Gary Miller

(Published April 16, 2026)

Gary Miller
gary@outdoortruths.org

There's nothing like barreling down the lake in the spring or summer at 5:00 in the morning. The cool mist will wake up anyone. But it's not really the air that is alarming, it's the possibility of a big bass that is ready for breakfast - buzz bait style. To see the calm water come to life with a massive explosion is fishing at its finest. There is, however, a technique for this type of fishing. Most people set the hook when they see the bass strike. That is a big mistake. You just missed another one. The art of catching bass on a buzz bait is not to set the hook when you see the bass strike but to wait until you feel the tug. The time between the two may only be a second but it's the difference between success and failure. It is a hard discipline for some because we are so used to responding immediately to sight. It looks like a strike. It looks like I've got him. It looks like he's on. But he's not. Not until you feel the tug.
This is a great lesson for life. Most of the time, we live our lives according to what we see. And we react accordingly. We think whatever the circumstances look like, that is what they must be. If it looks hopeless, it must be. If it looks like the end, it must be. If it looks like there is no way out, there must not be. And we react accordingly. There is, however, a mechanism that God has placed within us. It's a tug. It's the voice of God saying, don't walk by sight, but by faith. It is him saying don't ever count the situation hopeless until I have been added to the equation. It is him saying, no matter how bleak the circumstance is, I will have the last word. Friend, don't set the hook on your circumstances at the first sight of trouble. Wait on the tug of God and he will turn every situation into one that is worth keeping.

Gary Miller has written Outdoor Truths articles for 23 years. He has also written five books which include compilations of his articles and a father/son devotional. He also speaks at wild-game dinners and men's events for churches and associations.