It's another instant classic!

Photo Failure

https://www.bassresource.com/fishing/photos-failings.html

 

Agree! I read this last night. Another great job of writing by @Swamp Girl.

 

 Love reading your stuff Katie! 😁

27 minutes ago, wdp said:

Agree! I read this last night. Another great job of writing by @Swamp Girl.

 

 Love reading your stuff Katie! 😁

 

Thanks, wdp and Glenn!

I love the photos of my bass. But in all truth, the photographs, still frames and moving pictures that I see in my mind’s eye are better memories. There are hunting and fishing trips from years, even decades back, that I can recall vividly when I close my eyes and remember. Losing hard copies of old photographs or access to digital ones would be a real shame. The day I can longer recall the sights, sounds and the raw, visceral excitement in my mind’s eye will be the true, tragic loss. 
 

Then again, it’s nice to know that there a select few who can, with simple pen and paper (or keyboard), turn words into something tangible. We can “hear” the sounds. We can “see” the scenes. We can “feel” the rush of adrenaline…all by taking a few moments to read words that someone with talent and vision has laid out for us. It’s a feast for the senses. 

15 minutes ago, BrianMDTX said:

There are hunting and fishing trips from years, even decades back, that I can recall vividly when I close my eyes and remember. Losing hard copies of old photographs or access to digital ones would be a real shame. The day I can longer recall the sights, sounds and the raw, visceral excitement in my mind’s eye will be the true, tragic loss. 

 

That's it, Brian! We catch fish because we pay attention and because we pay attention, we do more than catch bass: We catch memories of all we saw, heard, smelled, and felt. I too can close my eyes and I'm back in northwestern Ontario, standing on a rocky shore, leaning into the wind while waves break at my feet. And I'm thrilled all over again.

 

18 minutes ago, BrianMDTX said:

We can “feel” the rush of adrenaline…all by taking a few moments to read words that someone with talent and vision has laid out for us. It’s a feast for the senses. 

 

You can do this too, Brian, because you just did.

 

My favorite bass fishing writer!  Her passion for the sport and love for nature and the pursuit of big fish and the camaraderie and friendships that fishing brings about shine through in every fishing report or piece of advice for a newcomer - Katy is a stone cold certified hammer and a fantastic bass fishing writer.

Thank you. Sincerely. 
 

I’ve never been at a loss for words, but my artistic ability certainly does not extend to photography. I have the artistic vision of a toddler when it comes to framing shots and taking good ones. It’s just not in me to “see” what makes a great photograph. 
 

I have a friend, a retired Baltimore City police officer. He got into photography back in the late 70s. He took a photograph of a brick wall. A simple brick wall. It was a work of art. It was so visually stunning I had it made into a poster. His vision was art. Mine would have been, well, a brick wall. 
 

Music? The only musical bones in my body are the malleus, the incus and the stapes. And that’s being generous. I am in awe of people who can compose or play music. As I cannot, I’ll simply take pleasure in the sound of a perfect cast, the whine of drag being pulled by a big bass, the splash when one launches out of the water and my nonsensical “lyrics” when they throw the hook! 😂

Hey, guys, you might have noticed Al Smith in the byline. Al is Bass Resource's LottaBass. Al and I have had many fine conversations about the finer aspects of angling and much of what we discussed comprises the essay. So, adding him to the byline is a way to honor our friendship and our cyber-chats. 

Awesome 

Love your prose, Swampy!

FM

Great writing Katie!!

Thanks, guys! I'm out of reactions. Again.

Katie...

As always I am in awe of both your writing skills and your fishing skills. And I totally understand how it is difficult to create an artistic photo. I get so frustrated by the fact that I can see what I want to do in a photo in my minds eye, but I am almost completely unable to translate that into a real photo. I have to settle for what I call "newspaper photos"...as in they are usually clear, focused, very boring and look like a million other similar photos. But as Brian said, I can keep the pictures in my minds eye, and they are always great there.

Stellar writing. I shared that with said friends and family

Love it 

Excellent and accurate.

Beautifully descriptive writing. Well done!

Very well articulated prose.

I like how Katie wrote it not about the images, but about the adventure behind them.

 

"...they’re a nearly flavorless wafer compared to the banquet that lies behind them."

 

No truer words were ever said! Well done! Well written! Thanks!

Thank you, F3. I was born in the wrong place, I.e. suburbia. So, I hopped on my bike and rode out to the woods hundreds of time, wading creeks looking for crawdads and climbing trees. Some people are comforted by cookie cutter houses. They discomfort me. I'm still that way. I am so happy floating on a quiet pond. I've had countless eagles and ospreys soar over me, but they still thrill me. Imagine someone who's happiest in a mall. I'm the utter opposite. 

Another great article Katie! I absolutely love reading your stuff. This one put into mind the old saying, “if ya know, ya know.” We’ve all been there when a buddy has caught a “good‘un” as we say in the south. Fortunately we’ve all experienced catching one too. The sounds, the smells, they all can be experienced looking at photos. Like I’ve mentioned before, puts me in mind of the quote attributed to Henry David Thoreau, “Many men fish all of their lives without knowing it’s not the fish they are after.”  
 

When I look at some of my old photos of past trips, they take me back to that particular day spent on the water with a friend. Some of those friends have sadly gone on to their reward, some are still around. Great memories.
 

Thank you Katie

34 minutes ago, volzfan59 said:

Thank you Katie

 

You're welcome. And thank you right back! Your kindness is much appreciated.