There is nothing more relaxing than an early morning on the water. My brain might complain loudly at 5am when the alarm goes off and I’m half asleep for the first few minutes as I wander around trying to get myself ready, but it’s worth it! As my body wakes up and I see the sun peeking over the horizon something sparks inside of me. The birds sing and the wind rustles through the trees creating a wonderful wake up symphony.
Grabbing a bite to eat while watching the outdoors magically turn from night to day still enthralls me. A new dawn never gets old. When you walk outside into it, you can feel everything waking. Even the animals seem to have a happier attitude in the morning. My horses certainly love a breezy summer morning. They whicker at me as I go out to feed them. Animal care is always first even when going out on an adventure.
Long pants and boots are a must when fishing. Whether you’re in the boat or on the shore they make a big difference for protection! Some of you might scoff at this but, time and time again I have been very happy I threw on my knee highs instead of going in tennis shoes. Preparation is important! Writing is very much the same way…prepare your characters for what they will go through. It makes them much more believable if they actually geared up for that long journey versus just starting off.
Having the right tools for fishing is the same as giving your characters good tools. Having a variety of poles and lures can take you from a slow day of no biting to catching the monster fish! Fish have different tastes, smells, and even sight makes a difference. You want to cater to what the fish want in order to successfully catch them. The same can be said for your characters. What would they want? If they are out in the cold make sure they have proper clothing and something warm to sleep in at night. Otherwise, realistically they would die…which would make for a very short story!
Feeling the tug of a fish biting your lure is a thrill. You have succeeded in finding what the fish want. The fight and splash of a big bass gets my adrenaline running similar to a good storyline. Why do you think we call it being “hooked” when we read something, and we just can’t put it down? The author has caught you and is reeling you in exactly as a fisherman does. An expert angler and an expert writer have more in common than you think!
So remember the next time you go out fishing you can learn a lot from the experience AND you might even catch a good storyline in addition to some great fish.