Paddling With Madalyn: Life Beyond the Tug
By Madalyn Roberts
If you hang around crappie anglers long enough and pay attention, you’ll eventually hear folks say catching fish is just a bonus. Then you’ll hear someone say, “The tug is the drug.” For newcomers, that can be a little confusing, so let’s unpack it.
The moment an angler sees a rod bend and feels that tug is full of adrenaline and excitement. The bigger the fish, the bigger the rush. It’s easy to understand why so many of us become happily addicted to chasing that feeling. So, if fish are really just the bonus, what could possibly top it?
For me, it’s the people I’ve met along the way. Many started out as mentors, became friends and are now my fishing family. Each has taught me something, encouraged me and helped me find the confidence to get out on my kayak and fish on my own.
That’s what makes the crappie-fishing community so special. Nearly everyone I’ve met who loves this sport also loves being outdoors. Even better, they genuinely want to share what they know so younger generations can experience that same joy.
When I first started targeting crappie from a kayak five years ago, it was very much trial and error, but I made it a goal to learn at least one lesson every time I hit the water. The biggest lessons came after I started surrounding myself with people who shared my passion. Not only did they teach me countless things about fishing, they helped shape who I am and became lifelong friends. For that, I’m incredibly grateful.
But there’s one other reason that trumps the tug for me.
I’ve shared before that fishing is my hall pass. When life starts feeling overwhelming, getting on the water lets me leave all the non-fishing problems on shore. I don’t simply love to fish. Being in nature, sitting in my kayak, is therapy.
One of my favorite memories explains why.
A few years ago, before LiveScope, I was kayak fishing one morning on a quiet lake. I’d found a spot away from the boat traffic where I could relax and had been fishing there for a few hours. I was completely dialed in—watching how the fish were behaving, figuring out what bait profiles and presentations they wanted and listening to the sounds of the wildlife around me. In that moment, nothing else existed.
I was startled back to reality by an unfamiliar sound overhead.
When I looked up and realized it was an airplane, my immediate thought was, “Wow, I completely forgot those things existed.”
Then it hit me.
I had become so immersed in fishing that I’d completely forgotten the rest of the world existed, too.
The feeling that followed?
Superpower unlocked.
(Madalyn Roberts is from Kansas City, Missouri although she considers herself a southern transplant, having lived in Kentucky for 17 years. She serves her Louisville community by working for a non-profit organization facilitating free home repairs for elderly and disabled homeowners. In her spare time, she enjoys being in the outdoors in all capacities, especially fishing, hiking and camping.)
