“I don't go fishing to escape my life. I go fishing to live my life.” (RespecttheFish)
When it comes to what centers and relaxes my
wife and I, we are as different as night and day. I feel competent when I am
writing for this blog. Plus I enjoy it. With my instrumental hymn music as a
quiet whisper in the background, I am ready to minister as God wants me to.
On the other hand, Bobbi needs a relaxation outlet
from her at-home high-stress upper management job. Fishing practically every
Saturday with our friends, Tom and Juli Critser, and their big black puppy,
Bella, provides the respite she needs to deal with her challenging work and
family life. The goal and enjoyment of this sport is the pursuit of catching the
fish. This is exactly why grilling fish never happens because the fish are
thrown back in the water (and possibly a smartphone picture will commemorate
the moment).
If you happen to be a beginner in the sport
of fishing, here are some important points to keep in mind:
1. Always use new hooks and/or sharpen your
old hooks.
2. Be conscious of the tides and currents.
3. Choose a fishing line wisely.
4. Choose your lure shapes and sizes wisely
so that they match the kind of fishing you are doing.
5. Do your pre-fishing research.
6. Many species of fish bite best right at
dawn and dusk in ambient sunlight.
7. Get fishing gear that appropriately size
to the fish you're pursuing.
8. If you are trolling, make sure your
lures are swimming in a lifelike manner.
9. Match your lure to the water color.
10. Use a scale to set your reel's drag.
Fishing is
important because of the vital life lessons it teaches both children adults.
Here are a few of those lessons:
Master problem-solving: Take any successful individual, and you’ll see
someone who is not afraid to face problems. The ability to anticipate possible
issues and finding ways to overcome them is essential in any endeavor. Fishing
can provide a lesson like this. While many may see fishing as a random act of
throwing a line, there are a lot of components that affect a successful
outcome. The weather, type of lure, time of day is some of these key factors
that need to be considered. In short, fishing allows you to problem-solve to make
things work out.
The merits of competition: Competition is at the heart of fishing. Even if
you’re alone, you could be competing with yourself and your past record.
Additionally, you can turn fishing activity into a competition. Make a race to
be the first to catch a fish, or the most fish. By indulging in healthy
competition, you will learn to focus your energy and do better by improving
your performance.
The pain of loss: No matter the pursuit, things will not always go
your way. That’s life. You can see that happen in everything in life. No matter
your level of patience, sometimes the day won’t end up with a fish in hand.
It’s possible. By going through this process, you learn that sometimes you need
to learn to walk away empty-handed. By accepting loss and moving forward still,
you strengthen themselves in the process.
The patience to persevere: All the great things that anyone can achieve in life
require a long-term commitment. Without patience, one’s ability to succeed may
not happen. What’s worse is society is so focused on getting results instantly.
With our appetite for high-speed internet, people have the tendency to get sluggish
and annoyed if things don’t happen instantly. To be successful in fishing, one
needs to be patient. For instance, it may take hours before a fish would bite.
And even when that happens, things could still go wrong pretty fast. Fishing teaches
that quitting is not an option if you want to be successful.
The presence of mind: Call it a mental exercise if you will but you have to be mentally present to succeed in fishing. If you are thinking of something else, your chances of catching a fish lessen. It’s also a great way to relax and not over-worry. By focusing on the present and not worrying about life’s troubles, you can perform better. Making a habit of fishing should put things in order the way they should be.
“It’s better to be
sitting in a boat thinking about God than it is to be sitting in a church
thinking about fishing.” (DrowningWorms.com/Fishing-Quotes)[i]
[i] Adapted from:
· “How to Fish: Fishing Tips for Beginners” by Discover Boating
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| Bobbi showing off one of her fish catches |
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