Does fishing make you happy?

[b1gf1sh1]

 Quote:

I’m sure we can all agree that we do it because it makes us happy

this would be a toughy but i've considered this same, pondered it, and came up with this. i was once happy when i fished, then ecstatic(sp?), then it just became a way of life. eat, sleep, fish or do something that involves fishing to improve my fishing experience. i was a pretty darn good pool player, i gave it up one day when i realized it was taking fishing time away. gave up partying for the same. same to giving up softball, several relationships, romantic or otherwise, movies theaters, golf, everything else is gone. most everybody i know tells me i should get a life and explore. i've done alot of things and none of it kept my interest like fishing. i figure, should i continue doing things that bore me. fishing is the only activity that makes me feel complete. so my answer is i feel complete when fishing or doing any fishing related activity, whether alone, or with many. does'nt matter. nice post dtro thanks.

[Scott M]

I've thought about this many times and I believe even posted once or twice about the hierarchy of development of a sportsmen, as described in “The Hunter; Developmental Stages and Ethics,” published by Riverbend Publishing, in Helena, Montana. Norton collaborated with Jackson at Wisconsin-LaCrosse to study some 5000 WI sportsmen about their satisfaction in outdoor pursuits. Just to refresh, I'll give a little info:

1) Shooter/Greenhorn Angler: subject wants to take the shot or just get out and use the equipment. If any game is collected is means little.

2) Limit Stage: subject is only satisfied with a limit or a filled tag

3) Trophy Stage: subject is looking for a large specimen, only big fish or game count. Subject may travel far and wide for trophy opportunities.

4) Method Stage: subject places high priority on the method of taking fish and game, whether it is handicapping oneself by using a bow instead of a gun, or fly fishing instead of using spinning gear. Taking game is secondary, it has to be done on subject's terms. The equipment or method of obtaining fish or game is most important.

5) Sportsman Stage: The "self-actualization stage." Hunters/anglers "mellow out." The enjoy the total hunting or fishing experience. Being in the field or on the lake, enjoying the company of friends and family, and seeing nature outweigh the need for taking game or fish. Not all hunters go through all the stages, or go through them in that particular order. It is also possible for hunters and anglers who pursue several species of game or fish to be in different stages with regard to each species. Some have said that good role model sportsmen, advanced training, and involvement and reading on their hobby helped them pass more quickly through the stages.

I can see myself in various stages of Hunter/Angler ethos depending on the species. When I have experienced every rung of the ladder I will happily end a total Sportsman. Even when I've fished with some of the oldest anglers I know, they still want to catch fish. But just going definitely has the most powerful meaning to them.

I'm not sure I ever thought I'd be happy if I could just go wherever and fish by myself, but I can thankfully say I'm not some hermit that wants to live by himself and catch many and large fish and keep them to himself. That'd be a fast way to die cold and alone. Rich in fishing and poor in friendship, no way to go through life. I would rather be rich in friendship and poor in fishing. Luckily through dedication to both I think I've found a good balance in the two. I believe sharing really is important to me and to enjoying the whole experience. It's really not that often that I fish or hunt alone anymore. No one is there to experience it with you, so to me there is something less in the whole experience. It can also be a safety factor. I've made many new friends through outdoor pursuits and many more are on the way. Without sharing those experiences, where would I be? We don't fish to feed our mouths, we fish to feed our souls.

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At the same time, I believe you could spin this thread and say, is fishing too important in my life? We often joke about how we spend so much time on fishingminnesota, that we got away from our wives(for the men) for awhile, that we spent too much at Cabelas, etc. You only get so many hours on this planet, and although I love fishing and hunting, I don't want to give up too much. I love my wife and family and friends, I love sports, I love my other hobbies, I love my pets, and some day in the future I will have kids to love too. My fishing and hunting time, which occupies many weekends and holidays, is great but isn't my only source of happiness, and I think its important that it isn't anyone's sole source of joy.

good post dtro, I guess we all need to be psychoanalyzed now.

[Sandmannd]

I rarely fish by myself. Just don't care for it. There are times when it's nice to get out on the lake by myself to clear my head, but I prefer to have someone with me more often then not. Shooting the breeze, sharing stories, that's the fun in fishing for me. I couldn't last long on a spot day after day, with no one to share it with.

[tacklejunkie]

i live for fishing. i dont really hunt nor ice fish but open water fishing is my true love. i love fishing with my kids and my oldest son and i have an alaska halibut and salmon trip this summer, a grad present. i love watching a summer sunrise while trolling lake superior. i love getting up at the lodge on LOTW on opening morning, the anticipation. i love the preperation of sitting in my boat in my driveway while i lure up my trolling rods. i love going to tacklestores....

[Grant]

da_chise- thank you for your latest post, that sums up the paradigm shift that sportsmen(and women ) go thru as they develop in the sport as well as anything I've ever read.

that being said, I can identify with the stages with absolute clarity. I can definitely say that I'm at the fifth stage, having reached the point where I'm just as content as anything to throw out a crawler under a bobber and listen to the water as anything else. I still enjoy trying out new methods and techniques certainly, however I've taken to heart the sentiment of "there ain't no such thing as a bad day fishing" irregardless of whether or not I actually catch anything. I'd say I'm also pretty much in the same place with deer hunting, whereas I usually take a deer or two each year (I hunt area 157, intensive harvest) I wouldn't loose any sleep over it if I didn't. Just soaking in the woods is worth the price of admission.

Does fishing make me happy? You bet your bippy it does. Alone or with others, single species targeted or whatever's biting, hardcore intensity or just keeping my kid's hooks baited, it makes me happy like few other things in life do. Fishing is my Zen, my meditation, that allows me to let all the stress and strain of everyday life just float away. So to answer Dtro's question, the Uber-fishery that must remain secret would be fun as well. That situation would likely become a quest to master every aspect of the fishery, from the species contained within to the nuances of every bit of habitat. My wife gives me heck about the amount of time I spend (or want to spend) on the water, but I know she appreciates the way it levels my rough edges out in the end.

[OneWay]

We have a group of 3 couples that will be making our 9th trip for a week of fishing in Canada this year. The fishing is great, but the friendship, fun, laughter and lifetime memories that are shared time & time again are what makes the trip a "mountain top" experience. I live for this one week and dream and plan for it the other 51 weeks of the year. No it is not the fishing, rather the shared experience that makes me happy!

[Iambjm]

I really enjoy open water fishing alone, it also gives me the time to unload all my daily stresses and troubles. To me there is nothing more serene and calming as the sun coming up over a foggy lake and the loons calling out to each other. I especially love going out on a fall day when all the trees are blazing with color. This is my time to talk to all my long passed friends and relatives, I can't do that in public cause then people will know I am crazy. I had a dear friend that we used to go fishing with, he was fun because he truly loved fishing. He wasn't into the biggest, the most, who caught it first, but you could tell he fished because it made him happy.

Ice fishing is a different thing, I like company then. I did a lot of ice fishing alone this winter as the hubby couldn't always go with me because of his health. I used to fish with him and a friend and it was fun, but it is not the same when I am alone. I guess I just have to meet some new friends to fish with. I have met one since we moved here and it is a blast to fish with him, but we don't get to fish together too often. I caught very little this winter, but most of the time when I went I was happy.

[Stick in Mud]

I think the great thing about fishing is that it is one of the few things that can be done both alone and in a group--and it's usually never so frenetic that people can't actually talk to each other.

And sometimes when you are with someone, each of you is sitting quietly, thinking his or her own thoughts, with no need to speak. And then sometimes when you are alone, well at least when I'm alone, I'm talking to people as if they were still alive, saying things I should have said long ago, or apologizing for stupid things I've done, or just remembering long-gone joys, so that the word "alone" doesn't really describe the experience. At least for me.

[yourresort]

I love to fish. By myself, With my son & daughters, with my dad, with my father-in-law, with my cousin(s), with my friend(s), with my favorite fishing guide. It gives me great joy.

BUT, I have the privelege of seeing people come in from fishing every day from Opener until October and it is great pleasure to see the joy on their face. Some who are out for the 10,000+ time and have just missed another trophy, some who have just caught their first (little Perch); but all have that same joy on their face. I have come to realize that the pursuit of fish is not just the pursuit of Happiness, it is the acheivement of Happiness. Seeing and helping people in this pursuit gives me greater joy than the pursuit itself. (Or at least similar happiness!)

[chris63]

I saw the movie your speaking of.The actual novel is a better account of his "real"thoughts.In answer to your question,fishing makes me extremely happy.I should add it can be challenging at times,never the less,still fun!c63

[ripstick]

I dont know for sure if happy is the right word. I guess one could say content, at peace,ok maybe happy to. There was a time getting out by 6 am some leeches a slip bobber. Just putting feet up on the side of the boat. Yeah peacefull could be happy. The big thing is getting out with good people, good fishing are what good stories are made of.Get out get fish relax. Good luck.

[analyzer]

It's interesting. I like both golf and fish, and often cannot decide between the two on any given beautiful day.

I know this. I do NOT like to golf alone. I basically won't. I like to do many things by myself, but golf isn't one of them.

I will often however, fish by myself.

I guess for me, the difference lies in what Grant said. Fishing is an escape for me. It's my time to get away from all those other stresses in life.

My favorite place in the whole world, is the bwca. There's no cell phones, no rush hour, no honey do list, no worries about the economy, no email, no stress... i leave it all behind.

I have a job that affords me some "me time" anytime I want it. I often throw the pole in the back and take a 45 minute break in the middle of the day, just to throw a line.

It's not about catching fish anymore... it's about escaping the daily grind. For those few precious moments, it's breathing fresh air, listening to the birds and the waves, smelling nightcrawlers, and leaves, and 2 stroke motors in the water... i love that smell, and all of my primary concerns just melt away.

I find myself reflecting about my relationship with my wife, when I'm out fishing... well, right up until that little tick comes on the end of my rod... then there's nothing that matters except my focus on the other end of my line.

I can have all kinds of stresses, and when I cast that line, they all seem to fade.

For me it doesn't matter if I'm fishing with someone or not. I enjoy both. I tend to fish shorter sessions when I'm alone, but it's all good.

There are many times when I am fishing, whether I'm catching something or not, for a little while I find myself saying, it doesn't get any better than this.

Now I say that on a nice 70 degree day in golf too, but then I dunk one in the water, and hit the next one OB, and as I'm hitting "5" off the tee... I'm all frustrated...

I don't get that way fishing.

Fishing doesn't make me happy, it makes me stress free for a while, and I love that... it's truly a drug for me.

When you get into a hot bite, do you really care about anything other than whats going on with your bait? I didn't think so.