Blogging is like fishing, I think. Sort of.

What pattern does one decide to attach to their leader for that first cast of the day? Fish a dry, drift a nymph, or swing a streamer? This first-time blogger faces a similar decision: What should my very first blog entry be? Do I jump right in and get to the heart of the matter (whatever that is), or do I start slow, testing the waters first? Initially I’m writing to no one, and maybe it’s best that way because it follows the majority of my fishing experiences to a T:  Casting repeatedly into a vast expanse of water, apparently to nothing. Should I fear rejection?  Nah, I’ve suffered plenty of that at the fins and hands of fish and book editors.

It would also seem that writing is akin to fishing inasmuch as that which constitutes “good” is pretty subjective: Larry McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove may be considered by some (like me) to be the finest novel ever scribed, while others may think it to be just another stupid cowboy story. Similarly, one angler’s junk fish is another’s trophy whitefish; one angler’s miserable day on the water getting skunked is another’s marvelous day spent on the water not catching fish.

I may fail miserably at this blogging thing, as I’ve failed many times as a fisherman.  And while there are similarities between fishing and blogging, I do see one glaring difference between the two endeavors: In order to partake of sportfishing, one must purchase a license. Conversely, right now anyone can start a blog, and maybe that’s a bad thing. Maybe there should be rules and licensing fees—regulations to keep things in check. Who knows— I may be just the catalyst needed for the authorities to implement regulations on the blogasphere. Let’s wait and see if my wading into this carries with it disasterous results.

The good thing is that if you don’t like what you read here, you can opt to never return—no harm, no foul, no barbs. It’s sorta like catch and release in that regard, and I’ve released a lot of fish (most using the Long Distance Release—the highest form of conservation-minded methods). If what you read here isn’t enough to warrant your return, that’s OK— I have thick skin. Just remember that there’s more to fishing than catching. Similarly, there’s more to reading than enjoying. I hope you enjoy.

That being said, let the ramblings of a catch-challenged angler begin.