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Hi esteemed NCFFB members,
Well, I can't believe I'm gonna make my first board post in a flame zone. Also, I think this thread may be beaten dead. But so be it, I feel compelled: To respond to your question, I've always felt that angling, done right, is both a craft (or sport, if you want) and an art. When I was younger and learning scads every fish and cast, I was really motivated by the craft. Practice makes perfect and all that. This went on for years. Ahhh, but there is beauty in imperfection. This used to greatly confuse me. I used to make a real LOT of effort to fish the best water, get at the best fish, with the best cast. Great. But then I'd have the funnest, most fulfilling day of the season catching the stupidest dink trout in a tiny mountain stream. And all (well, maybe not all...) the hulking brutes I'd rooted out through craft paled before a few wild 7" cutts. I'd feel like a king (or a champion? the winner?). How is this possible? Magic! Just kidding. I really don't know.
What I do know is that over time my reasons for fishing have changed pretty dramatically--my love for the avocation, not at all. I would guess that your reasons will change too, if you keep at it. I must say that I still don't know what to make of it. So for my part, I have very little interest in fishing competitions. I also have very little interest in cooking competitions, music competitions, painting competitions, beauty pageants, poetry or writing competitions, or drinking competitions (though such things do exist). Your question also for some reason reminded me of a response I got to a "doinganygood?" question on a really tough day at the Deschutes. The guy (yeah, old geezer, slightly overweight) said that the fishing is always the same. It's always good. Then he said, "the question is, how are you?"
I've enjoyed reading the board over the last few months. Lot's of knowledge here. I'll send a proper intro to the board in a little while.
Patrick
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