Age, I’ve always been told, is just a number. But the older I get,
advancing to whatever number is next, my feelings change on certain topics.
Now headed into my mid 60s, one thing that has suddenly changed is my level
of patience. All of the sudden the man who had little to no patience, has
the patience of Job (whatever that means). Father Time, as some call it, has
a way of adjusting your attitude. You begin to look at life a little
differently and appreciate whatever amount of time you have left.
As an athlete growing up, you think you’ll always be able to leap tall
buildings with a single bound. You’ll always be as fast as anyone on the
field. But then the day comes when someone tells you that you’re no longer
good enough to play the game. All that time and energy you spent developing
skills that made you the player you were is now a distant memory.
Bass tournament fishing is the one sport that allows you to compete at a
high level even into your late 70s as Jimmy Houston, Tommy Martin, and Rick
Clunn have all proven. It’s a sport where, in many cases, age can make you
better as you continue to gain more knowledge. Or does it?
Like most sports, age is usually the determining factor that sends us home
to relax in our Lazy-Boy or dust off our old trophies. For a bass tournament
angler, I’ve learned over the years that tournament fishing really is a
young man’s sport. It’s so draining with all the travel, practice and
speaking engagements. During my 30s and 40s, there was a time when I would
pre-fish from daylight ‘til dark.
Rain, shine, sleet or snow, my boat was in the water looking for bass as I
prepared for my next event. Then around the age of 55, my competitive fire
and perspective began to change. No longer was it as important as it was
when I was 35 to go out and try to win a tournament. My priorities changed
as other areas of my life became more important and I was happy just to get
a check. If I finished in the money, I was perfectly happy.
Simply put, I still wanted to win, but my desire has waned over the years
when it came to braving the elements and fishing on those days when it was
hotter than Hades or colder than the Arctic Circle. I just wasn’t as mad at
them (bass) as I used to be!
At the same time, other things in my life began to interfere with my desire
to be on the water. My priorities changed and it became more about the
friendships and camaraderie with the guys I traveled with. It’s sitting on
the water before takeoff watching a beautiful sunrise and visiting with
other anglers, some who were friends and others who were competitors. I love
fishing when the conditions are good, and temperatures are mild. Yes, that’s
right — I am now one of those fair-weather anglers that I used to make fun
of.
Back in the day, I didn’t care how hot or cold it was because I wanted to
beat every angler that backed a boat in the water. My competitive fire was
very high during my early years. After a tough tournament, I was an
emotional wreck on some of those long drives home asking and critiquing
myself on what went wrong and how could I learn from it. This is how anglers
get better! You have to be able to be honest with yourself and recognize
your mistakes whether they’re physical or mental.
One great thing about the sport of tournament bass fishing is you never
stop learning from your first day on the water until the day you load the
boat on the trailer for the last time. It’s a constantly evolving sport no
matter how good you are. But if you ever stop learning and gaining
knowledge, that’s when you’re no longer relevant in the bass tournament
world.
‘Til next time, good luck, good fishing and when in doubt, set the hook!
Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com
