Fishing is not for everybody, but if you’re a nature-loving type, then this is an experience you need to have in your life. If that’s the case, but you never tried fishing because you think it’s boring, you don’t know what you are missing.
Being out in the water, enjoying the sounds of nature, and being at peace with your mind is a feeling you can’t compare to anything else. To add to it, the excitement when you get your first big catch is terrific, and it never wears off, no matter how many times it happens after that.
If you need a little nudge to see just how fun fishing can be, here are twelve reasons why fishing is even more fun than you think.
1. It’s a great stress relief
Our everyday lives nowadays are much more stressful than ever before. The constant availability of information makes you obligated to be “in the loop” all the time and keep up with all the trends that seem to change daily.
We live life at a much higher pace, making it all the more stressful. That’s why fishing can prove to be so much fun.
It’s a great way to relieve the stress of everyday life and simply enjoy some peaceful time in nature. There are no car horns, no due dates, no bills, and no traffic jams. It’s just you, your rods, and the fish.
Of course, if you enjoy some company on your trip, it’s more than welcome, but as far as the stress relief goes, no activity is better than fishing in solitude.
Many psychologists recommend fishing as one of the best therapies for dealing with stress, even after highly stressful and traumatic events, such as the death of a relative or divorce.
After all, everybody needs some peace and quiet from time to time, and going fishing will reduce your anxiety and reenergize you completely.
2. Excitement
It might not seem like it at first glance, but boy, can fishing be exciting! Every spot is an entirely new experience: a river, a stream, a pond, a lake, or the sea, be it on a boat, a pier, or sitting onshore. To add to it, every spot provides numerous options on how to fish, depending on what kind of fish you want to catch.
You can go fly-fishing or regular fishing. You can choose to catch baitfish and smaller species or go for a larger rod to catch giants. Oh, not to mention different baits and lures, such as blinkers, wobblers, etc. There’s also natural and artificial bait, deep and shallow waters, and so much more.
The stuff you can try out and the combinations you can test are endless, which provides a whole lot of excitement for every fishing enthusiast out there. And we haven’t even got to the best part – the thrill of the catch.
If you are a complete beginner, catching even the smallest baitfish can be super exciting. That is if you’re not one of those people that are disgusted by touching the fish and taking it off the hook (if you are, fishing is not for you).
Now, imagine your first big catch and the excitement of the struggle to get it out of the water. Fish are surprisingly strong, and we learned that the hard way.
Our first big catch was at a European river catching catfish. However, a 6-kilogram bass caught our hook and pulled one of us soo hard that the guy fell into the water flat on his stomach. We were able to hold on, and we struggled for a good 15 minutes. Don’t judge; we were beginners, and it was our first catch over 2 kilograms.
We were ecstatic for days, showing photos to everybody we knew. It wasn’t before we started bragging to more experienced anglers that we realized we haven’t even seen anything. Every time you get a bite, the excitement kicks in like it’s the first time. You always hope it’s a giant, and you never lose that hope, even if it almost never is.
It’s so much fun, especially when you have to put tons of effort to get the fish out. My record catch is a 50-kilogram catfish, but it’s nothing compared to what we’ve seen fellow fishers pull out. We know we’ll get there someday, and even when we do get there, the excitement for more will never end.
3. Socializing
One of the main reasons why people find fishing boring is the waiting. Sometimes, it can take hours for a fish to bite, and even then, it’s not rare to lose them. But what if we told you that the hourly waiting between bites is actually the most fun part?
Socializing with friends and family is also a great thing about fishing. Some of our fondest memories come from going fishing with our grandfathers when were young. We never used a rod, but it was fun being there with him and his friends, listening to old stories, and getting fired up when somebody gets a bite.
You will meet a lot of interesting people that share the same interests as you. Sometimes it gets competitive (which is yet another thing we enjoy a lot), but there’s always this unspoken friendship and camaraderie between fellow fishers. Many guys that we call our closest friends today are guys that we’ve met when going on fishing trips.
You will learn more about fishing, nature, and the environment surrounding you. We are outdoor persons, and we need to spend time in nature, away from the concrete and crowds surrounding us in the metropolitan area. If you are similar, the following reason won’t be a surprise for you.
4. Spending time in nature
Being in nature has a profound therapeutic effect on human beings. Sure, some people don’t like nature and being surrounded by wildlife, bugs, and other creatures. Still, nothing can compare to the peace of sitting on a riverbank at the edge of a forest, listening to the running water, the wind, and the birds chirping.
And, when you do that for hours at a time, you can truly experience how fantastic nature is. We’ve witnessed owls hunting on small forest rodents, and fish bursting out of the water and onto the shore while trying to catch smaller fish. We even saw eggs hatch in a bird’s nest once, and it’s just magnificent.
We don’t mind the “bad” stuff, such as insects, etc. It’s all a part of being one with nature, and if you love spending time outdoors, away from our hectic everyday life, try fishing. You might find a new passion you never knew you had.
5. Enjoying your solitude
Hey, introverts. If you have trouble finding amusement among things that extroverted people enjoy, such as going to bars or hanging out at a club, going fishing can be something perfectly designed for you. You can enjoy your solitude and clear your mind completely, enjoying your comfort zone and having fun doing it.
Of course, it can be a whole lot of fun for other people too. Everybody needs a moment sometimes. Solitude can help you think clearly and make rational decisions, so fishing can be great when you need to make confident essential life choices or if you simply want to be left alone and enjoy your own company for a while.
That’s what’s great about fishing. If you enjoy hanging out with people and socializing, call your buddies to accompany you on a fishing trip. If you want to be alone, you can still have fun and enjoy the time spend on the water alone.
6. Catching your food
Doesn’t a home-grown tomato always taste a bit better than the store-bought ones? That’s because you cultivated it yourself, and it feels more personal.
The same thing goes with fishing. It’s just another dimension when you catch and prepare your food. Fishing allows you to do that without constantly eating the same thing over and over again.
On one fishing trip, go for lower sinkers and bottom-feeder baits, such as worms. If you want to catch a more active predator fish, go for live bait, such as smaller baitfish. When you get tired of fish, you can try out clam or crab hunting. Squids are also highly popular. Whatever you choose, it will be beneficial for you.
You can rest assured that your meal is fresh and that it doesn’t contain any unnatural substances, such as preservatives, etc. You can never be sure with store-bought fish. Finally, it will save you quite some money if you don’t have to buy your meals every now and then and catch it yourself.
7. Sense of achievement
Maybe others that aren’t into fishing that much won’t understand what you accomplished, but catching a big fish always comes with a sense of achievement for whoever caught it, and you’ll be no different. It’s not as easy as it seems, and anybody who ever tried fishing knows that.
Share your experience and achievements with other anglers. But, even if you don’t share it with anybody, you’ll have fun and appreciate every second of effort you needed to complete a catch, especially under harsh conditions, such as strong wind, rain, rough terrain, fast currents, etc.
8. Fishing as a fun family activity
If you’re planning a weekend getaway with your entire family, including your kids, a fishing trip is never a bad idea. Fishing will be fun for your children too.
Give them a rod without a wheel to catch small baitfish in the shallows while you deal with the real stuff. They will have so much fun and get excited after every single catch.
Fishing can be a great way to spend some quality time with your family. Make a picnic out of it. Start a campfire and roast some fish you’ve caught together on sticks.
Immerse them in the whole fishing and camping experience. If you teach your children to love nature and animals, they will be more loving and nurturing towards humans, too.
9. Fishing teaches you patience
Are you the type of person that gets super agitated if they have to wait in line? Or the kind of person that gets really mad when somebody is a few minutes late?
Well, you might have an issue with your patience, and fishing will surely help you learn how to be more patient and let things happen naturally, without a rush.
As we said before, fishing includes a lot of sitting and waiting for something to happen. There’s no way, nor will there ever be a way to speed up the process.
You can throw food, baits, and whatnot in the water, but it won’t make the fish bite faster. Patience is the key to a happy life, and as soon as you can understand that, the better.
10. Fishing keeps you physically active
One other great thing about fishing (especially with older individuals) is the fact that it keeps you physically active. You need to get to your spot, cast the rods, pull out the fish, and many more things that keep you engaged.
Some research suggests that you can burn about 500-1000 calories from a day of fishing, which is not a bad amount considering all the sitting you’ll do.
Also, fishing will help you retain and improve motoric abilities. Tying tiny knots and loops is excellent to improve hand dexterity, both for older and younger anglers.
11. The thrill of competition
There’s nothing better than some friendly fishing competition, especially if your colored friends are fishing like you, too. It’s always about who’s got the latest bragging rights between our friends and us.
Although we usually go fishing together and enjoy the fun time spent together, there’s always this little competitive spirit around us that makes everything much more enjoyable.
Who can cast the farthest? Who caught the biggest catch? We a super competitive, and we love this side of fishing, too. If you’re not, and you don’t enjoy the competition that much, you can simply go alone or keep your scores to yourself. Hey, anything that makes you happy isn’t wrong!
12. It’s fun that requires low expenses
Get a fishing rod, some bait, and a chair, and you’re good to go. Of course, you can buy millions of pieces of equipment, but it’s not necessary to have everything to enjoy fishing.
And, once you get everything initially, the expenses of a fishing trip are meager. The most expensive part is the permit, but you can get one at your local authorities’ office in no time.