MY FIRST IMPRESSIONS FOR THIS PAGE REVOLVED AROUND A LONG DRAWN OUT EXPLANATION CHRONICLING THE MILESTONES THAT EVOLVED INTO MY CURRENT PASSION FOR BASS FISHING.
THE FIRST BLUEGILL ON THE HIGHLAND RESERVOIRS OF KENTUCKY WITH A MAN NAMED BILL TURNER, LONG SUMMER DAYS NOODLING CATFISH FROM THE ROCKASTLE RIVER WITH A TOOTHLESS OLD WWII VETERAN NAMED WARREN PENNINGTON, STARLIT NIGHTS TOSSING WHITE SPINNERBAITS ONTO THE BARREN CUMBERLAND BANKS WITH MY PAPS, CHESTER MCCRACKEN , MY FIRST TOURNAMENT EXPERIENCE , A TRIPTO KENTUCKY LAKE WITH MY FATHER, AN EPIPHANY THAT BROUGHT ME TO TEARS AFTER MY FIRST ADVENTURE ON LADUE RESERVOIR WITH A DOG NAMED JORDAN, WEEKS OF CAMPING ON LAUREL RIVER LAKE WITH A GOOD FRIEND SHAWN BRUZDA, AND CHALLENGES OF RUNNING A SMALL ELECTRIC ONLY BASS TOURNAMENT!
I REALIZED AFTER READING MY THOUGHTS ON THE ABOVE STORIES THAT NOT ONLY WERE THEY BORING , THEY WEREN'T ACCURATE EITHER. FISHING IS NOT SO MUCH NAMES, PLACES AND STORIES . "FISHING" IS THE FEELINGS THAT ARE CREATED DURING THESE TIMES. IT'S EXPERIENCING THE HONESTY IN LIFE, THE SINCERE APPRECIATION TO BE ALIVE AND WELL. BEING A PART OF THE EARTH THAT WE ALL STEM FROM. OFTEN THESE TIMES ARE MARKED WITH ONE OR MORE PEOPLE FROM OUR PAST THAT WE SHARED OR LEARNED SOMETHING FROM DURING THOSE MOMENTS. ONE SIMPLY CAN'T PUT THOSE FEELINGS INTO WORDS. IF YOU HAVE EVER WENT FISHING, YOU CAN UNDERSTAND.
IT'S A CONNECTION, BEING A PART OF SOMETHING, A FIELD OF ENERGY
...AN UNDERSTANDING... A MEANING TO LIFE.
SOME PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD SEEK THOSE FEELINGS THROUGH FALSE MEANS. USUALLY TURNING THEM NUMB, OR INTO SHEEP. I EXPERIENCE THE ATROCITIES OF OUR SOCIETY ON A DAILY BASIS AS AN INTENSIVE JUVENILE PROBATION OFFICER. I WALK HAND IN HAND WITH FOLKS WHO JUST CONTINUE TO MAKE THE SAME LIFE MISTAKES OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. I HAVE CONCLUDED HONESTY WITH ONE'S SELF IS THE MOST CHALLENGING ASPECT OF OUR NATURE. JUST AS HUMANS REPEAT THEIR MISTAKES, ANGLERS OFTEN GET STUCK IN THEIR QUESTS AS WELL.
WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN? HOW DOES IT HAVE ANYTHING AT ALL TO DO WITH TOURNAMENT BASS FISHING? EVERYTHING...
HOW WE LIVE OUR LIVES IS ALSO HOW WE FISH.
THERE IS A UNIVERSAL CONSCIOUS THAT WE ALL SEEK TO BE A PART OF, WHETHER WE REALIZE IT OR NOT. IT'S A FEELING OF APPRECIATION BROADCASTED THROUGH CLAIRVOYANT KNOWLEDGE. MANY SPORTING EVENTS REFER TO IT AS "THE ZONE". EVERYTHING JUST COMES TOGETHER. MORE SO, THE PLAYER UNDERSTANDS WHY IT DID. THIS GLIMPSE INTO PERFECTION COULD BE RIVALED BY NONE OTHER THAN WHAT A TOURNAMENT ANGLER EXPERIENCES, ON A GOOD DAY THAT IS!
BECOMING THE PERFECT PREDATOR REQUIRES MORE GIVING THAN TAKING. YOU MUST SINK THE POSITIVE ENERGIES OF YOUR SOUL INTO ALL YOU ENCOUNTER. OTHER PEOPLE, MOTHER EARTH ALONG WITH HER ANIMALS, AND YOURSELF ARE INCLUSIVE FOR YOUR DIRECTION OF ENERGIES. THE UNIVERSAL CONSCIOUS WILL RECOGNIZE YOUR TRUE INTENTIONS. ULTIMATELY RETURNING WHAT YOU HAVE PUT INTO IT. OFTEN, THE TRUTH CAN HURT. MANY SIMPLY CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH. MOST ARE COMPLETELY BLIND TO THE TRUTH.
HUMBLING IN YOUR SUCCESSES, REVERENCE MUST BE FOUND WITHIN YOUR MISTAKES.
SMILE TO THE FISHERMEN SITTING IN "YOUR" HOLE. PICK UP TRASH AT THE RAMP. PROVIDE OPTIMUM CARE FOR THE CAPTURED. TELL YOURSELF THE FREEZING COLD WIND IS A BLESSING TO YOUR PATTERN. MOST OF ALL, GIVE THANKS FOR YOUR LIFE AMONGST THE BEAUTY OF NATURE YOU ARE SO FORTUNATE TO EXPERIENCE.
