Everything surrenders to the strength of the fish.

When you come to the lake on good faith with informed, reasonable expectations, you can create magic.

If a trust can be established and your will accepted and validated, your offer may truly be considered.

This doesn’t mean that the resolution will be easy, or will take place….simply that there is the possibility of resolution.

You cannot fight a fish forever.

Once the hook is set, you must let the fish go where it will….it’s a simultaneous act of discipline and optimism.

The hope being that when the fish grows tired, the fisherman will still be connected by a thread that leads them to the same place.

In the end, it is up to the fish to determine whether it will be caught or not.

The fish that refuses to give up, having the strength, tenacity and guile to escape, lives to fight another day.

It is you that must be patient, allowing the fish to grow weary…

Only then will you receive a prize worth treasuring, the experience of catching a worthy opponent.

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Your offering.

Placing it where it should go requires precision, delicacy and skill.

The presentation of your offering is as important as the choice of your offering itself.

You may spend a lifetime perfecting this technique.

The skill…the precision…and delicacy of your cast will determine whether a pike will accept what is placed before them.

The possibility of hope and resolution.

Hoping for acceptance on the bait alone may be met with refusal.  More often than not, there must be more.

Your cast must be well timed and landed delicately but confidently, for it to be considered.

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Develop trust with the lake.

Listen to what is said as well as what is not said by the lake.

Search for hidden issues, concerns and emotions that run through it.

Some are naturally gifted at this; others must learn though experience. Some never learn.

Be mindful of the current.  Negotiate your underlying position.

Be flexible in a conflict to allow movement in all directions.

Do you not place your boat crew in positions that they need to defend.

Be open to reason and encourage openness.

Do not exploit the lake. 

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Your tool box.

Each tool designed to entice a particular fish at a particular time.

A modification at any given moment…where a mepps may do the trick or a subtle powerworm may be more desirable…stripping in the line or mending may be the difference between catching fish or getting skunked.

The evaluation, facilitation and transformation of your presentation…

Reality checking…exploring the emotional undercurrents of the lake…paying attention to natures cues….all techniques to help evaluate what you hope to achieve…and how you intend to go about it.

Take heed to your style and honor its value…in the end the lake will dictate what’s necessary. 

Be flexible and work with whatever tools are required.

What will you pursue on this lake...the water which they swim...

Will you catch a pike? or just a tan?

What do you know of pike?

Achieve an agreement by understanding the pike's common interests...what are their concerns? Their emotional triggers...

Are you a skilled listener..an intense observer...and a swashbuckling navigator?

Your fishing rod...a piece of magic...an elegant thing...willowy and alive...a wand that when held in the hand communicates with the heart!

Will you be able to read the water?

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