Reminiscing about the End of a Season
December 31st, 2001 and another year has come
and gone. In the comfort of our dens and easy chairs, it’s good
to take a look over our shoulders at the old year, and reflect,
"Have I grown in my fishing this past season?" I know I
have, and I trust we all have. It feels good to say that.
I surely floated an entire Spanish armada of
everything you could possibly toss at a bass in 2001. Lipped and
lipless crankbaits, jerkbaits, poppers, propbaits, walking baits,
grubs, hulas, lizards, craws, tubes, Ikas, worms, darter jigs,
jig 'n pigs, fly 'n rinds, feather teasers, spinnerbaits,
buzzbaits, to name a few.
These baits all had their little memorable
moments of glory for me in 2001, but undeniably the Senko
dominated my season.
Now, when I say Senko, I mean a growing family of
nine baits: 7", 6", 6" Lite, 5", 5" Lite,
4" Fat, 4" Slim, 3" Slim, and 3" Fat Senko,
which is still experimental.
In deep water, I either Texas rig, Carolina rig,
Mojo rig, dropshot rig, or I put my Senkos on jig heads. Even in
shallow water, I weight my Senkos by these methods more often
than I used them weightless. This may be a bit surprising to
some, who have yet to try weighted Senkos.
Mind you that doesn't mean I didn't use Senkos
weightless in 2001. I did. A lot!
The best thing about Senkos in 2001 for me was
this: They allowed me the confidence to use one bait mainly much
of the time, thereby eliminating any doubts whether I was using
the right stuff or not, thereby allowing me to focus solely on
presentation rather than bait. In several decades, I cannot
recall any other freshwater bass bait I have trusted so heavily
for an entire season from first day until last.
And that's what I'll always remember that Senkos
gave me in 2001: a season of fine-tuning my excellence of
presentation execution! Worrying about the bait itself faded into
a non-issue for me. Only presentation mattered most in 2001.
This has allowed me to grow during 2001 as an
angler, as I trust we all have grown in our bass fishing ways
during the 2001 season!
And now I peer forward and wonder, "What new
fishing adventures will I face in 2002?" It is an exciting
prospect!
Should auld acquaintance be
forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne!
That's the first verse we all know to this
world-famous New Year song.
The Scotch phrase auld lang syne means "old,
long, since" or "days of long ago."
Thank you so much for reading along with us
during 2001. A fond adieu to 2001! See you in 2002, my friend!
And there's a hand my
trusty friend!
And give me a hand of thine!
And we will take a large draught
For days of long ago
I wish you a Happy New Year!
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