When I return from a fishing session I virtually always (fish or no fish) feel very happy and content but I know it is only a matter of time before I develop “the itch”.
“The itch” is quite simply the need to go fishing and although I never know when it will start, I know with 100% certainty that it will arrive at some point. I was oblivious to “the itch” as a condition until around 2 years ago when one of my angling buddies declared “I need a scratch, fancy a short session this pm?”. To start off with (and understandably I think you will agree) I didn’t know exactly what was being proposed but, as the cogs started turning, it all fell into place and the condition (wanting to fish all the time) that I had been suffering with for a long time finally had a name.
I have found that relief can be obtained by thinking about fishing, reading about fishing planning fishing trips, chatting about fishing (another angler helps here but anybody will do), buying fishing tackle, playing with fishing tackle (organising and categorising lures is one of my favourite “chores”) and, if you are that way inclined writing about fishing. All of these activities help but not one of these actions truly satisfies, they simply offer temporary relief.
I guess to a certain extent I must be grateful for the fact that I like to fish for a variety of species and find true “comfort” in fishing freshwater as well as saltwater. I am not sure I can even comprehend the scale of the condition I would be afflicted with if I was one of those anglers that fishes exclusively for bass. Such anglers may have to endure weeks, sometimes even months of conditions that are not conducive with catching bass and at times can simply be to dangerous to venture into. I am getting a slight irritation just thinking about it.
Lately I have found that “the itch” is not so easily relieved and is coming back much sooner. I am sat here a little over 48hrs after a satisfying but admittedly short session, and I can feel it already. This is not good for an angler with a fulltime job and a young family.
If you are reading this and thinking “yes, I suffer from the itch too” and want advice and help then you will have to look elsewhere. I know that I am a hopeless case and can offer nothing other than sympathy and one bit of advice – go get your tackle and go fishing …
Author: Rob ‘Scratcher’ Pope