There comes a time in every angler's life when you realize your fishing gear collection has officially crossed the line from "hobby" to "cry for help." My moment of truth arrived when I found myself trying to justify why I needed both the best affordable fly fishing waders and the berkley ultimate fishing tackle pack to my very concerned cat. The cat, being a sensible creature, was not impressed. The pod of curious whales that showed up later, however, seemed downright fascinated.
It all began when I decided to upgrade from my sad little beginner bass tackle box to something more substantial. What started as a simple search for the best all purpose spinning rod and reel quickly spiraled into a full-blown fishing gear obsession. I found myself browsing fishing forums at 3 AM, convinced that my life would be complete if I could just find the best baitcaster rod and reel under 100.
My collection grew at an alarming rate. I became the proud owner of a berkley big game rod and reel that's so powerful I'm pretty sure I could land a small submarine with it. I invested in a berkley tackle box that has more compartments than my brain has thoughts about fishing. My best backpacking fishing kit became my constant companion, though I must admit the "backpacking" part mostly involves carrying it from my car to the shoreline.
The real game-changer was discovering the best bait for longline fishing. I won't spoil the secret, but let's just say it involves more garlic than you'd expect for something that's supposed to attract fish rather than vampires. I paired this culinary discovery with my new bass spinning rod and reel, ready to conquer the underwater world.
The day of the great fishing drone experiment arrived. I suited up in my best affordable fly fishing waders (which, I must say, make a delightful squeaky noise when you walk), packed my berkley ultimate fishing tackle pack with every possible fishing necessity, and headed to the water looking like a cross between a serious angler and someone who might be lost on the way to a space launch.
I started with my best all purpose spinning rod and reel, casting with the grace of a falling giraffe. Nothing. I switched to my bass spinning rod and reel, hoping for better results. Still nothing. Just as I was considering trying out my beginner bass tackle box for old time's sake, something extraordinary happened.
My drone's camera captured movement below the surface. Not just any movement—whales. A whole pod of them, and they seemed fascinated by my berkley big game rod and reel. One particularly curious whale kept surfacing near my berkley tackle box, as if to say "Nice organization, but your technique needs work."
For the next forty-five minutes, I was treated to what can only be described as a marine mammal masterclass in fishing. The whales seemed particularly interested in my best backpacking fishing kit, circling it with what I choose to believe was professional curiosity rather than outright mockery of my fishing skills.
I tried everything—switching between my different rods, digging through my berkley ultimate fishing tackle pack for the perfect lure, even attempting to use the best bait for longline fishing despite not actually having a longline. But the only thing interested in my gear was these whales, who seemed to think my best affordable fly fishing waders were some kind of marine fashion statement.
My best baitcaster rod and reel under 100 suddenly felt very inadequate as whale entertainment. The whales eventually swam away, probably to find someone with better fishing stories, leaving me with incredible drone footage and exactly zero caught fish.
But you know what? I'm calling it a win. How many people can say they've had their beginner bass tackle box reviewed by a panel of whale experts? So if you're ever feeling discouraged about your fishing skills, just remember: somewhere out there, a person with all the right gear is being judged by marine life for their choice of bass spinning rod and reel. And that person is definitely me.
Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go edit this drone footage into something that doesn't look like a "how not to fish" tutorial featuring disappointed whales.