About a month ago, I got hooked by fishing. (oh, that’s bad!) Since then, I’ve gotten an ultra-light rod, a new tackle box, and a small collection of lures. I used to be quite the float/bobber kind of fisherman. Now I’m fishing mainly artificial lures like Rooster tails and poppers. The big change happened when I went fishing with Jeff. I used an old baitcasting rod & reel. He had an ultralight spinner with a rooster tail. It was the first time I had caught a 1-pound bass.

Winding in that little lure and feeling a big jerk as a fish struck the lure was a completely different experience than float fishing. Whereas float fishing is a game of patience and anticipation, casting and retrieving is much more involved. The action I put on the lure, the speed of the retrieve, lure color, it all plays a role in getting that strike. Plus, bass tend to keep fighting all the way to the bank and on. Whereas, panfish generally give up after a bit and then are just asses while you try to get the hook off.

I really enjoy fishing right now and I’ve been fishing several times after work and in the mornings. It’s a good sport because the most action happens either early in the day or at the end of the day, so you still have the rest of the day to play tennis, do chores, or whatever. I’m looking forward to my little bro Hyunoo starting school at UAB this fall, so we can do some fishing together. That’ll be cool.