What Are You Fishing For?

"Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not the fish they are after."

-Henry David Thoreau

When I was a kid I remember taking a trip to West Point Lake with my parents, aunt and uncle and a few cousins. I believe we were staying at Holiday Campground, but I cannot be certain. My dad and i would get up early every morning and hit the lake and being that dad is one of the greatest fishermen there is, we always caught some fish. We would return to camp and I would immediately head straight to the bank to continue fishing. This one day in particular I had been casting a blue and chrome rattle trap for hours from the bank. The rest of the family were laughing and hanging out around the campsite, but all I could think about was fishing. Growing up, my attention span was quite short, but there was something about fishing that would captivate me to no end. I was relentless in my casting. I remember a small bush sticking out of the water and thinking to myself "there has to be a fish hanging out around that bush". I cast repeatedly on all sides of that bush for what felt like days and finally the rattle of that shiny lure was too much for the big Largemouth sitting nearby. He struck with the force of sea monster and was not going to come in easy. The line darted back and forth as he swept the back pulling out drag as he went. I tried calling for my dad, but there were no words coming out. All I could think about was landing that fish. After a ferocious fight I was able to land the 5 plus pounder and call out to my dad to see the results of my labor. I remember getting their attention and holding that bass up like the Heisman for all to see. My dad came down with the camera to snap some pictures, and capture that incredible moment of my childhood.

This is one of my favorite stories to tell, but not because of my unwavering determination to land the big one, but because of what caught my attention immediately after I caught the bass. As my dad grabbed the camera to head down to where I was, my uncle and cousins grabbed their rods and came to the water. They started casting all over the place with this intense vigor about them that I still see as clear as day. They cast out for about 10 minutes as if they were in the final minutes of a tournament and then reeled in the lines and headed back up to the campsite to sit down and resume their camp lounging. I remember thinking to myself "is that what people think fishing is?" Do the fish start biting and give you a small window to get them while they are eating and if you miss that opportunity then call it a day? At first I was a little mad that they thought that after my countless hours of determination and focus, they could just just come down to the water and ride the shirt tail of my success and then it hit me...they were only in it for the fish. 

That seems logical that you would go fishing for the fish, but that's not how I see it. Sure when you go fishing you want to catch fish, but is that the real reason for spending all that time out on the water? If you only want the fish it would be much easier to go to Kroger and buy as much of it as you want, in the species you want without having to get up early, buy tackle, spend hours throwing a lure in the water only to return home with one or two pounds of fish that ended up costing you about $40 a pound. Fishing is so much more than just fish. It's getting outside in the fresh air and matching wits with nature. It's about relaxing and shaking off the stresses of real life while at the same time hoping you will have the honor to outsmart one of God's creatures in their own environment. 

Every fisherman who takes to the water does so for a different reason. He is a lawyer taking a break from a big case to clear his head and blow off steam. She's a girlfriend wanting to spend time with her significant other, in his world, as he teaches her about how to catch a cold, slimy, smelly animal. He is a father down on his luck and looking to catch anything he can to feed his family, because they could afford a lot of groceries this week. Whatever the incentive, it is rarely about...the fish. 

Washington Irving said "there is certainly something about angling that tends to produce a serenity of the mind" and that is why I go fishing. I can finally feel at peace with the world and my circumstance. I can think without the incessant beating of the drum that is life in a modern age where cell phones and email rule the air waves. Sometimes the only waves I want around me are the waves of a boat gently rocking from side to side as you shift your weight or the ripples produced from a top water strike. There will always be people out there who fish for the fish, but to the rest of us true anglers out there...

What are you fishing for?