For the first time in recent memory, I did not spend the late winter months plotting out my summer tournament schedule. I'm not going to spend all of my vacation days prefishing, I'm not going to be staying in seedy motels in NJ, Clayton, NY, Ticonderoga, and the like. I will not be getting up a 4 am to wait in line to launch my boat or overnighting a new $3500 lower unit to fix the one I blew up. I will not consider a trolling motor failure a life altering event, nor will I be driving 40 miles the night before a tournament to a Walmart to replace a special bait taken by a pike in practice. I will no longer have my heart torn out by by a good'en that gets off at the boat. I will no longer be infuriated by the unethical and downright cheaters (I saw a guy weigh in a dead six pounder with a quarter pound penalty--it had freezer burn). I won't miss being back-boated in draw tournaments or having to let some idiot run my boat for half a day. I won't miss spending $500 for the week and having my draw partner offer me $10.
But I will miss the excitement of the competition--there's nothing better than landing good one in a tournament. I'll miss the good friends that I've made, though I'll still see them from time to time. I'll miss standing on the weigh-in stage, the thrill of the few wins I've had, and of course paying taxes on the earnings. I'll still be out there--the guy in the red Ranger 520 or the green Tracker on the Quabbin. I'll be with my brother, son, or friend and enjoying the day, hoping for a few bites, but mostly getting back to why I started fishing.
D
But I will miss the excitement of the competition--there's nothing better than landing good one in a tournament. I'll miss the good friends that I've made, though I'll still see them from time to time. I'll miss standing on the weigh-in stage, the thrill of the few wins I've had, and of course paying taxes on the earnings. I'll still be out there--the guy in the red Ranger 520 or the green Tracker on the Quabbin. I'll be with my brother, son, or friend and enjoying the day, hoping for a few bites, but mostly getting back to why I started fishing.
D