Fishing with Bitterness

Burt with a hefty and battle tested Oahe Bow

My name is Buddy Seiner, and I'm an elitist.

The first step in the recovery process from being an elitist (AKA - Head up your ass syndrome) is by admitting there is a problem.  I found out today, that I have one.

It was 65 degrees in Pierre today.  After enjoying most of the day, and doing a few projects, I decided to head to the marina to chase rainbows (if the pike would let me).  Fellow fly enthusiast and Golden Bone pro staff member, Jason Burt, agreed to join.  While many trips were taken throughout the winter months, only northern and musky have come to hand for me in 2015.  We were optimistic that today would be a good day for rainbows.

The day was made when I stepped into the water.  Bald eagles were calling from their cottonwood perches, Canada geese flew in perfect fighter jet formations overhead, while fat black midges clumsily glided through my personal space over, and over again.  I could have very well stood in the water without a rod and still enjoyed that moment in time.  It was beautiful.  And it was about to get better...

"FISH ON!!"

Burt's first Bow in Oahe Marina

I heard Burt yell from across the marina.  My first thought, "Please don't be a northern, please don't be a northern".  *SPLASH* A green back erupted from the water, thrashing as a big rainbow does when hooked in the top lip.  I started into long, wader-laden strides, toward the fight.  This was a special moment for Burt...His first Oahe marina rainbow.  A few photos were followed by accolades and excitement.  Burt experienced all the symptoms that came along with my first, and most recent, marina rainbow.  Excessive excitement, shaking, huge, shit-eating grin, more shaking, and anticipation!  It was fun to be a part of it.  Not long after, Burt hooked into another football shaped fish, and we started the process all over again.  **FIST BUMP**

Now, it wasn't long after that second fish that my problem reared it's ugly head.  Somewhere in between fish 1 and fish 2 some anglers staked a claim on the opposite shore where the ice had cleared.  "That's a great spot," I told Burt.  I've fished alongside bait guys many times in that marina, and it usually ends in them asking me what I'm using to catch fish.  I know anglers experience great success when using live bait for these big rainbows.  We all know that Rainbow doesn't want to be fed, Rainbow wants to hunt.  Still, I had never personally witnessed live bait anglers land a toad rainbow (technical term) in the marina...  Until today.

After Burt released his second fish, I waddled over to my spot to proceed with what I call fly-casting. Soon, I noticed one of the guys hauling in a big, fat rainbow.  My heart sank.  "No!" I thought as they tossed it on the ice heave.  Then the other guy landed one.  Bitterness entered my heart.

How, on a day like today, could I be bitter about anything?  I commented to Burt, "For some reason, that really bums me out."

Burt reminded me that if it were a walleye or a catfish, we wouldn't give it a second thought.  He's right.  And I completely understood.  So why did it not remove the bitterness?  Why was I still upset that those anglers on the opposite shoreline had bucketed two beautiful rainbows?  Am I becoming an elitist of catch and release?  Was I becoming a, *GULP*, fly fishing SNOB??

Step two in the recovery process is proper reflection.  After having some time to reflect, I feel I've determined the root of my elitist evening mentality:

1 -  There are very few places in South Dakota where this experience can be had.  These big fish don't come along every day.  Yes, we are catching rainbows, a very prominent resource in our state, but they are catching fish that have already beat the odds.  These fish that have come from an unnatural hatchery setting, been thrown to the wolves of the wild, and survived.  And then they stumble across a hapless minnow twitching on the end of a crappie rig.  Well...  Rainbows are placed in the South Dakota great lakes because they would not be there otherwise.  They are placed here for the enjoyment of anglers (both in fight and table-fare).  Their size has nothing to do with the reason they are there.

2 -  It shouldn't be that easy.  For some reason, the idea of these guys tossing out some bait and hauling in what holds on made the work that I put in to catching fish seem less meaningful.  This is complete bull-shit as you can already tell, but I'll write more about why to make myself feel better.  I have caught more fish via fly than I could have imagined.  Essentially, I'm creating a very realistic food source imitation and presenting it in a very appetizing way.  Who is cheating here?  I was intrigued by fly-fishing because of the challenge it offers.  Yes, there are still challenges that exist, but I can more easily overcome them with the fly.  I almost always have the advantage.

3 -  This resource might not be around forever.  We need to preserve it so future residents (mainly myself in the future) can catch bigger fish.  This is so selfish!  Again, Jason was my voice of reason here.  This resource was put here for all anglers to enjoy.  If some want to enjoy it on the dinner table, why shouldn't they do that?  It's like my brain abandoned every bit of skilled dialog training and fishing zen I've received and was switched to negative scenario auto pilot.  What if they discontinue the stocking program and they completely wipe out the rainbow fishery?  What if they chop up that fish and leave it in the freezer for 3 years?  Bladdy, bladdy, blah.

January Marina Musky

4 -  I wasn't catching anything.  For the first time this year, I had zero takes.  Not even my good pals the northerns were showing my fly any love.  I am supposed to be out-fishing the bait anglers, right?  This is a competition, right?  This is proving my worth as an angler, right?  Wow...so wrong.  I've said many times that I could die any day completely content with the number of fish (and their size) that I've  caught over the years.  I should have been pumped, not only for Jason, but that two other anglers got a chance to experience the rush of a rainbow.  It's a great feeling.  

The last step in my recovery process is acceptance.  Yes, I had a weak moment.  It happens, and might happen again.  I know I'm not an elitist.  My progression as an angler is my own, and not that of any other.  I love fishing, and will always share a common bond with anglers of all specializations.  I'll be out on the water again tomorrow.  If live bait should win the day, maybe I'll wander over to their side of the marina...to ask them what they're using.