Ever wonder why you like fishing so much? I really hadn’t put too much thought into until I was recently asked by a nonfishing friend who noticed my garage was stuffed with tackle. “It’s fun,” I said. Then he rattled off other fun things, like pickleball, poker, going to the movies and golf. “There’s no comparison. Fishing is better,” I replied. Then, like a toddler trying to uncover the darkest secrets of the universe, he came back with a simple, “Why?”
It could have been the bourbon I was sipping at the time, but the question sunk in deeper than he likely intended. I think why we fish is a really important concept to consider, and then reconsider, often. The answer likely changes over time, but asking the question becomes just as important as whatever response is relevant.
Not to get overly philosophical, but Socrates did say that, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” I believe that if we examine our shared passion of chasing our favorite fish around lakes, rivers and streams, we find that it becomes less about the fish and more about what we learn about ourselves during the pursuit.
For example, if I fished in order to feel successful, I would have quit a long time ago. Honestly, I’m not exceptional at the catching part. And because that doesn’t bother me, I know there is another reason I am drawn to the water’s edge. (That said, on the rare occasion I smash them, I let everyone know.)
Do I fish because I want to connect with nature? Sort of. But I love hunting, as well. But when spring comes and the turkeys are gobbling, I’m way more likely to be on the front deck of a boat looking for bedding bass than I am to be propped up against a tree listening for a gobble. I am on the verge of addiction with whitetail hunting. However, I quit going during bow season because the fall bite (especially the spotted bass on Logan Martin Lake and Smith Lake) is simply off-the-chain good in my home state of Alabama.
I don’t really fish for the solitude of it, although I do fish solo quite a bit. I’m typically looking for a partner to join me when I’m ready to wet a line. I love sharing the sport with others, especially young anglers just getting bit by fishing, but that’s also not the primary reason my passion remains. Do I fish because it is somehow buried within my DNA? Maybe my ancestors were seafarers and I’m trying to tap into some ancient calling. Yeah, you’re right, that one’s quite a reach.
My wife thinks I fish for anger management. She has a very valid point. Whenever I’m in a bad mood, she insists I hook up the boat and go get right. A day on the lake certainly floats me to a better place. And I may or may not have faked a bad mood at some point to get a kitchen pass. So, as therapeutic as fishing is, personality improvement isn’t the only reason I go.
I could certainly make the case that I fish to heal. When I received the news that my brother had died several years back, I didn’t call a soul … just went to the nearest body of water to process. That’s where we spent a lot of time together and that’s where I still find him. That said, healing is not the why of it, but simply a result of the action.
Maybe there’s not an exact answer for me … or for you. But, when I search for these fish beneath the water, along with all the other benefits, I often find out something about myself. Perhaps that’s why enough.