Bass Opener 2017
Failure is inevitable in a fisherman's existence and recurs eternally. Preparation, hard work, attention to detail: all of them can be rendered meaningless by...well, let's just call them external forces, to remain courteous, cautious, censored, and mostly muzzled. After all, what are we without civility? Carnivores, mainly. Animals devouring other animals. And so we hunt, with the strength of orange braided fishing line, and the cunning of an invisible fluorocarbon leader.
Lake Simcoe gives one year what she takes another. She ceaselessly teases, exposing everything to you in her clear waters; not always succumbing to your desires. She has powerful friends who are more than happy to push you around, play with you, bully, beat, and very publicly embarrass you, until you are left asphyxiated, frustrated and shamed. From a casual observer's perspective, your abilities may appear less impressive than they really are.
External forces don't give a -- about you. Make it a mutual sentiment. Control what you can. Dominate your circumstance. Adapt. Use negative emotions as motivation to take action. Put that senko on drop-shot rig; find shelter from the wind; rely on friends for advice. And always look for other opportunities.
You become prey the moment you stop hunting, the instant you cede control to the external forces. Work as hard as you can. Learn from your mistakes. Do what's right. Know that Truth yields impotence in enemies. Pursue it, and take joy in this pursuit. This is how you will evolve as a predator. Become the apex, become the strongest and the most knowledgeable, and even the monsters will respect you. Make them fear your power.
If they don't fear you, they will abuse you. They will manipulate you and strip you of your conscience. They will convince you that effort is only a placeholder. They will rob you of mentorship, resources, communication, leadership, and all of your equipment, and still command and expect you to catch fish for them at any cost, just as your predecessors did. Those are your orders. Do not obey them. Protest and rebel. Or else you will succumb to the truth repeatedly reinforced by the Pharisees: there are no rules of conduct in this game.
A big thank you to Nicholas Kalimin for the pictures (and for the après fishing pulled pork), and to Marco Jacuta for our fried chicken shore lunch. It's (almost always) all about catch and release!
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