What is a Bass Fisherman?

Between a boys first rod and a tottering old man we find a delightfully unpredictable creature called the Bass Fisherman.  Bass fisherman come in assorted sizes, but all of the have the same creed:  To enjoy every second of every minute of every hour of every fishing trip- - and to violently protest when the sun sinks beneath the horizon and one must leave to try again another day.

Bass fisherman are found nearly everywhere - - on little farm ponds, braggin in offices, tournaments, resivoirs, sporting goods stores, conservation meetings, Sunday schools, back rooms and at board meetings.  Mothers love them, youg girls hate them, older brothers and sisters tolerate them, the boss envies them, and Heaven protects them.  A Bass fisherman is truth with dirt on its face, beauty with knarled up thumbs, Wisdom with nature as its God, and hope of the future with good-will toward man.

When you are busy, a Bass fisherman is thinking about drop offs, matts of grass and steam rising from the water.  When you want him to make a good impression on a client, he may talk only of the back to back wall hangers he once caught, the time he caught two fish on the same lure on the same cast, the spring spawn or how smooth his newest reel performs.  

A Bass fisherman is a composite - - he is content with 'rat' cheese and crackers for lunch while tied up to a rotten stump but his ulcer has to be pampered with a special diet when he's home; he will drink from an old paint worn soda can without question; he has the energy of a hurricane when he first stands up on the bow although in the office it tires him to walk to the pay window; he has eyes of an eagle when he is spotting bedding fish although his secretary complains he can never find his glasses; he has the imagination of scientist as looks for the lake pattern; he shows the audicity of a steel trap as he stands and pitches to docks under the blistering sun oblivious to the pain in his back; he has the enthusiasm of a firecracker as makes a cast to every bush, cranks every grass bed, and when he gets that bite he has forgotten to re-tie his knots :-/.

He likes dirty old pants, vintage reels, old clippers, no socks, long weekends, any kind of artificial bait, back roads, wool shirts, forgotten ponds, and questionable companions who are also- well.... Bass fisherman.  He is not much for social gatherings between ice-off and the first snow, fish higher in the food chain than Bass, neckties, educational books, weekend company, barbers, people who deny access.  Without a thought of race, creed or color, he likes people who fish for Bass 9 months a year and talk about it twelve!

Nobody else is so early to rise, or so late to supper - - when the bass are biting.  Nobody else gets much fun of soggy shoes, smelly clothes, and getting mud between his toes.  Nobody else suffers so silently with an aching vertebrae, sunburned tops of feet, stained muscles.  Nobody else can cram into one pocket a rusty old knife, 12 tungston weights, an extra tin of snuff, a compass that doesn't work, pack of extra hooks, bass juice, change for lunch, fishing license, waterproof matches, last years fishing license, spool of tippet material, swivels on a rusty safety pin, handerchief, spare rod tip, a snake bite kit and lets not forget the bottle opener .

A Bass fisherman is a magical creature-- you might get sore at his constant chatter about Black Bass but you can't lock him out of your heart :-*.  You can assign him itineraries in the winter but you know where he'll be in the spring.  His sales chart will be as good as the next, but he'll get it there in his own sweet time.  He may be the very one who sells the 'rich old buzzard' who spends all his time Bass fishing down South.

You might as well give up - - the Bass fisherman is a child of nature with a hopeless one-track mind.  He'll do his work with the best of them, but when the spawn is on he's on that bow pitchin his bait into the nastiest places on the lake on the prowl for old Mr. big.  He's earnest with his work but he's just a little more sincere when he's sitting on top of a brush pile swimming with bucket mouths.  

And though you get sore at him in the spring, you know you'll always like him.  There's something about him that rings true - - he's almost too honest.  He's a simple and kindly man who asks no more of life than the fish eat, rods bend, and everything has a sporting chance.  

Thanks Grandpa for all the Long days you spent with me showing me the important things in life.

Hope you enjoyed it guys!

Happy Releasing,

Hydrillagorilla aka:  A Bass Fisherman

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Very well said, good job!

Very nice post. My father got me started on fishing and being outdoors at a young age. That was a better gift then anything I ever got under the xmas tree. I know we see this everywhere anymore, but it rings true, take a kid fishing, even if you dont have one of your own.

Articles like that make me proud to be a Bass Fisherman  

bravo!

great story. its good to be a bass fisherman  

Thanks guys!  We are a good lot!  I don't care what anyone says.  

Happy Releasing,

H.G.

EXCELLENT piece.  I'd be proud to have someone think I qualify.

GREAT read!! I Thank the Lord that my Grandfather and Dad got me hooked on fishing all those many years ago! The thrill I get to this day is the same as when I caught my first fish!!

Great Post!  

Awesome post.  I am Proud to be a Bass Fisherman

Awesome piece Mr HydrillaGorilla !

I am very proud to be one of these delightfully unpredictable creatures.  

Wow, great read, Thank you 8-)

Nice post, Hydrillagorrila2!