Have we all forgot the joy of fishing?
Do you remember why you started fishing?
Better question still: have we all gone ‘mad’ from the endless technological sophistication, high-tech gadgetry-obsessed, social media infused, complexity producing, data-encompassing, grip & grin self-made marketing, convention center meandering – FISHING of the 21st century?
Maybe? Or maybe not. I’d say it depends.
For some of us, fishing is a way of life. For some of us, fishing is what pays the bills. For some of us, fishing is what we grew up doing with family and friends. For some of us, well frankly - we just really enjoy the hell out of catching fish and getting away from it all. And for some of us, maybe it’s simply knowing that we still can fish; that we are still healthy enough to get out and get after it every now and again. Maybe we are all these things at given times of our lives and it just depends on which day you catch us (no pun intended).
No matter the ‘why’, the meaning is there for each of us to derive and it is in that meaning that we find joy. So as the new year begins to unfold; as the fishing trips start getting planned in on the calendar and new gear is placed in the shopping cart, make sure not to forget to stop and simply enjoy it.
Slow it down and take it all in.
Things change and unfortunately, we aren’t guaranteed a tomorrow.
So, try enjoying the hell out of your next cast; your next missed strike; your next 2-hour drive to your favorite fishing hole; hell, even your next bird’s nest because it all means that you are still here. You are still in the game, you are still in the fight we call life.
It wasn’t so long ago that you could still find yourself alone on a remote stretch of the
South Platte River or the scenic
Conejos River or even god-forbid the
Blue River. But sadly, those days are long, long gone. Times are a changing as they say and to quote one of my favorite movies:
“What you got ain't nuthin' new: this country's hard on people.... You can't stop what's comin'.... It ain't all waitin' on you.... That's vanity." -No Country For Old Men
… and that is fishing – plain & simple.
Mike is a Colorado native and grew up fishing for all species, during all seasons, with all methods.
