The Zen of Fishing

Lesson I in the Fishing Clinic

While there may be an art and even science to fishing Karma is the most important element.

Great fishermen get shutout at times and rookies sometimes catch the biggest fish. All the science and art of fishing cannot over come luck. Get your luck back by adjusting your personal Zen.

Fish are not the sharpest tacks in the box. They have little more than a brain stem that takes them through life. Breading, feeding and survival for fish is all based on primitive instincts. While some fish may learn basic things, that behavior is due to primitive conditioned behavior. Just like Pavlov's dog. To increase your odds, use your primitive brain. Be one with the fish. Use art and science to prepare for fishing, but use Zen when fishing.

Ying and Yang: Proper balance is important. If Ying out weighs Yang the fish sense the imbalance. Most fishermen have noticed that fish tend to bite after they opened a fresh beer. At the moment you open the beer, your focus has changed placing balance in your thoughts. The thought of that ice cold refreshing elixir wipes your mental slant clean of impurity. This oneness with your inner self triggers universal harmony. You are one with your inner fish.

The same is true with other basic instincts. Open a sandwich, doze off or even take a leak, fish will feel the oneness with basic nature. Think of the purity of thought at these times and train yourself to become one. While drinking plenty of beer and frequent urination go hand in hand to produce a fine catch. Strive for the satisfaction of catching without the use of alcoholic trickery.

This is not to say that you should not have beer. Just limit your consumption to improve your ability maintain balance. Depending on your drinking prowess, less than a twelve pack per person is recommended for a day's fishing. Over that and you may lose your oneness, that critical balance.

Remember these key points:

Purely their primitive brain drives fish feeding activity. While they are always in schools, they take the short bus. Fish should never outsmart you, or at least you should never admit to it.