Most fish are still down there in that river or pond.
You know why?
Because you are awful at fishing.
The good news though is that’s ok.
Fortunately for all of us wanting anglers, catching fish is not the point of fishing.
Outside of the commercial part of it, you will find that fishing is nothing but an excuse to be idle.
I remember so many times fishing all day with my dad and not catching a thing.
Iced down Cokes and turkey sandwiches in the shade was where the pleasure was found.
Simply catching one or two fish every now and then has the ability to persuade even the most neophyte anglers among us into coming back.
Fishing is kind of like golf in that way.
Just try not to attach your manhood to any of these simple pleasures.
How ridiculous would that be?
If they were down there, they still are. A remarkable amount of fishing is like that, but I like it just the same. My wants are simple. I have no desire to latch onto a monster symbol of fate and prove my manhood in titanic piscine war. But sometimes I do like a couple of cooperative fish of frying size.
-John Steinbeck, Travels With Charley In Search Of America (Amazon)