How to stack the deck against yourself.

[Charles]

1. Take all the stuff that you regularly use out of your tackle box and replace it with a bunch of lures that you think will work, but haven't used much in the last several years. And when you did use them it was for something entirely different under different conditions.

2. Set out from an area that you regularly go (Wakulla Beach), but this time with only an idea of what you want to do and no plan on how to systematically accomplish your goal.

3. Make sure you do this on an afternoon when the weather forecast calls for less than stellar conditions (like this afternoon). The wind and rain will increase your level of irritation and frustration, making your lack of confidence in the lures you have selected even worse.

4. At some point make sure to snag the marsh grass behind you on your backcast, snatching a backlash in your reel that has to be cut out. Now you're trying to cast with one reel that is short on line.

5. A little later on snag the rod behind you on your backcast, breaking a guide. Now you're down to one rod.

6. Swear loudly. It's okay, there's nobody else around. There weren't even any other cars in the parking area.

7. At four p.m., three hours after you launched, get fed up and go home, having worked no particular area very thoroughly.

8. While getting the boat back on the trailer realize that poor decisions on your part in steps one and two set the stage for the entire trip.

9. When you get home say to yourself, "Well, I know what I'm NOT doing next time."

10. Kiss your wife.

[Flint River Pirate]

Charles, you certainly have some original posts.

[Eerman]

So are you saying you didn't do well?

[lordsfisher]

Probably still a better day than my work!

[Bow'd Up]

Sounds like a heap of fun

[2true]

Part of the game. Least you got out there...

[Natureboy]

Aint life grand?

[Charles]

Charles, you certainly have some original posts.

That's only because I'm not smart enough to recall what someone else said better earlier.