Recently I have rediscovered a love for fishing. A simple thing if you think about it. A hobby that when I sat down and thought about it (while fishing actually), holds a lot of great reasons more should give it a try. If you are not someone that has ever fished, considered fishing or just someone that has allowed their busy life to steal something so relaxing and lock it up in storage…
Here are 5 Reasons You Should Grab A Pole And Go Fishing…
Fishing Is Easy
Just like anything in life, fishing is as hard as you want it to be. People have fished since the beginning of time. Through science we have dated fishing back to some 40,000 years ago. And although technology has changed fishing into a space race of sorts, the fundamentals are still the same.
A line.
A hook.
A Bait.
And patience.
Of course as you fish more, learn more – it gets just as hard as you make it. Remember when you started playing golf, or gardening or cooking or bbqing or hunting or painting or whatever… and you liked it for the thrill of something new and how simple it was. Now as we have more knowledge, we feel some need to limit our enjoyment to “results”. Lowest score, highest score, some overcooked pork ribs, a mediocre piece of art or something else that brain of has related to your hobby and that simple script is now a complex algorithm of if(s) & else(s).
I remember growing up and everyone fished. Mom, dad, grandparents, aunts… uncles… didn’t really matter the age – everyone could fish. The younger kids didn’t have the patience, but still loved the idea of fishing. The older men & women were past the point of caring whether they caught anything or not – almost content with sitting and talking (the pole is only a conversation starter). The middle generation might be a little more into it – however, everyone enjoyed it for their own reasons. Everyone could do it, because it was easy. Well… it still is.
If you are a fisherman/fisherwoman – its time to drop it back to simple times. Simple baits. Sit on the bank (instead of that boat) and relax. Put your feet up, drink a cold beer (like your dad/grandfather before you) and chill out. Enjoy fishing, the catching will be the icing on the cake. The fish icing.
You Can Eat What You Catch
Next time you are eating that catfish or tilapia – imagine catching it yourself. Tastes a little better to know that you reeled it in doesn’t it? Believe me – it does. I have always been a catch & release guy myself. You know, all about the catch. I guess it had to do with the fact that I did some light tournament fishing when I was at an influential age but nonetheless I still respected those that took fish home for their family. Or even those that just had a big fish fry for the block… hell, just about anyone that has used fish for a food source – I don’t have a problem with it at all.
So you figure you can land at least 5-6 fish over a fishing trip – if your sober enough to sit and reel your line in when a fish is on… sweet – a meal for the family of 4. I have been on fishing trips that we took home 30-50 fish. They were white bass (sand bass) and they were churning the water – and well… what do you do? If you get into that many fish – your having a block party… and we are going to drink your beer. Seriously.
So need yet another reason to be fishing? Free McFish Sandwiches.
Because Face It, You Need To Get Outside
We are killing ourselves everyday because we are slaves to technology. TV, computers, ipods, smart phones – foot massagers… people are not experiencing the things that generations before them lived with on a daily basis. There are people in this world that haven’t EVER been on a camping trip or swam in a river… some people have never fished before. You may be one of those people. If so, I’m sorry. Yet another reason to grab a pole and catch your first fish.
We need to get outside people! It is good for you to get fresh air, get wet… get hot… get cold – feel alive. When you are fishing, you will start to realize how good you have it, and how much you have been taking for granted. Even if it is the central A/C was all you realized you were taking for granted.
Fishing Is Not Just About Fishing
Sit in a bar or cafe near a lake, or maybe a marina cafe – and you will hear stories. Everyone has a story. A fishing story.
Lots of the time, these fishing stories are a lot deeper than the somewhat exaggerated 10 pound monster that broke the pole, that dodged the net, that fought like mad, that finned the brother-in-law, that jumped, that wasn’t a fish at all and of course…
Got away.
Most of these stories, no matter the base – is about family. Or friendship. Some are humorous or intense. But all have something in common… they are memories created with one common denominator – fishing. Even if you didn’t catch the first fish… or biggest – you still have the stories. And what good is life, if you don’t have any stories?
Fishing is more than it seems – get out there and make some stories of your own.
Finally, Something You Can Dominate With Ease – Fish
So your big brother picks on you, or maybe your boss is a real ***hole. Is your landlord always on your case? Well have we got a deal for you. I have never met a fish that talked back. Wait. Catfish will bark at you… no lie, but you know what we mean. You can finally be THE BOSS, even if it is only over a few 14 inch long fishies.
When you catch a big fish, and you outsmart him with your bait… then manhandle him into the boat – there is a feeling of accomplishment. I know your laughing, but seriously – you feel like you could climb a mountain. Ok… maybe not that far, but maybe that you deserve a beer… I mean at least a beer. You showed that fish who was boss and that you will NOT be dominated by a fish.
You owe it to yourself to feel that feeling. Or at least that is what we think.
So… hopefully you are ready to go fishing. If you have your own reasons why you love to fish – please add it in our comments section. We want to hear your stories and why you think everyone should at least try fishing once.
If you enjoyed this post, please share it… with you cousin, mother – brother, sister, wife, husband, mailman, chef, bartender, gardener, son’s t-ball coach, his mom, their dentist, his brother, or anyone else you seem to think should see why we think they should be fishing.
Great post! I love fishing but sadly only go a couple times a year when I visit my mom. They fish all the time. We do mostly sit by the edge of a lake with our poles in the water – sometimes we take the boat out.
I like fishing because it brings back memories from when I was a kid; we went fishing at our cabin and also crabbing off Puget Sound docks late at night. Those were great times.