NOT the best fisherman in the world

A forum for people who are new to commercial fishing and for talking about the fundamental rules and regulations.
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Once and Future
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NOT the best fisherman in the world

Post by Once and Future »

Starting a new thread rather than adding a comment to the post that inspired it. Salty has been very inspirational and helpful to me via this website, and others have said the same thing. But I'd like to pick a philosophical bone. Salty has said for the second time now that when someone becomes a power troller, they are claiming that they are "one of the best hook and line fishermen in the world".

Well I certainly am not close to the best at anything in the world. But I think it is very fulfilling to rise to the challenge of trying to figure this way of life out. And I think there is no harm in that. I draw some inspiration from a woman (oddly enough) who was quoted in a source I don't remember. She was gillnetting Bristol Bay at the time of the last price crash. And for some reason, she said: "I'm 50 years old. I can do what I want. I don't have to be good at it.". Well I thought that was a wonderful attitude. She knew life gets away fast. She didn't care what someone else thought about whether a woman belonged out there, or if she was good enough, or if she would fail. She was going to do what she wanted while she could. Anyone over 40 knows how fast 20 years go by once they're in the rear view mirror. I've got maybe 10 or 15 active years left in me. When I was 19 I was a deckhand on a troller. And it was the best thing I ever found in my whole life. So now I have come back to it. Because once you're in the box, it's too late to do something different.

Now I know I am going off a bit because Salty didn't really mean anything offensive by his comments. And I hope someday I know enough to go find my own fish. I avoid following others around pretty strongly. The one exception may be when the deckhand fouls the gear up and I have to go in the cockpit. Then I might tell him to steer and "just follow that guy" for a while because I think that is the best way to keep him from getting in someone elses's way. So if a boat is following you obnoxiously for 45 minutes, please keep in mind the situation may not be what you think.

My fishing LLC is named "One Hundred Years". That comes from something an old guy said. My Dad lived a very impressive life, and was well respected in his community. (Not by ocean by the way.) A friend of mine was reminiscing about how hard my Dad and his Dad worked in their lives. And his uncle was there, who was our father's contemporary. And he caught me off guard by saying: "In a hundred years, who will know?" And it made me kind of sad. Because I have always aspired to live up to my father's example. And I know I could never succeed. At this guy pointed out that not only will I be insignificant in the future, but so will my father's legacy. But in a way, that's kind of liberating. Don't let fear of failure hold you back. Because if we try things and fail, in a hundred years, no one will remember anyway. Win OR lose.
Salty
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Re: NOT the best fisherman in the world

Post by Salty »

Wow, what a wonderful post. I coached for many years at the elementary and middle school level. There are an infinite number of reasons for attempting something. And you do not have to aspire to be or think you are even good at something to get a great deal of satisfaction out of or contribute a great deal.
I apologize and retract the statement that you "need to think you are one of the best hook and line fishermen in the world to get into trolling".
It was a poor choice of words and thinking to emphasize the importance of finding your own way.
JKD
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Re: NOT the best fisherman in the world

Post by JKD »

I think I have a long way to go before I will be considered "one of the best hook and line fishermen in the world" by anyone outside of a very small group of close friends. I will strive to get better in the time I have left to tow hooks around beneath a boat. ;)
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