Angler Asks Question, Gets Lots of Answers

Was browsing the Internet this afternoon when I stumbled across an angler who reminded me of myself before I decided to scale back last summer. Here's how he phrased his plea for help:

"Lately, I feel like I've been spending more time at Dick's and Bass Pro Shops than actually fishing. It's gotten to the point where I'm going a few times every week to stock up on some new lures to try. The problem is that, now every time I'm out, I keep switching lures and tactics to the point where it's inconsistent. I also realize I don't even have enough time to use every lure or tactic. Anyone else have the same issue with lure-shopping addiction?  Is there a cure?"

Following is a sampling of the answers he received:

"You have the 'woman in a shoe store' disease."

"I like to think of that pre-fishing trip to Dick's or Bass Pro as 'foreplay.'"

"I think fishing has become a sport in itself...of which I'm guilty."

"Lures aren't made to catch fish; they're made to catch fishermen."

"I usually go in, grab about six things that look cool and end up putting them all back because I realize I probably won't use them. This happens about three or four times until I just get the one thing I'm there for and leave."

Let me add one more to this list, which is the way I felt most of the time when I was wearing out the floors in tackle stores or spending hours in them online: "Nothing compares to that feeling of being a kid again in a candy store."

I gotta say, however, that (knock on wood), I seem to have overcome my problem. Realized the other day I needed to get some more fishing line. Sat down at the computer, went to Tackle Warehouse, placed an order for five spools, paid for it, and then came offline...in all requiring no more than five minutes.

Some months back, I replaced a couple of lures I had lost or broken, and a good friend gave me some, but that has been the extent of my exploits since "rehab." Broke a crankbait bill this past Saturday, but didn't bother ordering a replacement for it 'cause I remembered I had an old battle-scarred one hanging on a pegboard at home.

I can count the number of times I've done any looking for lures/tackle in a store or online on one hand and have fingers left over...going all the way back to last summer when I put my collection up for sale in the West Neck Marina store. And just like giving up cigarettes (going from three packs a day to none), I find it seems to just keep getting easier. "One day at a time" is a slogan that works for the folks in AA...and for me, too.