My Favorite Fishing Allure

The sun is peeking through the window, gently reminding me I over slept! As the fog dissipates in my brain, the panic begins to materialize. I’m Late! Sitting up in bed, running through my mind what needs to be done; Make Coffee, Feed the Dog and Let Him Out, Brush my teeth…. To heck with that, I should be on the water instead of getting my happy butt out of bed late. I’m Late! All right, get dressed, let the dog out (we don’t want no stinkin messes). Better feed him, I don’t want him to bite me when I get back either. Coffee hmmm…oh well twist my arm; Starbucks it is. What else? Backpack, fishing vest, license, main rod, extra rod (just in case one breaks), water, snacks, hat and sunscreen. Sounds close enough to me, I gotta go!

Stop everything!!!!!!!! This is supposed to be a relaxing, what is going on here?

The truth is fishing is one of the most enjoyable and relaxing sports I have found. Here in Southern California there are miles and miles of accessible coastline begging to be explored and fished. With our mild weather you can fish nearly year around. Obviously some periods are better than others spring, summer and fall being the best times. With winter being a little less fruitful.

Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~Henry David Thoreau

So what is it that drives people to get up at the crack of dawn and stand in or near the surf to go fishing? For me it is not just catching fish, it is a way to clear my mind of the daily sensory overload we all deal with. It can be big things or small things but when you are fishing all those things melt away and it is simply you trying to catch a fish, the elusive little creatures they are. Maybe it goes back to some primeval hunter gather thing, I am not really sure. The fact for me is, there is a great amount of peace attained while striving to catch fish. And once a fish is hooked nothing else matters, not the people walking around you, not the wind on your face or the sun in your eyes. It is just you and that fish, trying to keep him on the hook while the surf is breaking, keeping your line tight but not breaking it. Timing each wave perfectly until you see that fish come to the shore. Then as quickly and gently as possible pick the fish up remove the hook and release him back to be caught another day. How can you not smile? It is impossible!

The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope. ~John Buchan