I really love fishing. I'm a real FishHead. I love fishing and am rarely at a loss for words when talking about fishing. But there are so many pertinent questions to ask.

For instance, do Bass fisherman ever fish for anything else but Bass?

And what about those Salmon fisherman, most consider Bass a junk fish. I guess if you can’t eat it, it ain’t worth anything. It must have something to do with those darn mercury levels!

Let's not forget trout fisherman; they are the most prized possession in the State of Maine. You’d think they were gods or something. They get all the good spots - fly fishing only - you knooow! It was a sad day when LL Bean started selling lures and spinning rods.

And Pike fisherman, what’s up with those guys anyways? Known as Pikers, they’re fishing for an illegally introduced species that is at the top of the food chain. You'd think they could catch something bigger than thirty pounds!

You can catch a big laker in this great State of Maine, and I don't mean the type from Los Angles but the type from Lewiston / Auburn. But look at the effect Lakers have had on salmon populations. And this species was introduced legally. Each species effects another. And, every generation of Fish Heads believe they have the definitive answer.

I was reading an article about the restoration of Alewive runs. The dam removal process has enabled the historic runs to take place again. In one instance, a beaver dam got in the way of the process, people mobilized to rip it down. Are beavers really all that bad? Give nature some time to heal itself before interjecting more trouble. The beaver dam will be ripped away by high water. No one has any patience anymore.

What to do? So, many species, so much information, so little time! You have to be a Fish Head to love it.

I’m a multi-species fisherman. Most of us fish different species, but we're not always ready to admit it. People also love labels. And labeling fisherman by species has become the norm. Bass fishermen , Pike fishermen, Salmon fishermen and the like.

It reminds me of a time when I was hitch-hiking in Ireland. A local pappy stopped to give me a ride and asked what nationality I was. I looked at him a little puzzled, backpack in my hand, and answered American! He looked back at me and said "funny....your the first American to answer that way. Most of you say French, Irish, German or something other than American".

That's the way I look at fisherman. You might say your a Bass fisherman, a Trout fisherman or something else. But when you come right down to it, you're a fisherman who wants to catch fish.

When you think you have the definitive answer, ask yourself this: Do I know more than mother nature? Do I have the patience to let nature heal itself? Am I really all knowing? I think you get the drift.

As soon as this weather stops, I'll give the lakes a try. Maybe I have the definitive answers to all that ails the world of fishing. I doubt it. But agencies like SAM, BASS and Trout Unlimited at least give it a try. And I take my hat of to them.

Be safe and have fun fishing!

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