Transition of Perspective
I love hunting and fishing. Best I can recollect I’ve been doing both since about 1954 or 1955. But something other than the equipment, regulations, and availability of game has changed over the years.
This change hasn’t been recent or sudden. It’s taken…well, I don’t know how long. Perhaps a lifetime. But only recently have I really sat back and thought about it. It’s my perspective. How I see fishing and hunting and what part of those wonderful activities is the most important.
When I was a fishing guide on Lake of the Woods in Ontario my (necessary) priorities were to make sure a customer caught lots of fish. Fishing was all about catching. The species was up to them. My job was to put them on the fish and make sure they went home happy. That meant days filled with lots of fish and excitement.
My own fishing at that time was a reflection of what was important to my clients. I was, for want of a better description, a “meat fisherman”. Any day I could walk into the kitchen and show off a nice stringer of fish was a good a day.
My hunting paralleled my fishing. Squirrel, rabbit, deer, quail, turkey, ducks, or whatever, it was all about the meat. Sure, a trophy buck would be nice, but the real mission back then was putting some good food on the table. Chicken fried squirrel or rabbit with milk gravy and homemade biscuits, quail breasts baked with dressing, venison roasts, and lots more. No meat, no eat.
Once our 3 girls came along fishing changed for me. As you would expect when you’re baiting hooks for girls who just haven’t warmed up to worms, leeches, or wiggly minnows there’s a fair degree of patience required, especially when you factor in hang-ups and snags. You leave the dock hoping for fish for dinner, but have already conceded that it could just as easily be burgers and hot dogs. And you know that the kids smiles and giggles even over a bait stealing perch are worth a hell of a lot more than any trophy walleye.
So somewhere in my 20’s to early 30’s I began looking at fishing and hunting a bit differently. It was no longer about the meat, but more about introducing our children to these two great pursuits. And in making sure they had a true respect for nature and the beauty of the great outdoors.
By the time our oldest daughter headed off to Indiana University as a freshman family fishing and hunting had pretty much become a thing of the past. Distractions such a boys, after school athletics, boys, part time jobs, boys, summer camps, and boys put the big kibosh on fishing and hunting trips. So it was just Dixie and me in the boat or in the woods. But only when time permitted.
This was also a time when I was growing a business. Fishing and hunting time was scarce. Airplane flights, business meetings, negotiations, and other duties that business dictates practically eliminated time on the water or in the field. The kids were gone and I was busy.
But we were doing good. Meat on the table meant a quick trip to the grocery store, not an excursion into the woods or on the water.
Then I turned 50. That was the worst birthday I had ever had. Suddenly I was, by definition, “middle age”. My hair had too much gray in it, my belly was heading south, and my stamina was not what it used to be. But I was so busy. Maybe I needed to rethink things.
And you know the best place to rethink? On the water or in the field. Alone. No distractions, no interruptions, and definitely no cell phones.
I hooked up the boat and headed for the lake. It was marvelous. Fishing was good, but it really didn’t matter. It was just great to be outside away from business and the inevitable pressure of schedules, meetings, deals, etc. Same thing happened when I grabbed my gun and headed for the woods later in the year. I saw some game, but discovered that was not the real reason I was out there.
So by the time I turned 60 which, by the way, was a great birthday, the transition was complete. My perspective had matured to where it is today.
Fishing today is all about a balance between fishing, catching, nature, and God’s beauty. Seeing the ripple on the water from a gentle breeze, watching birds work the shoreline, feeling the tug on the line, it’s all about balance and appreciating everything that lies before you while you’re on the water. I may not catch anything, but that would just be icing on the cake anyway. Just being out is its own reward.
Going out in the field or into the woods produces a similar euphoria for me. Watching the sun start to turn night into dawn, smelling the grasses or leaves dampened by the morning dew, hearing the birds announcing another day, or just the awe of all of this culminating in one place is really why I’m out there. I’m not even sure I would take aim at a deer or squirrel even if they did appear. It’s so magnificent even without a target.
Yep, my transition is complete, at least for now. Not sure what the next 10, 20, or 30 years will hold, but I’m guessing I’ll be even more appreciative of God’s handiwork and how lucky I have been to be able to appreciate it as the years have evolved. Guess that’s called a transition. One I now truly appreciated.
This week we have some great deals on Shimano Stradic reels and want to remind you about our new Legacy Loyalty Rewards program.
Thanks to all of our great friends and customers who have supported us and passed our name on to their friends. We know we are only here by making sure your needs are our first and only priority. Please let me know if we ever fail to meet and exceed your expectations.
Tight Lines,
Tom Ashby
Amen!