Fishermen are dreamers. They not only love the sport, the stories, the gear, the smell. They also love the river, the lake, the sea. They love trekking, the smell of the boat, the sound of the waves or the river. The moment of truth, the time of preparation. They also love to dream. The dream of the perfect day -and this day will be similar in many ways (not all) as that described in The Old Man and The Sea. They will dream of the grandaddy of all trout, pike or salmon. And if their dream is specially profound - they will even let the brave contender go.

And that is one of the real reason why fishermen are collectors. It is part of the dream, of having the right tool at the right time. And the amazing thing is that the dream is lived all the time. That fly, that box, that picture, are real life items that bring back the dreams. A fisherman is a dreamer and a collector.

For anyone who hasn't been bitten by the "fishing" bug - as a sport - the amount of "stuff" a fisherman collects over time is quite amazing and sometimes even baffling. Anyone who fishes, even if they miss a season or two, manages to have many different hook sizes, or plastic worms or lures or flies, swivels, weights, even lines. And what is even more peculiar to the uninitiated is that they even have repeats. Six of this and half a dozen of the other.

Yet if you have the bug, this is absolutely logical. Not only for a particular fishing trip but also a future expedition. Or what happens if you run out and are unable to find the exact same one. Different days with different lighting conditions require different lures. And it is vitally important you keep them organized.

All these gadgets and accessories are tools of the trade. A good workman takes care of his tools and a good fisherman takes care of his tackle. It doesn't matter when you start fishing, as a child or older. The fact of the matter is you collect a lot of stuff, and this stuff has to be kept organized and available and not only stored away, but with you when you fish.

Fishing gear covers a large number of things that come in different sizes, different designs, for different uses and can be from different materials and even colors. Many times you will also collect things you don't need (but you never know, right?)  - and they also make excellent gifts if there is an angler at home. The funny thing is that as this collecting craze among fishermen is well known there will always be something new.

Your boxes, tackle and even fishing clothes are an essential part of your art. You have probably heard of a professional pitcher that always wears his good luck socks, or the tennis player that carries a specific good luck token. Superstition as in a rabbits foot? Perhaps, but the fact of the matter is that it works. Perhaps it is the backpack that is packed in a specific order, or that your first cast is always with the fly you made years ago. (Or your great aunt Nelly's wedding garter).Whatever the case may be, you had better be very sure that you have it with you.

And the secret as to why it works is that it gives you confidence and this means that in a way you are inoculated against even the thought of failure.