Noticing what works is how I let the fish talk to me

People read this column for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is to find something at which they might poke a little fun.
Yeah, I'm a bass fisherman first and foremost. My rods, reels, lures and boat all are selected to fit my needs in pursuing bass. So sometimes I wax passionately about the nuances associated with tricking largemouths and smallmouths.
Those who think bass fishing is a bore, who think walleye or trout are the only fish worth fishing for, probably roll their eyes when bass are the topic here.
The truth, however, is I like all kinds of fishing. When I go to the water -- whether for croakers or bluefish in the Outer Banks surf or crappies at Mosquito or bass in the weeds of Presque Isle Bay -- I learn something about fish. Not just the fish I catch, but all of the fish in that particular area.
Taking the bait
So I chuckled recently when a friend, George Spencer, a gutter and spouting magnate who lives in Poland, confronted me with this question:
& quot;Are you OK, Jack?"
I took the bait.
"Yeah, George, why do you ask?"
"Well a couple of weeks ago you wrote that the fish were talking to you. I told my wife, 'Jack's gone off the deep end.'"
George may know a thing or two about gutters, but as a once-a-year fisherman, he's not exactly in tune with the world under water. But his sly grin -- he's rarely without that grin and twinkling eyes -- told me he was trying to set the hook and stir up a conversation.
That's the price one pays when trying to explain the nuances of fishing to those for whom the world is a literal place.
Of course, when I write that I "listen" to the fish, I mean that I am evaluating the circumstances that resulted in getting a fish to notice my bait and attack it. I don't really hear a little fish voice whispering to me.
But it's always good to know that readers are paying attention.
Another challenge
George challenged me on another occasion.
"Hey, one of the guys who works for me says you're full of you-know-what."
I took his bait.
"How so?"
"This guy says you probably never caught a walleye."
"I've caught lots of walleyes, George. As a matter of fact, I used to fish only for walleyes."
"Well, I'm just tellin' you what he said."
These are shades of the age-old debate between anglers who prefer certain species -- "My fish is better than your fish."
Thanks, George, for stirring the pot. It's good to know folks are reading.
jwwollitz@aol.com