Saturday, February 20, 2010
Maturation of an Angler
By Justin Hartman
Sitting in a rower’s seat watching hundreds of anglers fish each season and growing up in Montana where you’ll find folks fishing even in the month of January, I’ve come in contact with fishermen of all different skill levels. I have watched novice anglers become great anglers in just one season, and watched the joy of an experienced angler as he sees his grandson catch a fish for the very first time. Each level of angling is different but holds tremendous gratification for those working their way through the process. We may not realize it, but along the way we are growing as anglers, progressing through a maturation process that redefines our ability and refines our spirit.
It is intriguing to watch an angler grow and mature throughout their career, and the following is my take on that maturation.
The Learning Stage
As we begin our careers on the water, like any venture we pursue, there is a lot to learn. Even though we never stop learning in this sport, the initial learning curve is steep and loaded with information. Casting, drifts, fly selection, reading water, knots, terminology, and much more are absorbed in this stage. After learning as much as we can take before needing to get on the water, our main goal is just to catch “A” fish. It does not matter what kind, type, size, or even how we do it, we just want to feel that fish on the end of our line. We’ve learned enough to fool a fish into eating the imitation we chose, tied on, drifted, hooked, and landed. There is a lot of excitement in this stage as we’re putting together the information we’ve absorbed as we become more engrossed in the world of fishing. As they say “The Tug is the Drug.” Fishermen grow and stay in the learning stage until we begin to feel the need to count the number of fish we are catching.
The Numbers Stage
As soon as we’ve become comfortable enough using the basic techniques to catch “A” fish, the next stage an angler enters is the Numbers Stage. Now it’s all about pure fish numbers. Some are targeting only a certain type/species of fish, but others feel each fish is just as good as the next. You’ll often hear people say they caught “X” amount of fish today as they go on to tell you about the other times they were out and “hammered” them, recalling each number of fish caught no matter how long ago the exhibition occurred. This angler is in the Numbers Stage. The joy of feeling a fish on the end of the line is addicting and the angler lives to catch as many fish as possible. This also instills great confidence in a newly formed angler, thus making the transition between the Learning Stage and the Numbers Stage the quickest of all the stages. Beginner success is defined in numbers, not the mastery of techniques. Ironically though as quickly as anglers get here, some won’t leave this stage for years, or never leave at all.
The Size/Hunting Stage
As soon as an angler catches a fish of respectable size for its species and puts it back wishing it were bigger, they have entered the Size Stage, or as I like to call it, the Hunting Stage. In this progression the only thing on an angler’s mind is big fish, not big numbers. As we all know, big fish live in places that force us to hunt and seek them out, all the while passing up most of the “fishy” looking water that we normally would have fished in the previous stage. During this time our thoughts and techniques are geared toward how to entice those lurking monsters that haunt our dreams, and we’ll switch colors and sizes and techniques in attempts to figure out what will turn on the aggressive eat that only big fish can provide. In this stage, catching fish is still a priority, and when hunting big fish we often take breaks just to feel a fish on the end of our rod. Quickly we remember our main goal, however, especially after catching a few fish that are not up to standard. Coming into this stage most anglers have become pretty good fishermen. Most have started doing things on instinct rather than because it’s what a book/video told them. They have developed techniques unique to their own style, and are confident in their angling ability. No one ever leaves this stage. Big fish hold mythical prowess in an angler’s heart, and despite the fact that we adjust its importance in our approach to fishing, deep down we always love catching big fish.
The Mastery Stage
If you’ve ever watched an angler stand in a stream and cast to a rising fish for hours upon hours with pure bliss and admiration even without the slightest hint of success, you have witnessed an angler in the Mastery Stage. Catching a fish that refuses to eat an artificial imitation with even the smallest difference in color, size, drag in our drift; or just ignores every attempt we pass over its nose is a fish worthy of the Mastery Stage. Fish tucked into tight pockets that require a perfect cast or drift, educated fish, and the “uncatchable” fish become the new pursuit in our angling maturation. Through years of practice the Mastery Angler has perfected the skills necessary to be successful in this stage. Anglers here seek rivers and places that hold educated and stubborn fish and relish the fact they are able to catch a fish few others can or have. In this stage the angler gets just as much satisfaction as anglers in the previous stages. Each angler in the Mastery stage has covered each prior period thoroughly and has experienced the joy each stage has to offer. They recognize the gratification obtained through the quality of the fishing experience over the actual completion of landing a fish. Numbers and size do not matter, just the circumstances and demands surrounding one particular fish.
The Teaching Stage
The transition between the Mastery Stage and the Teaching Stage is also relatively quick. Once an angler has caught a few of those uncatchable fish, the only remaining way to land a fish successfully is to help someone else achieve the task. As with most professions, the teacher is normally the one who has the most knowledge in the particular subject at which they teach. During this stage of angling, an angler gets just as much satisfaction, and I would argue sometimes more satisfaction, watching/helping someone catch a fish. As a teacher it is just as fun to help someone experience the excitement as they travel through the above stages, as it was when we were going through them ourselves. Helping someone develop a deep passion for the sport that helps keep them going back to the water each season is a reward only known during this stage. The good thing about fishing is that we never stop learning. Teachers learn from each angler they help just as the student learns from the teacher. During this period a trip to the water is really all we need to have a successful day. Memories of seasons past, fish caught, stories told, and the anticipation of the memories still to come fill the heart more than any number or size of fish could. An angler in this stage still loves to fish, but personally catching a fish is no longer the driving force for getting on the water. Anglers that reach the Teaching Stage never leave. Fishing for ourselves is still fun, but after a few fish we don’t feel the same satisfaction as when we’ve helped someone else become successful. Once a teacher, always a teacher.
Conclusion
We all float back and forth between these stages during our maturation process. We wouldn’t be anglers if we stopped fishing or became too concentrated in one area. An angler in the Learning Stage could take a stay in the Teaching Stage if the circumstances allowed. They may have more experience than the person they are helping, but are in no way willing or able to stay in the Teaching Stage. Big fish hunters can become Mastery Anglers if the right situation presents itself. But after casting too many times to a selective fish without success, the desire for big fish swells and we return to hunting. Numbers anglers can become big fish hunters for a short time. However, big fish are big for a reason and after a while without catching a fish, they are back to counting numbers. That’s the beauty of the maturation process. We can experience every stage and get the satisfaction that each stage brings, but always return home to the stage where we feel most comfortable.
In conclusion the stages are simply defined as this.
Learning Stage: Catch “A” Fish
Numbers Stage: Catch a lot of Fish
Size/Hunting Stage: Catch Big Fish
Mastery Stage: Catch the Uncatchable Fish
Teaching Stage: Help Someone Catch “A” Fish
