Just Fishin'

"Drowning worms and killing time, nothing too ambitious."

This line from the chorus of the Trace Adkins song "Just Fishin'" describes why I love fishing so much.

I'm a very competitive person, but sometimes the stress of always trying to be the best at everything (school, sports, etc) add up and I need a way to relax. Fishing is one of those outlets.

I learned how to fish at a very young age, on my grandpa's farm pond. Since then, I've fished everywhere from Hawaii to Alaska and many places in between. I've caught 30lb Halibut and tiny bluegills no bigger than my finger. But all of those fishing outings have had one thing in common. I've loved them all.

I love how fishing can be extremely simple and also incredibly complex. You can spend tons of money to have a guide take you out in the middle of the ocean or you can spend $5 to make a cane pole and catch panfish off a dock.

I love that fishing isn't a competition between people, but rather between you and nature. Sure, there are professional fishing tournaments, and, of course, its always fun to catch more fish than your companions. But when it comes down to it, it's you against the fish, against the elements, against Mother Nature.

I love the primal survival aspect of fishing. Early man first began to fish not for fun but because he needed to eat. Its hard to beat going out with your friends, catching some fish, cleaning them, and finally eating them. For some reason food always tastes better when you have had to work for it.

And finally, I love fishing because its fun. When my life is getting hectic, its nice to just take a break for a few hours, dip my feet in a river, and wet a line.

I have to go to class at 8am Monday and I still have a couple of hours of homework left tonight, but I have a few hours till dark. I think maybe I'll head down to Edinburgh to the Big Blue River and try my luck.