Why do we do it?

This bad weather is dangerous because when you can't go fishing you start thinking, and we all know thinking leads to trouble. I was reading a forum post recently about charter skippers having to limit the amount of clobber anglers bring with them on board, and I started pondering why we need to buy so much fishing stuff. The only bit of tackle that really matters is the last few inches of line, the hook and the bait. If that is the right sort in the right place at the right time, you'll catch something even if the rest of it is attached to string.

So why do we spend so much on different rods, reels, lines, weights (OK, pass on that one, we keep loosing them!) and every new-fangled thingmy that is a must-have? I have a theory, well two actually. The second theory is that we like to extend our fishing pleasure far beyond the act of dangling line in water, and we do that by browsing shops, magazine averts, mail order catalogues and the Web. We fish for tackle and when we start unwrapping our purchase we get the same little rush of excitement as landing a fish. That is all pretty obvious, and no different from any other sport surrounded by clever merchandising. My first theory is more significant and it is to do with attitude, and attitude creates (or is derived from) confidence. Sorry if this is getting deep, I did warn you. So this is how.

If you have lashed out a wad of money on the best tackle and bait money can buy, you know that it is down to you and the fish. So nothing distracts you, you concentrate, you persevere, you guessed it, you catch fish. On the other hand, with a hook that might be too shiny, a line that you think might be too thick and spook the fish, or with a rod that is just a bit too long/short, you mentally almost give up before you start. You don't believe you will catch, you inwardly blame the gear, you flip about from one mark to the next and go home early, fishless. Your attitude translates into behaviour, and it is that behaviour that catches (or doesn't catch) fish.

If you can buy confidence in the form of £100-worth of black carbon with rings on, sure why not. But if you saved yourself the money and instead convinced yourself that your bait was well presented and in the right place, (and assuming it was) I bet you'd catch something good. Even with a crummy rod.