All Those Familiar With "Nagging," Raise Your Right Hand

I'll bet the hand of everyone who reads this shoots up like a rocket, 'cause, after all, the word "nagging" has an awfully wide variety of possible applications.

For example, who among us hasn't, at one time or another, had a "nagging" headache, toothache, backache, etc.? Maybe our malady was a "nagging" cough, or, perhaps worst of all, a "nagging" spouse. In some of these cases, there are pills and/or medicines we can take to alleviate the discomfort.

In the latter case, however, I really don't have a clue about anything you can take. I only would urge you to tread lightly when it comes to a "nagging" spouse--unless, that is, you don't mind bunking with and sharing a feeding bowl with Fido. Or perhaps your threats are similar to one I've personally heard a few times: living and sleeping in my bass boat. Now don't get me wrong--I love spending time in my bass boat as much as the next guy, but the idea, especially this time of year, of camping out in it leaves me feeling a bit "cold" (pun intended).

But none of these possible implications of the word "nagging" fits what I want to talk about here today. Instead, I want to talk about a "nagging" feeling to try something different. And listen, fellas--I'm not talking about anything sexual in nature. The only "love affair" involved in these comments is my love for bass fishing.

With that much cleared up, let me explain exactly what I deliberately took a circuitous route to describe as being on my mind.

I'm talking about situations where you find yourself sitting out on the water, having a miserably slow fun-fishing day, when you experience one of those Tareyton moments. For the benefit of those who haven't been around as long as me, there was an old commercial for Tareyton cigarettes that went: "I'd rather fight than switch." That's where I found myself yesterday.

I had nothing but crankbaits tied on when Rob and I launched yesterday morning, and I was determined to live or die with those baits--all proven fish-catchers for me--no matter how they performed yesterday. And I stayed true to that determination, even though I started having a "nagging feeling" I should try something different--like a spinnerbait or jerkbait. I even asked Rob at one point if he had tried a spinnerbait but didn't tie one on myself. I repeatedly brushed that feeling aside, but it kept recurring. And even while I was cleaning up the boat yesterday afternoon, I couldn't help wondering, "What if...?"

Then, this morning, I read a comment on my fishing report of yesterday from fellow-blogger and bass fisherman, Caleb, who also had been on the water yesterday. He urged me to take a peek at his blog post on the day he and a friend had yesterday on West Neck and Pocaty. I complied and have been kicking myself ever since. Here's how his post read, in part:

"The day started off hot for me again (in West Neck), as I put two in the boat within the first 30 minutes. I landed both on an X-Rap suspending jerkbait in firetiger... We then headed for Pocaty... I had a limit in the boat by 0900 and had seven bass in the boat by 1030. Brandon (his partner) had added three bass and a pickerel in the same time... My bait of choice was a War Eagle spinner in sexy shad with double willow blades in gold and silver. My luck changed when I unexpectedly lost this bait... Always remember to retie your baits, especially after a few fish and when throwing in heavy cover... In total for the day, I had eight bass (biggest he said weighed 1.9)... and Brandon ended up with five bass and one pickerel..."

The lesson here is simple: You can't let yourself fall prey to one of those Tareyton moments when it comes to bass fishing. If they're not hitting what you're offering, try something different, especially if you have a "nagging feeling" to do so.