Fishing

A wise man once said, “Give a man a fish he will eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day.” Fishing has creating long tales and humorous anecdotes, but for most fishing is a time honored sport that encompasses skill, drive, persistence, and patience.   Fishing has made a permanent imprint on my life. The first time I ever held a fishing pole and reel I was one and a half years old. It was a four-foot Mickey- mouse rod with a blue closed- face reel.   Unbeknown to me, as I cast my line into the man-made stocked pond I joined the elite group of the Scianna fishermen, generations of men, like my father and his father, who dedicate a small portion of their life waiting patiently for a tug on the line.   This was the beginning of a truly wonderful hobby.
One of the first things I learned was how to cast. My Mickey Mouse rod had its limitations for technique of casting but I made the best of it with beginning equipment. There are a few different ways to cast: sidearm, overhand, and pitching.   Some are more dangerous than others, especially when first learning. I remember several occasions when I accidentally hooked myself or others, which includes some trips to the hospital. One incident I remember quite vividly is teaching my brother how to cast at Sunset Lake in Sublette, IL. He began to cast, bringing the pole back and he jerked the pole forward but he was snagged on something. He looked back to find that he had caught my ear, the hook went all the way through my ear. The problem with fishing hooks is they are very sharp and have a barb on the end; the purpose of this is so the fish will not get off the hook. The barb makes hook wounds more severe. To remove the hook from my ear my dad cut the hook with pliers and pulled it through my ear. It was a very memorable experience.   I believe I still have a tiny scar from the incident, like a war badge of honor.
Besides casting, it is important to learn how to change the way you...