Why do we fish?

[Duriensbane]

Therapy. My father drank himself to death, but always talked about how he wanted to go to streams with a fly rod and belly crawl up to them to find fish. I bought him a set up, rod, reel, line, waders and it sat, still in the package for years. After he passed, I just told myself, Im going to do it, im going to learn and im going to all these creeks that have fish in them. So, I did. June of 2023, i went to a creek with a rod after a few youtube videos and after 2 trips, i caught my first trout (image below).Did learn a few things since then as this little guy was caught on a 7wt rod with 7x tippet. Since then i took a deep dive into it, bought more gear then im willing to admit to, and i go out as often as time allows. Im currently on the chase for my first wild 20+ but since I have taken a keen liking to nymphing, size is less of a concern till i get better with a streamer.

 

[brookiefan]

To The Sasquatch, I think you"re doing fine. A well known outdoor writer once said, " If you're not a curmudgon by the time you're 50, you're either simple, or you haven't been paying attention".

 

[Oregon_OwlII]

Like alongside an old steel mill? 🙂

or a crayon factory?

 

[DomR]

To quote Robert Traver “Because in a world where most men seem to spend their lives doing what they hate, my fishing is at once an endless source of delight and an act of small rebellion.”

Fishing is something I did with my family since I was a 6 year old, many of them are no longer here but fishing still brings me to them, I carry them a stream with me every time I’m out.

I also fish cause it one of the activities g the hat brings me clarity. My thoughts are my own there. It becomes therapeutic, a medicine for my soul.

Plus it’s damn fun to me and I like catching fish.

 

[wgmiller]

It's as simple as following one of our most innate human instincts, which is to explore and see what's out there. Seeing new water, a new town, a new area, what size/type of fish are in the water, etc., etc. are all a part of that exploration. Even if one is fishing familiar water, unless they have fished it ad nauseam, it still offers up surprises and unknowns. That's one of the biggest reasons I fish - because I don't have all the answers and I never will. Each cast made and fish landed gives me another piece of the puzzle that I'll never be able to complete. And that's what makes it fun and keeps me coming back for more.

 

[Cessicah]

Man, I hear ya. For me, it's the peace and quiet. Getting away from the noise is huge. Plus, there's something about the challenge, the hunt, you know? It's a good way to clear my head.

 

[Zipper]

To boldly go where no one's gone before.

 

[salmo]

I have a hard time saying exactly why I like it so much. It seems like a never ending learning experience I guess. Mostly it is just plain fun. I caught my first trout on a Royal Coachman wet fly from some variety pack of flies I bought at a discount store. I was using my super heavy duty South Bend fly rod with a piece of heavy mono knotted to the fly line. Remember feeding out line beacause I had no idea how to cast. I just got fly out there and twitched it back and it worked. I was 15 and had no one to teach me. I have been hooked ever since.

My first trout on a fly was a stocker beat up brown on a coachman wet on the Francis Branch about 50 years ago on an Eagle Claw fiberglass spin/fly 5 wt rod. Magic.

 

[wildtrout2]

My first trout on a fly was a stocker beat up brown on a coachman wet on the Francis Branch about 50 years ago on an Eagle Claw fiberglass spin/fly 5 wt rod. Magic.

I remember my first trout on a fly as well. It was also about 50 years ago, on Mill Creek. A stocker brown, on a muskrat nymph that I just plopped right in front of him. I guess he just got tired of looking at it. 🙂

 

[jifigz]

Guys, I gotta tell ya, I'm getting the itch to fish. Methinks I'll share an adventure with you all here soon.

 

[nymphingmaniac]

got my plans for Friday. Looks like it will be warm enough (>34) for my Jan 1 tradition too