My Purpose or Goal in Going Fishing
It seems we fish for an assortment of reasons:
to get away, to find peace, to enjoy nature,
which shouldn’t have anything to do with invidious comparisons
between my catch and others.
Maybe we fish for reasons not even associated with fishing:
drinking, playing cards, enjoying fellow fishermen,
for sociological reasons, you might say.
Some compete with others,
some compete with themselves,
besting yesterdays total, length and weight,
even the biggest on the lightest gear,
or just for the dinner table.
I would suggest for the most of us
the ethic of fishing is for the joy of fishing;
however, it could be
the more difficult it is to fool a fish,
the more intriguing it is to fish.
The decision to fish or not to fish did not often occur
and was preceded with years preparing for what in retrospect seemed not a decision,
but just following the only path that spelled happiness.
I could be by myself on a stream or lake caressing nature,
and often it was said, “I was fishing.”
One of the main reasons I fish is the pleasure of seeing a fish take my fly,
and then hooking, which at that point a large percent of my enjoyment has occurred.
In my view, the decline in the number of fish caught should not reduce the joy of fishing.
One does not have to catch fish to enjoy fishing;
so rather than lament about the numbers caught,
my only problem is the decreasing number of years being able to fish
I do not fish to catch fish.
My purpose or goal in “going fishing” is many little things;
but in total, the many little things…
“The” thing, that takes me to a stream, lake or ocean
is the color of the water and the sky, the beauty of the trees,
the wildlife encountered, the noises of nature,
and the solitude, even though I am with my favorite fishing partner, my wife
These are the words of Harry H. Landreth who was Boles Professor Emeritus of Economics at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky, since retired. Harry, his wife Donna, have spent most of their life fly fishing streams and lakes all over the world. I thought you would enjoy his thoughts why he fishes.