I'm not the greatest fisherman, by that I mean I spend way more time fishing than catching. Years ago I was fishing a nice river up in northern California. I caught a few small pan sized trout placed them on a string and headed to the nearby town. Walking over a bridge toward the town I happened to look down into the clear water below and what should I see but four big, I mean "big" trout. They were facing upstream and slowly moving their tails ... and best of all they weren't moving. I ran back to my car and quickly got my fishing gear together and returned to the bridge full of high hopes. Boy, I wanted to get these babies. I carefully let down my baited hook right between them. They didn't seem interested, I changed bait but to no avail. I even placed my baited hook right in front of their mouths, and they still wouldn't bite.
I leaned over the rail and studied those big trout I wanted so badly. I didn't get a fish that afternoon but I did come away with a lesson I haven't forgotten.
What was the difference between the small fish I caught in the river and these big old trout under the bridge? These big old fish were big because they were old and they were old because they didn't take bait, or just maybe they spotted the hook or the thin blue line. One thing for sure, they didn't play the hook and line game. In a piscatorial sense, these guys were old because they were smart! The line of fish in my car would never get old because they were a few of many "hungry teens" ready to bite on anything.
Three cheers for experience!
Caution! Watch closely before you chase that dainty little morsel, there may be a hook and line attached o someone who wants you for all the wrong reasons!
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