or may not have fished the venue before, it matters not.

Am I the only one who is so excited that I can't get off??

Lying there 'virtually' setting my rods up, working out precisely how I'll tackle the water, how I'll fight the fish of a lifetime?

I wouldn't want it any other way, but usually feel shattered before I start!

The anticipation is usually more rewarding than the actual event to be honest, but anyone else as 'child-like' as me?

The day (night!) I don't feel this way may be the time to get gardening gloves on!

[watatoad]

It's the night before an early start on the bank.I may or may not have fished the venue before, it matters not.

Am I the only one who is so excited that I can't get off??

Lying there 'virtually' setting my rods up, working out precisely how I'll tackle the water, how I'll fight the fish of a lifetime?

I wouldn't want it any other way, but usually feel shattered before I start!

The anticipation is usually more rewarding than the actual event to be honest, but anyone else as 'child-like' as me?

The day (night!) I don't feel this way may be the time to get gardening gloves on!

 

Possibly, have a nice warm milk and get to sleep, there's a good boy/girl.

 

The excitement yes I think many anglers anticipate a sessions angling like that and most will identify with the excitement, I certainly do.

 

But, stop kidding yourself, stop visualizing setting up, go to sleep or your will never give you all when the unexpected specimen or personal best appears, you may well miss lots of bites, while attempting to fish only half awake and tired...

 

How can you do that before you are at the venue and know how the water is, the flow, the light, the temperature, the weather, the wind, the cloud cover, the swim and everything and what if there are already anglers in your intended swim (although I will admit this is less likely on a river nowadays)

 

You are pitting your skills and knowledge against a wild creature in its natural element, don't you think that creature deserves some respect? Don't you think that creature deserves your full attention? Don't you think that creature deserves your maximum skill and cunning to catch it?

 

When you choose to pit yourself, your knowledge and skills against a wild creature in its natural element, you have to learn to think like your quarry, you have to learn how your quarry lives and therefore how your quarry will react in a whole set of different circumstances and environments. You have to learn a whole series of baits and bait presentations in order to offer you bait to your quarry in a way which will not frighten nor seem too unnatural.

 

Anything less than total concentration and total commitment and you are doing both your quarry and yourself a disservice and you should not be surprised if you only catch small and indifferent fish.

[Fours]

Possibly, have a nice warm milk and get to sleep, there's a good boy/girl.

 

The excitement yes I think many anglers anticipate a sessions angling like that and most will identify with the excitement, I certainly do.

 

But, stop kidding yourself, stop visualizing setting up, go to sleep or your will never give you all when the unexpected specimen or personal best appears, you may well miss lots of bites, while attempting to fish only half awake and tired...

 

How can you do that before you are at the venue and know how the water is, the flow, the light, the temperature, the weather, the wind, the cloud cover, the swim and everything and what if there are already anglers in your intended swim (although I will admit this is less likely on a river nowadays)

 

You are pitting your skills and knowledge against a wild creature in its natural element, don't you think that creature deserves some respect? Don't you think that creature deserves your full attention? Don't you think that creature deserves your maximum skill and cunning to catch it?

 

When you choose to pit yourself, your knowledge and skills against a wild creature in its natural element, you have to learn to think like your quarry, you have to learn how your quarry lives and therefore how your quarry will react in a whole set of different circumstances and environments. You have to learn a whole series of baits and bait presentations in order to offer you bait to your quarry in a way which will not frighten nor seem too unnatural.

 

Anything less than total concentration and total commitment and you are doing both your quarry and yourself a disservice and you should not be surprised if you only catch small and indifferent fish.

Here endeth the lesson.....

[Barry C]

Usually dreams of expectation the night before and nightmares of what might have been the night after.

[Fours]

Usually dreams of expectation the night before and nightmares of what might have been the night after.

Ha ha, followed by erasure of the nightmare and a sleepless night before the next session, etc etc...