Divided We Stand
(Learning the language of a different species)
WE LIVE IN a divided country.
Some might say a divided world, where we are culturally and geographically divided by two colors — green and brown. These are not labels to be taken lightly. For those hailing from predominantly green areas, traveling to brown zones can be disturbing. They can be frustrating and debilitating experiences. The same scenario is also true of the brownie folks who try to go green.
No one said bass fishing was going to be easy. And no one ever said that a largemouth bass was anything like a smallmouth.
While green and brown regions may bend, meander and intersect like gerrymandered voting districts, most bass fishermen learn their craft and hone their skillset by focusing on one species or the other. For those fortunate souls with nearby and equal opportunities for both largemouth and smallmouth, please stop smirking. Like the manufactured holiday of Festivus, this discussion is for the rest of us.
For recreational anglers, the knowledge gap has always been an annoyance. A vacation trip — north or south — often reminded them of just how little they knew. For professionals, the downside was more severe, perhaps being the fault in their stars that could
