Today we had our weekly meeting here Hall of Fame Outdoor Co. During part of our meeting, we got to laughing about all the old baits we've had since high school that we never used. These are mainly soft plastics that have been tucked away, never seeing any actual use.
This got me thinking about how much I have grown as an angler since fishing became a larger part of my life. I can remember the days where all I would think about was catching bass in the neighborhood ponds. I would watch all the now famous fishing Youtubers and pick up any tips I could. I wouldn't be shy to try various types of baits out on the water.
Then I "grew up". Somewhere along the line, fishing became less important as life got in the way. I stopped growing as an angler as much. Part of this is a natural part of maturing as you get older, but it is also me getting lazy with my own growth. All those baits sitting in my basement are a reminder of the times when all I cared about was becoming a better fisherman. That is something I miss deeply.
As we get further and further into 2024, I think we should all make it a point to become better anglers than we were last year. We can do this by learning a new technique, fishing new bodies of water, or maybe fishing with someone new. The good part about living in 2024 is that there is no shortage of information out there. You could spend a whole day learning about a new type of lure and still not be an expert on using it.
As we look into February, I hope we can all resolve to bettering our skills and sharing those skills with our inner circle of anglers. I hope you can make this calendar year a good for as far as fishing goes, and as always, Love the Adventure
- Paul Hoffman