It's our annual appeal to find out just who is the best fisherman out there. Is it a bass pro, spoon chucker, trout bum, bluewater captain, or salmon slammer that tops the list. This is the internet world folks, so mull it over for at least 5 seconds and then let me know. I took exactly 7 seconds to come up with my list, but everyone knows I'm a little slow
Here ya go
Flyfisherman - In the flyfishing world the anglers that impress me the most are the trout bums. Fly casting takes an incredible amount of dexterity, timing, and practice and to be top dog an intimate knowledge of aquatic entomology is a must. From size 22 lightning bugs to dries, streamers, and scuds these anglers need to know them all. They can also tie them all on the tailgate of a 67 Ford with a flashlight in their teeth!
Bass Fisherman - Bass fisherman make the top of my list because of the massive amount of hand-eye coordination these anglers possess. To catch big bass consistently you've got to be able to huck a Zippy Digger into a Dixie Cup from 50 yards every single cast and then detect what is often not even a bite at all, but when they set the hook there's a fish there. In addition, the good guys know the life stages of the bass, as well as the life stages of every living creature that lives in their environment. Most importanly...they need to drive a boat at 80 mph plus in tight quarters. Not easy!
Billfish Captain - These guys rank up there on my list because hey have to know how to handle fish that could weigh in excess of 1,000 pounds that ALSO swim 50 plus miles per hour. Black marlin, blue marlin, white marlin, sailfish, and swordfish...they can catch them all. They also have to operate and maintain some of the most expensive and sophisticated recreational fishing machines on the planet.
Steelhead Guide - I'm specifically thinking of guides that fish the Forks area rivers and any other rivers that are uber-technical. These guys, and a few gals, put their guests into the hardest fighting freshwater game fish in North America on a daily basis and sometimes risk their life in the process. The good ones are adept at flyfishing, plugging, spoons, drift fishing, and float fishing in a dynamic river environment that is ever-changing. And to operate a heavy driftboat full of guests you've got to be in some kind of shape.
Flats Guide - These guides pursue a laundry list of species and catch them consistently on either fly or spinning tackle on any given day. They can be fishing for huge tarpon one day, permit on the fly the next, and sea trout or snook in the mangroves the next day. Like a bass fisherman they can cast into a Dixie Cup from great distances very consistently and they have an intimate knowledge of the flats.There
There's some others that come to mind, but that's a good start for now. Whatta you think