People I suffer from reoccurring "NBFS" (Not Been Fishing Syndrome) I had not been for 6 days and it is starting to take it toll on me really bad. I get a little cranky, my head hurts, I get sick feeling in my stomach, my casting arms gets weak without the exercise and the worst of all is MY MOUTH STARTS TO RUN. I can handle a runny nose but a RUNNY MOUTH gets me into trouble every time. Then there is the problem with STRATOS and YAMAHA getting jealous of my wife because I have not spent quality time with them while I am in the house with my wife. There is only one thing can cure "NBFS" about 6 to 10 hours of FISHING!!!

So here is the dilemma and how I handled it, right or wrong I made the choice and I have to live with it but my NBFS is in check for a few days.

On Sunday I have a Fish fry that a friend has invited the wife and I to that I really wish to attend at 2:00 in the afternoon (if I am home by 1:00 I can make that).

I have also been ask to go with my wife to something at her parents about the same time that would be okay also (I would have to leave for this at 10:30 or so).

So here is part of the problem if I go to the fish fry my wife is going to be upset with me because I did not go to her parents for whatever this thing is which is a small problem to overcome most of the time. But if I do anything I had better with the wife and I had told my friend earlier in the week. The main problem with that is 2 hours and 30 minutes more fishing time and it would go a long way to cure my “NBFS” and make life a whole lot nicer around home since it will cure the runny mouth!!

I decide to go see if I can cure my NBFS, I am on the water at Nolin at 8:00 figure to fish a few hours until I had to make a decision of what to do. First spot I hit not even a tick, nothing so I make a move. Get to my second spot, the only reason I chose that one was two boats on the spot I wanted to fish. Second cast hookup with a 12” Spot not great but looking better. A few cast later catch a keeper barely 15” turn him loose by now head feeling better and cast arm feeling good. Fishing shallow with a crankbait so this may be fun day. Make a cast in about 6 inches of water and pull the bait beside a stump in about 2-3 feet of water see a swirl and my line kind of goes limp set the hook not hard pull but solid. Fish kind of pulls but never slipped the drag gets under boat and pulls pretty hard, BETTER FISH THIS ONE but still has not slipped the drag yet. Get the fish up under the boat and the fish makes two lunges to deeper water and finally get her head up and lip her in the boat. Then I get nervous real good fish get the hook out and grab the scales 7lb 04 oz. Well I have caught several fish over 8lbs and a few over 9lbs, I am talking about bass not catfish, but all have come from ponds and small watershed lakes. The largest I have ever caught on the lakes has been 6-14 at Nolin last year. So this is my biggest Lake fish so far, look at her a minute decide I need a picture of this one for sure because no one will believe this fish. Look for the digital camera and can not find the darn thing, big dummy me left it in the truck. Look at her one more good time and ease her in the water she swims off in good shape. Check the time it is 9:15 almost time to leave or I am going be late for sure. Still have a few minutes to try and catch another fish if I going to keep peace at my house.

So now my NBFS is a lot better, headache gone and runny mouth better except I need to make three phone calls to some friends that could not fish today!! So still have runny mouth but not a cranky one. About 15 minutes after my bragging virus subsided get a hit now I am having fun nice fish 3lb+ turn the fish loose go to put up something and guess what there is my camera, not in the truck but in a different compartment. So now I have no proof and I have a camera oh well I know what I caught. Later I was telling my friend about the camera thing and his first words about it was “why didn’t you use your camera phone?”. Well it must be side effects from the NBFS, he said it was getting all torn up about catching the big fish, but I do not think so it is side effects from NBFS I am sure I do not get torn up about a fish, NO WAY. (another side effect of NBFS denial I am afraid)

Anyway I am cured except for one Main side effect from recovering from NBFS and sometimes it is the worst of all “TIME LOSS” not memory lapse but total time loss it disappears, thirty minutes turns into three hours I have see this more than once so I know it is real. I know I only made a few more cast between 9:30 and 2:30 I caught 6 or 7 more fish but it does not take that long. Something on the lakes is stealing time maybe it was the fish or maybe aliens but the time disappeared for sure. Now not only am I in hot water with the wife but I have missed my friends fish fry as well. I really believe that my friend will understand, since he fishes because I am sure he has NBFS before.

I tell you people there needs to be a study made on this NBFS it has caused many problems with me many times but the only cure I know of for it is a brisk boat ride down a lake, a hook set, a bent rod and a roughed up thumb then mine always goes away after those things happen for a few days.

Good luck with NBFS take the cure as often as you can