One of the questions that can be hard to answer aside from “tell me about yourself” is “what is your hobby?” If we ask this question to a 7-year-old, they can probably answer you instantly with full of excitement. But if you ask this to a 25-year-old who is busy working and still trying to figure things out, you might even get a pause followed by an “I’m not quite sure.”
With all the hustle and bustle around us, it can be hard to make time for the things we like. If you’re one of the few adults who knows what their hobbies are, congrats! A lot of people are still figuring it out. Some don’t even have the luxury to do so.
One of the hobbies people recommend for people who need a break is to try fishing. The Cambridge dictionary defines an angler as a person whose hobby is to catch fish. There are also a lot of people who disliked the idea of fishing. But then, it instantly became their favourite hobby in the world after trying it for the first time.
It can be confusing for people who haven’t tried fishing yet why others find it fun. Others are surely intrigued by why a lot of people love it so much. Is it the view that they get to enjoy while waiting for a catch? Is it the fishing equipment that excites them? The reasons are endless. In this article, let’s discuss six reasons why anglers find fishing fun.
1. Being outdoors is a great stress reliever.
People often advise you to ‘get moving’ or ‘go outside’ when you’re feeling blue. Aside from being outdoors, fishing allows you to spend time with nature, too. If you live in a city, it would be great to travel and indulge in nature during your free time.
It’s rare to find a fishing area within a city. Usually, you’ll have to do a quick trip to find one. Also, wouldn’t it be fun to take a break from urban life? Not only will you have a great view of the waters – but also relieve some stress by getting to know nature more.
2. Fishing gives you quiet time and allows you to drift from your buzzing thoughts.
They say that fishing relieves stress. How? Aside from being outdoors, the hobby itself gives you some quiet time that you rarely experience in the city. Even if you were to go fishing with your family and friends, the activity itself promotes serenity. It’s as if the silence wouldn’t be awkward at all because the activity is calming.
If you feel like you need a break from your thoughts, or simply want a quiet time, try fishing. Just because it’s mostly a passive activity doesn’t mean it’s not fun. You might be surprised how you get to bond with your family and friends over silence while hoping for a good catch.
3. It’s a good bonding experience whether you’re doing it alone or with your family and friends.
Nowadays, people promote and value self-care. If you’ve been looking for an activity where you can bond and get to know yourself better, maybe fishing can help you. Since you get to have some quiet time, you get to clear your thoughts. When your thoughts are clear, you get to understand and comprehend things logically.
Fishing may be passive, but your clear thinking skills will surely be activated. Hence, you get to bond with yourself. Also, if you’re going fishing with your family and friends, you get to bond with them. With fishing, you get to travel; catch up with them; bond over food; learn to be patient while hoping to get something out of your bait.
4. Fishing helps you practice being patient.
Since fishing is mostly a passive activity, it’s important to be patient. Patience is a valuable skill that can help you in a lot of areas in your life. There’s a saying that ‘patience is the key.’ That is certainly true when it comes to fishing.
Fishing is fun because it can help you appreciate the process of waiting. If you’re lucky to catch a fish, you tend to be more appreciative of it. Aside from being skilful and smart with your fishing equipment and strategies, patience will help you enjoy the activity itself. After all, fishing is all about preparing, attracting, waiting, and hopefully enjoying what you catch.
5. It’s thrilling to anticipate and hope for a catch.
Another fun thing about fishing is the thrill that it gives you. Even though you just sit all day, you also anticipate and hope that your patience will pay off. Also, isn’t it exciting to anticipate what type of fish you’ll get? Even if you don’t get to catch something, the thrill never leaves you. It will stay with you until you get to catch your first one.
Even experienced and long-time anglers still find fishing exciting. Their anticipation never wavers because they say that it’s different each time you fish. Some days you get nothing, while there are days when you catch one — and it instantly makes up for all the days you failed to get even a seaweed.
6. It’s fun to get to know more about fishing equipment and get the best ones that can help you in fishing.
There are also a lot of people whose interest in fishing started with boating. One day they’re just looking for some boat accessories. Then, the next thing they know is that they’re now browsing through different fishing equipment.
If you love boating, it’s almost impossible not to like fishing, too. A lot of people find joy in trying, finding, and collecting the best fishing equipment that would help them have their first or even best catch. It truly gives you the same levels of excitement and happiness art collectors feel when they find a rare and exclusive painting.
Also, trying out different fishing equipment helps them practise and hone their fishing skills.
If you’re curious, try it out. You might find yourself enjoying it more than you imagine.
The six reasons I shared above are just some of the many reasons why anglers find fishing fun. It can be hard to appreciate it just by reading and watching other people’s experiences. If you’ve been wondering about it for quite some time now, try it out. You might just find yourself with a hobby that you enjoy more than you can ever imagine.
Photo by Andrey Trusov from Unsplash
Written by Bianca Banda