Why do we fish?

What makes fishing great?  Is it catching a lot of big fish? Is the weather? Having the right equipment? The perfect picture? Most want to catch fish whenever they venture out, but is there more to it?

Fishing is not my profession; it’s my passion and escape from the daily stresses we all experience.  When I venture out on the water, something dynamic changes within me.  I no longer think about writing work reports, responding to emails, or being late to mind-numbing meetings.  I’m entirely in the moment strategizing my plan of attack on a group of fish ignorant of my skills.  

Fishing is a series of decisions that ultimately puts fish in the boat or sends us home with our tail between our legs. There are so many options it’s sometimes hard to decide. Where will the bass be today: tight to cover, roaming, or feeding on bait?  What wing dam holds walleyes, and are they hitting crankbaits, plastics, or spoons?  Are the crappies hanging in the trees, and do I need to go after them early? Is the wind too strong to fish main channel timber? Would a quiet backwater tree be best?

Sometimes you just have to get out there.

Recently, Niki and I hit the water early in the afternoon for a hot fall bite and to record an Angler X video. I left work early, and Niki packed the sandwiches and had the boat ready. With no delay, we were on the water and fishing.  Decision-making time: should we fish shallow weeds for bass and pike, chase schooling crappie, or take a chance at finding some aggressive fall perch?

Decision made, bass and pike, it is!  We tried several spots for most of the afternoon to no avail.  The sun was setting soon, and we were striking out. We only had time for one more spot. 

A couple of casts in the new spot, and I get a tap on my plastic swimmer.  Did I imagine it? I reel back.

Another cast into the water.

Tap.

I set the hook, but instead of lifting my hands in celebration, I lift them to protect myself from my fish-less hook flying back at me.

Looking into the water, I see a nice-sized perch following my bait for bass.  It’s time to switch gears and downsize my bait.  A few moments later, I was hooked on a good perch. 

Niki held tight to her desire to catch a pike, but the more fish I pulled in, the harder it was for her to deny we were on a great perch bite! She downsized as well and enjoyed the action alongside me.   

The sun was setting behind a bluff of peak fall colors. A pink, orange, and blue sky reflected off the dancing river. Cameras were running, conditions were perfect, and the perch were big and colorful.   

This is going to be a great video, I thought. 

We proceeded to catch many perfect perch for the remainder of the evening.  The sun began to set as we recorded an outro to our video filled with laughter and joy. We planned for a quick cleanup, and a sunset boat ride back to the landing. 

“This is weird,” – Niki said.

I turned and looked at her, perplexed by my camera. My stomach turned. I knew, somehow, I knew.

The camera didn’t shut down properly.  The footage from this epic evening was lost.  I was quickly grumpy and disappointed. 

Niki noticed my mood change and did what she does best.  She looks for the positive and moves away from the negative. 

“I guess this experience was just for us to enjoy. We had a great night, and we should be thankful for that,” she proclaimed. 

She was right.  This was a fantastic evening with my favorite person; nothing can change that. 

This is why we go fishing.  It’s the adventure, the decision-making, the ups and downs, and most importantly, the time we spend with good friends and loved ones. 

Talk soon, Angler X