" ... long range stuff to be more of a novelty than a necessity ..."
Definitely a novelty.
I like novelity. I include it in my list of fishing experiences to live because that is part of the whole package of fishing experiences I will enjoy. I'm going for nearly the full spectrum of fishing.
I started with deep sea fishing as a child with my family. I will have a sailboat and enjoy being at sea again in the future.
Imagine the contrast from those big hooks to seeing tiny size 26 fly fishing hooks in Colorado on a skiing vacation as a teenager. It was a joke to me. I said that seems the right size, but why would anyone want to catch a fly?
A few years later, I was catching big fish fly fishing. I didn't think that would happen, but I enjoyed it and got very deep into fly tying, studied it and watched the experts tie in Idaho and bought the best of
dle hackles and Nor-Vices.
I got seriously into preparedness and fly fishing certainty fulfilled my preparedness fishing needs. But, from a barter commodity and getting others to fish perspective, the conventional fishing with lures enticed me because others can become proficient at it quicker. I put all of my fly fishing gear away and bought all sizes of lures and rods and quite a range from bait casting and spinning and ultra light to extra heavy.
The extreme version of distance surf casting was just a tiny part of the full spectrum of fishing I embrace, yet one that intrigues me perhaps because it is a challenge that I can't cast it well, yet. I suppose I talk about that one disproportionately here because I'm seeking to learn from others here. I seem to not be learning it on my own and seek help in learning to cast it and figure in a serious fishing group as big as ours, someone has done it. Let's go fishing and while were at it, a surf casting lesson is just what I need.
But, admittedly you are right. It does reflect on an aspect of my personality. I'm an extremist -- at work, in my studies, my hobbies and more. The fly tying I pursued to extremes. Those
dle hackles are incredible and you won't find anything like them in the stores. I tied ants that look like ants. I'm a bicycle racer. That's extreme! Even the last place finisher of a bicycle race is extreme, but I push myself. It is a show off thing, but I'm showing off to me. I enjoy the gift of amazingly great health and fitness our Creator gave me and enjoy testing it out and living it. I tend to make almost everything athletic when I can -- even fishing.
My fly fishing friends use trolling motors on their pontoon boats, but I use oars and fins and by now you might guess -- huge ones. My shore fishing is long hikes. My mountain fishing is that with climbs. I'm even going to get into bicycle fishing as in one of my early posts.
When I bought my surf casting rod, the seller told me I don't understand -- they are used to cast bait out far -- not cast and retrieve with lures. I said: What's the difference? He said bait is cast and wait, but cast and retrieve will wear you out. Great! That's exactly what I wanted -- yet another way to make fishing athletic, well at times -- it's just part of the full spectrum of fishing experiences I enjoy and seek.
Early this July, I took a week (plus both weekends) fishing vacation. The part of it that influenced my decision to buy the surf casting rod was fishing and camping at Little Reservoir just up the canyon east of Beaver, Utah. (Picture at link.). For two days, I chased after boils of minnows. Minnows would suddenly start jumping out of the boil seconds before a huge silver fish crashes through them and high into the air.
I would run along shore, yep, athletic fishing again, and try to get closer in time to cast to it. In two days, I succeeded only twice, but my lure was like just another minnow and that big silver fish is still there.
I decided I wanted to learn how to cast greater distances and reach the boils from where I stand on shore even if it isn't right in front of me. I want to cast a large four ounce, ten inch swim bait over a boil and swim it into it. I figure the big predatory fish is a bully and wouldn't take kindly to that and go after it in defense of it's claim on a minnow ball. It became yet another of my many personal challenges. Yep, it's extreme. It will be fun. Would there be someone there to be impressed? Perhaps, but I don't care -- it's my personal challenge and me being me.
Saturday, I bought a lot of tiny lures. That's in my Sandy Pond post. I'll be trying my ultra light rods next to cast them. They don't cast far with my medium light rod. I want to cast beyond the green slime out where fish are jumping.
Cabela's Salt Striker metal salt water spinning reels are on an online only sale now at half price and better with Cabela's points back. The box just came today. Yep, you probably just guessed it -- I got the largest size. But, I also got the smallest size and it's tiny. The smallest -- that's extreme, too.
Full range of fishing experiences for me: {Big, tiny, quick and spontaneous, extended well planned camping adventures with fishing, bait casting, spinning, size 22 ants, big swim bait, close casting, far, athletic, relaxing, solitude, group fun and everything in-between.}
Ronald
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