I like fishing. Never mind that I seldom go today. When I first penned this column four decades ago I was at the lake or river every week.
I like fishing for bass, perch, crappie, goggle-eye, suckers, catfish, drum or whatever else I can get to bite. Of course, more than just fishing, I like catching fish.
I’m not particular about what I catch them on. I’m not one of those city-bred flyrod flippers in hip boots who turns his nose up at anything that won’t hit a dry fly, though I like fishing with a flyrod. Dad got me started on his old bamboo when I was a boy and our quarry were feisty smallmouth bass in the Pomme de Terre, not hatchery-bred trout in the icy waters of Bennett Spring.
I’m not one of those bass boat fanatics either, racing between the snags and trees on Stockton Lake in a boat that cost more than my first house, complete with more electronic equipment than a teenager with a Radio Shack charge card.
I’m not convinced, either, that big bass will take only the latest lure from Bass Pro Shop or that a good fishing rod & reel can’t be bought for less than $100.
I’ve never seen it proven that fishing success is measured in direct proportion to the money invested, though I’m sure to get some argument on that.
Fishing is neither a spectator nor a team sport, despite all the TV shows promoting it. I don’t much care for people looking over my shoulder when I’m fishing, and I don’t need a lot of company. I don’t like to fight anyone for a spot to fish. Regular fishing buddies are another matter.
I like to keep my fishing cheap and simple. Most of my fishing gear is at least 30 years old — maybe older — and well-used. New monofilament line and a bit of oil can make old reels spin like new, and it costs a lot less than any new tackle worth having in the 2026 catalogs.
As for enticements, I’m not particular what I use for bait. Manufactured lures are fine, as long as my arm holds out. Plastic worms and lures that mimic minnows, grasshoppers and crawdads are always a good bet, but for all-around fishing I like real, live worms.
I can’t think of a fish you can’t catch on worms. I’ve caught about everything an Ozarks stream has to offer on worms, from bullheads to smallmouth and hog suckers to rainbow trout.
String a worm on a hook, drop it in a likely-looking hole of water, and you can’t be sure what you’ll get, but chances are you’ll get something.
That’s what like about worms. Getting something is what fishing is all about, at least that was the case when I was a boy. Bringing supper home made it a good fishing trip, and we had ways to make a meal of just about everything — even bony old carp
To entice the biggest fish in the river, we made Wheaties breakfast cereal into a dough ball bait and waited for a carp to run with it. Sometimes we had a bit of a wait, but when the line began ripping off the reel, we knew the fight was on. Carp were not just fun; they were exciting.
Panfish like perch, bass and crappie make the best eating, but at times a guy just has to test his tackle and skills. A big carp will do both. Fish in the five to six pound range were common, and some were even bigger. The biggest carp I ever caught was a 15-pounder at McDaniel Lake. It took me 20 minutes to land on 10-pound test line. I was lucky I didn’t hook one of the really big ones.
I threaten to do more fishing every season, but somehow never get around to it.
I reckon it’s not as important as it used to be. Maybe this will be the year I change that.
Copyright 2026, James E. Hamilton, P.O.Box 801, Buffalo, MO 65622
