"The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm is terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore." - Vincent Van Gogh
The history of fishing with lines and hooks dates back to about 7,000 years ago. What is so captivating about this sport that has kept us hooked for so many milliennia?
1. Close to nature
In fact, an angler has to be close enough to be able to read the language of nature. You have to be sensitive to the sights and sounds around you, feel where the current flows, study the tides and observe the ever unpredictable weather to help you catch fish. You will have the lush rainforest as your background, listening to the whisper of the distant waterfall with the light fragrance of wet earth lingering around you as you wait for the fish to strike your lure. An experience that we are all looking forward to but yet hard to come by in our modern world.
2. Bonding time
With just you and your son, your friend, or your wife, involved in the same activity in the woods by the river, or on a boat in the middle of the sea, what you have is just each other. There are no disturbances from anyone else, it feels like there are only you and your companion in this world at that moment. Is there any other better way to connect with each other?
3. Alone time
At times when you are fishing alone, your only companion becomes you yourself. This is the time when you connect and understand yourself better. It allows you to keep your mind clear. In fact many anglers feel refreshed and recharged after fishing. We are often tied down with our daily responsibilities and chores which prevents our minds from going into deep thought. This inhibits creativity and lessens productivity. And if you are searching for happiness, to have the ability to spend time alone is the key.
4. Exotic places
Fishing will bring you to many exotic places that you used to only dream of. From hunting Yellowfin tunas beside volcanic islands in the pacific ocean to golden mahseer in the lakes of the Himalayas. These places will awe you with just their spectacular view alone and your experience will be even more memorable when you land your dream fish in a place that is out of this world. When traveling abroad be sure to check information about fishing seasons and useful tips.
5. Fresh seafood
Once you have tried freshly caught fish, you will never want to buy fish from the market anymore. When I say fresh fish, it means fish that was still alive a couple of hours ago and now it is on your dinner plate. The sweetness and tenderness is unmatchable even by the freshest fish you can find in the supermarket. Try it yourself because tasting it speaks a thousand words.
6. Respecting nature
By immersing ourselves in nature, we will learn to understand it more. And the more we understand nature, the more we will treat nature with respect. We will learn to appreciate the little things in life and how to deal with things that do not happen the way we want them to be. For e.g. death means the end of a lifeform but it also marks the birth of a new one. Nature has its remarkable way of balancing this world.
There is a last reason which may be insignificant to some but to me, it is priceless. In my years of fishing, I have seen many sunrises and sunsets and I just cannot get enough of them. The beauty of the sunrises and sunsets are indescribable beyond words, because I feel that any word that I choose will not be sufficient to present the image that I have in my mind, there will always be something lacking. You will just have to found out and discover that feeling yourself.
