One of the best examples of CFO (Complete Fishing Obsession) I have ever seen

I have met all kinds of anglers all around the world, and it’s the mixing and learning from with different anglers that really floats my boat. For all our solitude and desire to get out there and in amongst it all, in reality it’s the people that make fishing what it is, and it takes all sorts to make our sport go round. What I really enjoy is meeting or running into what I would refer to as serious addicts - people for whom fishing so consumes their life that almost nothing else matters when the pursuit for a certain species is on. I meet loads of people who love fishing, but I would argue that above your keen anglers and atop the pyramid of people who make fishing what it is sits these special addicts. To sit down with them or meet them in some random part of the world is always a highlight, and I love how the eyes on these people light up with some inner fire the moment you start talking about the fishing they most obsess about. I don’t do drugs and I have always had less than zero interest in them because I can’t see how anybody who goes fishing needs a better high. I’m going to stick with CFO (Complete Fishing Obsession) being all the stimulation that some people will ever need. This particular encounter with an angler out in the US has always stuck in my head and I thought it would be a bit of fun to tell you about it…………………..

I think it was June 2015 and I was out in Cape Cod with Matt the head lure designer at Fiiish. We were on a striped bass based trip for a number of reasons to do with Fiiish and various plans they had, and thanks to an English lad who put us in touch with an incredibly kind and generous and knowledgeable Cape Cod Canal based angler known as Bull, we got to fish a few awesome sessions on this legendary piece of water where at times some almost scary numbers of big stripers come in after whatever bait species happens to be running (scared) at the time. Bull went miles out of his way to help us guys out and it’s completely down to him that we got to experience what we did in the Canal. This is a unique fishery that draws anglers from many miles around, and when the bite is on, it can get seriously hectic with anglers and fish and casting and stories and what have you. It’s unique, and it’s also highly addictive.

I love fishing and fishing photography over in the US, indeed politics aside I find their fishing and attitude towards fishing, hunting and shooting fascinating. I have spent a lot of time now around US anglers and in general I find them a relentlessly positive and upbeat group of people, and it’s infectious. The main sporting species of fish all seem to have their groups of addicts suffering from CFO, from the laid back steelhead anglers in the Pacific North West fishing for a species of fish which takes a seriously methodical combination of time and dedication, through to striper junkies as they are often known who are dealing with a true migratory species of saltwater fish and they have to make hay while the fish are moving through their patch. I’m going to review the striped bass film “Running the Coast” on Friday so please come back for that by the way - the whole striped bass fishing “thing” is way bigger than most anglers on our small island can get a handle on, and somewhere like the Cape Cod Canal is one of those meccas.

You know when the fish are properly moving through the Canal because you will find cars and trucks rammed into every available space at various points along either side of the Canal. As with our bass fishing you’ve obviously got anglers trying to keep things quiet, but the Canal and it’s easily accessible towpath running the entirety of each side I guess make for a hard time trying to sneak away and hide what you’re catching. It’s not for everybody and things get hectic when the bite is really on, but as I said, the whole vibe is infectious. Matt and I were due to meet Bull at a specific spot on the Canal one morning back in June 2015. Bull is dialled into what’s going on and sure enough we turned up in our rental car and found any number of other cars and trucks parked up. The fish were obviously around and damn we had a blast of a session.

Bull with a nice striped bass from the Cape Cod Canal - this guy fishes the Canal so well!

Anyway, so we’re almost back at our rental to head off and grab some breakfast and coffee, but hanging around this proper heap of a truck is a worried looking bloke who to be honest looks more like a hobo than anything else. I feel bad saying that, but he just didn’t look altogether with it on various levels so I had to stop and ask if he was okay. What follows is how I can remember the gist of the conversation:

Me: “Morning, how is it?”

Hobo: “Not good man, not good at all. Fishing’s on and I’ve just lost my favourite plug. I’m screwed”

Me: “Well done on the fishing, but damn, that doesn’t sound good about the plug. You got more lures?”

Hobo: “Got loads man, that’s not the problem. One lure’s killing it out there this morning and I’ve lost mine.”

Me: “Can you go and buy another one?” (there are some good local tackle shops not far away)

Hobo: “Been living in my (heap of a) truck man, haven’t eaten for a couple of days because the fishing’s been so good, nearly out of fuel, can’t get home, and I’m down to my last twenty bucks ($20). What do I do? I need to eat but I’ve lost my killer plug and there’s fish everywhere. Do I buy a new plug or do I buy some food?”

Me: “Crumbs (or words to that effect), you’ve got a dilemma there pal.”

The hobo looking bloke starts shuffling around even more than he was already. I can almost see the cogs whirring away in his brain which I presume is in there under a lot of shaggy hair and various bits of waterproofish looking clothing (it’s still pissing it down). What would I do in his situation? He’s not local and has been living in a heap of a truck because he so badly needs to fish for the striped bass which are running through the Canal (completely understandable, I’d do exactly the same), and because he’s seriously skint and the fishing has been so good he hasn’t eaten for a couple of days. I guess he has hardly slept a wink as well. And he’s gone and lost his killer plug which he has obviously been hammering stripers on.

What would you do? Hobo looking angler here has obviously got a proper case of CFO going on and he’s got a decision to make - more fish or a bite to eat because he must be bloody hungry? Replacement killer plug or some grub? As long as I live I will never forget this bloke jumping into his heap of a truck and saying through the open window something along the lines of of “fuck it, eating and getting home can wait, I’m off to get me a new twenty buck plug and get back on the fishing.” That my friends is a case of Complete Fishing Obsession……….