Why do you fish?

[Bass Turd]

What is it about Bass fishing (or just fishing in general) that makes it such a passion and or addiction? Why do YOU fish?

[visagelaid]

I fish to get out of the house.  Kind of the same reason I play golf.  The surroundings with both sports are generally beautiful.  There is almost no better feeling than when you hit a great golf shot.  And there is almost no better feeling than setting the hook and feeling that line go tight.  Feeling the line go tight and the first head flip of the fish, knowing youre not hung up, is pretty great.  Thats why I do it.

[Hez]

3 minutes ago, visagelaid said:

 There is almost no better feeling than when you hit a great golf shot.  And there is almost no better feeling than setting the hook and feeling that line go tight.  Feeling the line go tight and the first head flip of the fish, knowing youre not hung up, is pretty great.  Thats why I do it.

Nailed it on the head with this one.  Can't agree more - 2 of the greatest feelings in life - smashing a golf ball and setting the hook.

[Steveo-1969]

I fish because I'm physically addicted to it and I don't want to go through withdrawals.

[IamNewbie]

Lol I'm pretty much hooked on fishing (no pun intended.) I love it more than all of my friends and family and I actually get teased for owning so much tackle and fishing so much outside of my work place. I can't fish as much as I wanna anymore for the time being as my truck is broken down. 

I get so bored just sitting here in my room I just wanna fish fish fish. I haven't hung out with anyone all summer because none of them WANNA FISH. They're out doing weed with their weed buddies. Me? I'm working, spending time with family/girlfriend, or fishing. There's no inbetween most days. Today's a PERFECT day to fish but I can't get out to the lake. Overcast, bit of a breeze, cold front coming through, low air pressure. BUT I CAN'T GET OUT and it angers me haha. Hopefully tomorrow morning though... hopefully.

[Jar11591]

The short answer: because there is nothing in the world I would rather do. 

However, I don't really know why this is the case. 

I knew from the first time I held a rod in my hand (3-4 years old) that it was something I loved. 20 years later and I am a total addict. Fishing, and more specifically bass fishing is such a compulsion for me, it's not something I just want to do, it's something I need to do. 

There is something so incredibly exciting, intense, mysterious and satisfying about pulling a wild animal from another world that is under the water. It's so rewarding tricking a bass into biting something that isn't real food, but rather a peice of plastic. 

Long answer short: I fish because it's the greatest thing on planet earth. 

[scaleface]

I've been a fishing addict ever since I caught my first sunfish on a cane pole bobber and worm . Its one of my earliest memories . When dad told me it was a sunfish and I saw the yellows and oranges I literally thought it was a "Sun" fish .

[WRB]

Unlike golf fishing and hunting are natural human instincts, it's what we do.

Tom

[Ratherbfishing]

When it's really hot/humid and the fish aren't biting I ask myself that very same question.

[Josh Smith]

I fish because I am.

Logically, it's practicing for survival after the fall of civilization.

At least, that's the best excuse I've come up with so far.

Josh

[OCdockskipper]

I fish because it gets monotonous to, uh, "hang out" with supermodels day after day, hour after hour.  After all, I don't have an endless supply of duct tape & rope and the lake is on the way to the hardware store...

 

1 hour ago, Josh Smith said:

Logically, it's practicing for survival after the fall of civilization.

I think of that a lot, how things would be if fish catching became a skill that ensured ones survival.  I would have to raid a BPS as the riots began to make sure I had a lifetime supply of soft plastics.

[MassYak85]

Because it's addicting and when I am not able to do it for a while I literally feel withdrawal. I enjoy just being outside, but that doesn't always satisfy my itch. As to the part of fishing that makes it so addicting, I guess it's the hunt, the never ending effort to try and fool a bass into biting a piece of plastic. And to be honest, I have found that the funnest part of a catch is actually the hookset, it's that tiny moment where you actually connect with the fish and feel it resist, and feel it's weight. There's something more exciting in that moment than the rest of the battle to me, not sure why. 

[soflabasser]

3 hours ago, Bass Turd said:

What is it about Bass fishing (or just fishing in general) that makes it such a passion and or addiction? Why do YOU fish?

I practice bass fishing since it's fun,its a good form of exercise(if you fish on land you often walk for hours thoughout the day),good way to spend time in the outdoors,and I enjoy outsmarting difficult to catch fish (trophy bass).

[HeavyDluxe]

Beautiful surroundings, great times enjoyed with friends/family, and the challenge of 'figuring out the fish'.

As others have mentioned, that jolt of electricity when the line gets tight and the rod bends into a heavy-pullin' fish... Priceless.

 

For example:  Spent all day today until 5pm out with a couple buddies... Fishing in small streams in the woods for native brookies, kayak fishing for smallmouth and largemouth, then finishing with fishing a bigger river for any leftover stockie rainbows or browns.  Wound up being thin on the catching today, but it was still exquisite.

[Jaderose]

Better question......Why wouldn't I?

[geo g]

I fish for one reason, I enjoy it!    It is relaxing, mind stimulating, and totally stress free.  I enjoy fishing with others and have a group of friends that I call to go as back seaters.   I fish from the bank when I'm not in the boat, and enjoy that as much as boat fishing.  It is a great way to wind down after a tough day.

[iiTzChunky]

Growing up with my grandparents my grandpa would always fish early mornings, so he always smelled like fish. So the smell of fish brings back good childhood memories for me. Plus setting that hook, even tho sometimes j to a log or rock and then feeling the weight of the fish and watching em jump up out of the water is an adrenaline rush for me. You never know what's at the end of that line. And that always makes it exciting. 

Also constantly being on the hunt for a 4+ lb bass since I havnt got anything more then 2 lbs so far keeps me coming back for more. 

[CybrSlydr]

I'm too new to this sport to say I'm addicted or have a passion for it.

Mostly I started because I was curious.  I'd never done it until recently and I figured if anytime was the right time, now is better than later.  So, I talked with some buddies, bought some gear and went out to do it. 

As a fan of being outdoors, I do readily enjoy that part.  Being out in the middle of nowhere, hearing the critters chirp and buzz, occasional car drive by...  It's nice. 

I'm also going because I'm trying to figure out how to catch more and hone my techniques.

[ww2farmer]

Several reasons:

#1 I like it.............bass fishing that is, I really am not a fan of other types of angling. I occasionally ice fish in the winter, or break out the panfish rods in the open water season, and I don't mind catching pike or other fish while I am bass fishing, but 99.9% of the time if I am fishing, it's for bass.

#2 I am good at it, and I enjoy proving it via tournament fishing. I could care less if money was ever exchanged.

#3 It's fun...........I might be a little grumpy after a slow day, or a poor showing in a tournament, but in the grand scheme of things, there was almost 100% nothing else I would have rather been doing on those tough days.

#4 I am a solitary person, I like spending hours alone on the water.........I really do. I fish with other people often, but I really enjoy being by myself more often than not.

#5 There are a lot worse things I could be doing.

#6 After not doing much but tinkering with guns, plinking around and reloading ammo all winter, it's a nice thing to be outside all the time in the fresh air, without a care in the world...............if my biggest problems in life are the irritating sounds and wakes from jet skiers, life is good.

And last but not least, and maybe the most important reason to me:

#7 It's in my blood..............I was born and raised a stones throw from my home lake, my grandpa taught me to fish on this lake, I spent countless hours with him during my childhood, and later by myself in my late teens in rented boats from the local bait shop bass fishing on this lake, I returned the favor and took him with me many times when I bought a boat of my own before he became unable to safely fish anymore, my entire family (mom, sister, grandma, grandpa, and my uncle who was like a brother to me) that is no longer with us in body, is with me in spirit when I am on this lake, as they are all laid to rest over looking me on this lake...............this lake is...............home.

[BiteFiend]

For those times that you set the hook and drag starts peeling right away, even though it is locked down pretty tight. No adrenaline rush like it. 

[Oregon Native]

Fishing is always a mystery in what the day will bring.  They are all gifts from above and to be out there enjoying what our great Lord has created is a bonus.  It's something I used to take for granted and now I'm very thankful.  To watch the day start or end and to figure out how to catch fish is an addiction I'm thankful for.

[Torn Thumb]

13 hours ago, IamNewbie said:

. I can't fish as much as I wanna anymore for the time being as my truck is broken down.

Everywhere is within walking distance, if you have the time.

[Gundog]

Because baking doesn't offer the same excitement. Unless I'm doing it wrong? Am I missing out on some awesome baking trips? Do people brag about a 10 pound chocolate cake? Is there a $40,000 oven that bakes muffins better than the other ovens? No...ok. Then I'll just go fishing.

[AndrewJ]

My wife and I are both in law enforcement and as such, we work opposite shifts.  We fish as a way of getting to be together.  I got her into fishing and she has really taken a liking to it.  We fish because it became a shared passion and a way for us to become closer as a couple. 

[frogflogger]

Because I must.