Rod and Reel Reflections

I had the esteemed opportunity recently to spend a lazy Texas morning fishing on Lake Livingston.  I took advantage of the opportunity to be introspective and meditative as my bobber bobbed and the waves waved and my hook didn't hook. 

Life can be a lot like fishing, yes, I'm sure you've cringed through this homespun proverb a time or two. You've heard all about how the enjoyment of fishing isn't always just landing the big one, but to be happy to have the time off from the daily grind. You've heard that line how fishing is just a jerk on one end of a line waiting for a jerk on the other. You've no doubt heard that it's just the friends you met along the way. Cringe, as the youth of our time say. 

But this particular day, I went through 3 different kinds of bait in an attempt to proverbially disentangle the cause of my lonely lure. I glanced at the jar of magic fishing power bait and began to really ponder the depths of what was on the label:

"Satisfying!" "Fish hold on 18x longer!" "The taste they love!"

How. In. Beige. Tarnation. 

How? 

How do they know this?

I can only imagine a group of scientists wearing lab coats and fishing hats training bass and catfish to ring little bells if they liked the taste of something. 

"Very good, Dr. Jeeves, I'll have more of that," the catfish probably says.

"Delectable, my good doctor. I could eat, like, 18 more of those," says the bass smacking his comically large lips. 

I can't say I'm convinced. Could it be that it's a group of scientists in lab coats and fishing hats tasting the bait themselves? If that's it, why am I throwing it into the lake? I want to enjoy something satisfying and tasty. It would seem like a waste. 

I paused at this moment to check for a poison control number on the label, an intrusive thought that I'm sure you've never had. 

No number. 

If it's not there, it's gotta be okay, right? No, wait, the Darwin Award slips out of my reach as I read the disclaimer "Not for Human consumption". 

Ok, fine... but what are they hiding from us? 

I think back to the trained fish. If the bait is satisfying, I suppose they don't go back for seconds. Just one bite, and then it's time for the post-supper-siesta we all come to love. I don't like the sound of that. The more I think, the less I want a satisfying bait on my hook. I want something they can't get enough of. Something that'll keep them coming back. Something that they'll share with their fish friends. 

Unfortunately, I don't think they bottle that. 

At this point, the sun got hot and my eyebrows started sweating so I packed up the enigmatic bait jar and my reel and walked back to the air conditioning. 

I said a little prayer on my way, thanking the Lord for a chance to fish, a Texas morning to wake up to, and for giving me the insight to not eat unconsumable power bait... no matter how satisfying its advertised to be. There are many things in life advertised to be the greatest thing ever, so pay attention that the labels say what the labels mean.