Keeping Things Simple

Ihave had the distinct pleasures of seeing a lot of places and enjoyed a ton of outdoor adventures in 52 years of outdoor writing. I have found, however, as I have grown older that I like simplicity in all things, outdoor adventures included.

I’m well past the point of trying to prove anything about my outdoor skills to anyone. I’ll leave that to the younger guys. Competition and braggadocio simply don’t fit my style anymore.

I have enjoyed riding in some of the best-made bass boats, with the best guides in the country, have deer and turkey hunted on some of the best imaginable properties, and enjoyed having bear, elk and moose only a few yards away in the wild country of Canada and Alaska, and fished remote areas of Alaska, Canada, Mexico and more.

As grand as all those adventures were, today I prefer to fish in a small lake for bass and bluegill, float the Meramec with my grandson and friends, or camp in a remote U.S. Forest Service campground far away from the hustle and bustle of today’s busy world. Few things in life compare to the feeling and enjoyment I derive from introducing a child to the outdoors. I have had the pleasure of introducing hundreds to the thrill and adventures the outdoors has to offer.

I did so through many organized programs such as scouts, church groups, the National Wild Turkey Federation, Ducks Unlimited, state parks, the Conservation Federation of Missouri, the Land Learning Foundation, Bass Pro’s Wonders of Wildlife School and more. However, the greatest rewards have come from taking kids into the outdoors, often one on one, just for the pure fun derived from being outdoors together.

Unorganized outdoor recreation with a child, whether hiking, fishing, hunting, kayaking, caving, or bird watching, is the most enjoyable and thrilling of all things I do outdoors.

If I’m participating in outdoor activities with adults, there is always the added pressure of who catches the biggest or most fish, and who kills the first turkey or deer. Whether the competition is organized or not, the underlying pressures of our competitive society is always present where adults are found recreating together.

Sure, I enjoyed the days of friendly competition among fishing and hunting buddies, but I never got caught up in the melodrama of large competitive events such as bass and crappie tournaments. I always felt that fishing and hunting should be enjoyable for the activity themselves, not from the notoriety gained from having won a tournament.

That is not to say that I believe that there is no place for fishing tournaments, or hunting tournaments, for that matter. Many people enjoy these activities and go to great lengths and expense to participate in them. Too, I believe in giving credit where credit is due, and bass and crappie fishermen in particular, have been a force in the great improvement of our fisheries through their efforts for better management of lakes and streams. Too, their conservation efforts through clubs and organizations have provided thousands of man hours towards habitat improvements, stream cleanups and riparian repair programs.

There are fishing programs for children, beginning fishermen, anglers who want to improve their skills, programs for veterans and wounded warriors, and programs for women anglers as well. I personally belong to Reel Recovery, an organization that takes men dealing with cancer on fly-fishing trips.

It’s a no-pressure program that simply gives men dealing with all types of cancer the opportunity to escape for a day, enjoy themselves, catch a fish, or not fish at all, but merely sit by a stream and enjoy the peace and quiet of the countryside. The camaraderie of being with other men in similar situations is a powerful component of the program as well.

Much of my current attitude about fishing and outdoor recreation, in general, came from an experience on a 5-day fly fishing trip to the Caribbean several years ago. I booked a professional guide. Upon my arrival, I quickly discovered that the pro fisherman had the attitude of a military drill instructor. He informed me that I would spend the first two days of my trip on the fishing dock learning his technique of fly fishing. I quickly told him that would not happen.

Needless to say the pro was a bit less than enchanted with me. Too, he let me know that he was not particularly fond of outdoor writers. Regardless, I endured two full days of torrid insults and belittling comments from the so-called pro. I didn’t cast correctly according to him. Neither did I cast far enough, nor did I cast to the right places. Despite my shortcomings, I managed to hook up with good numbers of tarpon and giant snook. The third morning began much like the two previous mornings with my having to listen to the pro guide tell me how great he was as a fly fisherman and how no one else measured up to his skills. When he made his first derogatory remark of the day about my fly-fishing abilities, I relied simply, “Shut your mouth and let me fish.” You could have heard a pin drop.

For the next two and one-half days I enjoyed my trip, all the while wondering how anglers came to the point of being as egotistical and arrogant as my current guide. I silently vowed to never allow myself to fall into such a superfluous state of mind. At dinner on the last evening, after I had enjoyed a splendid day of tarpon fishing, my guide said he had a proposal for me. “I’d love for you to write a book about my personal and professional flyfishing techniques Señor Bill,” he said.

I’d love to do that someday, but for the moment, I’m too busy fishing and camping with my grandchildren.

Bill Cooper