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Realistic Results

© Louis Bignami

When's the last time you read about a fishing trip where the heroic writer got skunked? Have you seen a fishing show where the heroes didn't catch anything? Probably not, but it happens, and often indeed. That's fine, folks have expanded their results since anglers grew arms to spread. In fact, I consider "catch and release" results limited only by the angler's imagination and the listener's gullibility.

After over 30 years, 35 books and several thousand fishing articles I'm rather tired of all the hype. Fishing isn't about results, it's about recreation. At least such is the case for those who have challenge and risk in their lives. Fishing is supposed to be fun. It's supposed to be relaxing. It's supposed to be a democratic activity that all can enjoy. You really don't need 50 rods, ten or so are enough and I've yet to see an artificial that catches as many fish as bait save, or course, for those tiny flies used by anglers in search of anchovy to sardine-sized trout.

I've been there and done that. I've caught billfish, bonefish, salmon, steelhead, sturgeon and thousands of exotic fish in remote and usually either uncomfortable or inconvenient climes. So what do I do to fish for fun? Simple. I either pick up my light fly outfit with its #14 Elk Hair Caddis and catch brook trout from a local creek, or grab some worms and a long bait rod to catch crappie or bluegills. And I live midway between 20-pound B-run steelhead in the Snake and Clearwater Rivers and the 20 pound pike in Coeur d'Alene Lake. But I've learned to keep it simple and, above all, never travel more hours than you can fish.

Unfortunately, today's specialists all insist only they own the keys to the piscatorial kingdom. Fly fishers - and I've done this for 50 years - seem as narrow minded as all true believers. I don't mind the holier-than-thou attitude, I just note that dry fly fishing does remove a third of the challenge of "real fishing" by reducing a three-dimensional sport to two dimensions and in a small stream it's as close to a no-brainer as dunking worms for bluegills..

I don't even mind the "bug species" nonsense and all the other prating of the instantly expert. Instead, I make some rather nice spare change showing them how I can catch more fish faster with a cane pole and stump grubs and hook every fish in the lip. Bah, humbug, give me a little creek filled with brook trout that fit in a frying pan and I'm happy. Fortunately, I live in Idaho where everyone fishes the politically correct trophy waters for trout or steelhead and leaves the small streams to old, fat guys

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