Dons Childhood Idol.

[Steve Craig]

[John Bales]

Love Don Dixons enthusiasm for trying to reach more people with spoonplugging knowledge through the internet. Millions of fisherman now have access to the greatest educational material that will change their lives. And I see there is a whopping 700+ people who signed up, out of those thousands that may have come across Dons great talks. There is nothing wrong with the way he is promoting this. So why aren't there more who are willing to listen? What is worse than that and I know you don't want to hear this, the fisherman have this knowledge and not only do they not want to listen or believe, those that have made the step into the material have not put enough effort into it to have success. I can't think of ten people that I could pick that I could throw on to a particular body of water and say go find the fish, especially early and late in the season. Some of the worst spoonpluggers I ever met attended Dons classes. No fault of Dons, he is a great teacher, the students just didn't do anything with what they were taught. Buck was right a long time ago when he said that the mass of the fisherman will never accept the truth about fishing. Now that I have had a minute to think, there might be 15. George Pazik wrote that people are notorious for not following directions. The other part is having the desire to learn and the willingness to put forth the effort. There have been thousands who have studied the material and a lot who can quote some of it word for word. There are very few that are willing to put forth the TIME and EFFORT. That is the main problem..........always has been and will not change.........only for the few that do have the desire. You might say that Bales has become an old grouch. Might be but this is what I see. John

[site admin]

I agree 100% with everything you said John, except the part you are becoming an old grouch, but this forum needs another grouch since Doug Busch is no longer present!

I would love nothing more than to see Don get a huge following and keep to keep Buck's teachings alive.I'm guessing that there are very, very few young anglers finding his channel and message. The way Don got so much attention back in the day was by taking the local writer out and putting him on fish. I think Don would get many many more subs if he had on the water video. The millennial generation want's to SEE it, not listen to it. let them SEE the results and than they may want to listen. But as you said, you need that burning desire to want to get better. I think the vast majority of anglers are satisfied by beating the bank and catching a straggler here and there.... If only they knew, but they need the desire to improve, which It doesn't appear they have or want...

[John Bales]

Jim, I would like to see Don get some interest going also. I also had thoughts that some on the water video's would help the cause too. Just didn't mention it. Talk sometimes doesn't shake anyone up but showing them can open their eyes. Florida lakes are not as good as they once were. They spray the hell out of those lakes worse than around here. The big schools are not there like they used to be. I fished where Don lives so I know what's there. He can surely catch enough fish to still shake most people up. Even if he did, it might not help. Look around Jim, the clubs are all gone but ours, there are less and less people showing up for the outings. I was ashamed of our spoonpluggers for how few showed up at Muskegon last year. Either no one wants it or we are all dying off. Look at how many good ones are gone. Finding spoonplugging changed my life. Every single fish we catch , we owe Mr. Perry for it, but it is the work that we do ourselves with his knowledge that will depend on how good we can be.
You and I have spent a lot of time trying to help others get better at this. How many stuck with it? How many got pretty good? Not too many. I had the best year of my life last season. That goes for the catching and the learning both. I just want to keep doing it till I can't. Take Care. John

[Steve Craig]

Both of you make very good points. I also believe that we are a dying breed. The reason? The younger generation doesnt KNOW how to W-O-R-K! And work to catching fish??? Not going to happen by the average Millinial.
True there is that rare individual that comes along and is a hustler, and will put forth the effort and work to reach his goal. But they are now few and far between.
Maybe they have always been that way as far as Bucks teachings went. I dont know. Probaly why Buck made that statement. He more than likely knew that this was going to be the case.
Like Terry said one time at the Ill. Winter Social, when I asked him where he saw Spoonplugging's future. He said, "look around the room at all the grey heads and how few younger people were here". Point taken!

I too believe Don should be addng some on the water to his format. But that is me.
My 2 cents FWIW.
An excellent example of a good quality Youtube presentation by a young buck go getter with a very good format is here.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWMWMX ... fw6o-hGTuw