Why Do You Choose to Fish??

  • Thread starter TroutStrike.com
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For me it is why I choose to be outdoors and doing something. I have canoed many more waters where I knew I wasn't going going to catch a trout. I am very content with small smallmouth bass.
 
Because I can.
 
I, of course, don't know how to attach it. But, find Robert Traver's "Testament of a Fisherman," and that will pretty much say it all.
 
I have never come home from a bad day of fishing even if I don't catch anything. Fishing is my place of Zen. Total calm.
 
In my younger days I don't recall anyone feeling the need to justify why they fished.

Now, some people do feel the need.

Which indicates that something has changed.
 
I can tell you my world doesn’t pause because of a caught fish and neither does anyone else’s. Sounds great though. I fish just because it’s something to do and it’s fun.
 
I worship at the Church of the Trout Stream and Salmon River.
 
It starts with liking the outdoors and beautiful wild places. Fishing, hunting, camping, hiking, kayaking, all of them take me to places like that. But so does driving around and looking at pretty overlooks.

Most of the better outdoor pursuits go one step further in forcing you to not just be there and gaze at it, but to UNDERSTAND it. Namely, fishing and hunting require you to dive into the behavior of an animal. Where do they rest, where and what do they eat, what times? Look at the weather, has it rained? How will that affect things?

And well, when it comes down to it, fishing in particular puts me into sort of a total focus trance. I can spend hours upon hours on the water thinking about absolutely nothing except fishing. There's no job, no exes, no kid issues, no relationship, not worrying about dentist appointments or car appointments or any of that crap. All the complications of life fade away and are out of mind, it's just me and water and fish and bugs. Nothing else can do that. Small game hunting came close, but big game hunting, you're on stand and end up with time to think.
 
I don't choose to fish, it's who I am and part of my life same as eating, drinking, sleeping, working. Don't know any other way or care to.
 
I've been doing it since I was a young teen, techniques and types of fishing have changed a lot over the years but it's just a part of who I am. Of course the connection with nature is always great, but the catching of the first fish breaks the ice and has such a positive effect, like a magic pill. Catching an unexpected fish, or a big one leaves a glow that lasts on the trip home and etches a memory. Keeps me coming back. I caught a 19 inch smallie on Memorial day that made all the work worthwhile. I say work because I fish a little too hard sometimes. On that day I had caught 2 dink smallies in about 6 hours, and hooked into the big one paddling back to where I launched. I try to remember just to float for a bit, or if I'm walking to take a break, sit, and just take in the sights and sounds. If I'm not fishing 2 or 3 times a week 10 months out of the year, it's odd. I really detest civilization and the rat race, and as mentioned above, my mind empties while out on the water and the only thing I'm focused on is what I'm doing in the present and my surroundings.
 
For the chicks…..

Because I enjoy it.

Fishing for native trout has taken me to beautiful places I would have never ventured otherwise. Places like Brooks Falls, Tri Basin Divide, Steens Mountains , Hoh River etc.
 
Acristickid said:
For the chicks…..

Because I enjoy it.

Fishing for native trout has taken me to beautiful places I would have never ventured otherwise.
Click to expand...

For a second there I thought you were gonna start naming the greatest hits of PA Striper clubs. ;)

You normally have to go to the NJ or NY shores for those though, when they’re running.
 
The true love of fresh air, relaxation, stimulation and the love of nature. I was taught at an early age that there are two good days when you go fishing - the days you catch fish and the days you don't!

Kim
 
So I can be part of the natural world - even if only for a little while …
 

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