The educated fisherman, no I'm not talking about the fisherman that has a masters degree in Ichthyology, I'm talking about the dude that has all the fishing tools, knows how to use them and isn't afraid to go out and "work-it" no matter what the conditions.
I was fishing and testing some product with Steve Baumann, the owner of Vexilar, Inc., Thursday, and we had the discussion about this certain group of fisherman on the way to the lake and also witnessed some of these dudes on the lake.
People fish for different reasons. Some fish for food. Some fish for work. Some fish to enjoy nature. Some fish because that's all they know, and others fish to be with their friends and family.
There's a "new-age" fisher person out there that uses all the tools at his or her disposal and can be absolutely dangerous to the fish population. They know where the bite is, they have the right clothing to keep them warm in the gnarliest of conditions, they have the most sensitive rods, the nice reels, and all the electronics they need to locate the fish.
Do the fish have a chance? Well, I would say that their only hope is that they live in one of those off the beaten trail type of lakes. But, actually, even those lakes are being discovered quickly. Word spreads really fast these days. Social media is a great business tool and in the fishing industry it is a great way to showcase your business by showing your catches and even telling people how you caught them and maybe even what you caught them on.
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As Steve and I sat back and watched this group of aggressive anglers, it was like watching a pack of wolves hunt down a deer. They drilled a ton of holes, all had a Vexilar sonar in hand and all had their cold weather ice suits on. One would catch a fish and the others would be right there to drop in next to where the "hot" school was. I'm sure Steve was quite happy to see guys with all the Vexilar gear and garb. I'm sure he was also thinking about all the fish his technology helps people catch.
We caught some fish, but it was more interesting for me to witness a man that is so committed to helping all of us catch more fish. Thanks Steve for all the awesome products you and your company have put out over the years!
Walleyedan
