Fishing as therapy

[TOXIC]

There's nothing like cranking the motor over before sun up and idling out of the marina for a day on the water.  I love the smell of a 2 stroke in the morning!!  And then running down the lake alone with the water as smooth as glass.  Then pulling up on a spot and throwing that topwater bait out.  Fishing, in general recharges my internal batteries so that I can deal with a high pressure day job and I look forward to my retirement next year so that I can stay in my happy place much more often.  I have been blessed to also wade out into the moving waters of the Shenandoah river at sunup, in the mist and have a herd of deer wade within 10 feet of me crossing the river.  Nothing like feeling you are part of nature.  Finally, my grandfather who fostered my love of fishing and passed when I was 14, is by my side every time I get on the water, no matter in what capacity.  That alone is worth every second I can spend fishing.  

[hawgenvy]

Fishing, besides being a pleasant pastime for all of us that habituate these pages, focuses the mind on catching a fish. For me it's almost hard to think about anything else. And you become one with nature, besides. Bass fishing with lures is a particularly active endeavor. When I'm out fishing I'm thinking about threading a worm, or tying a knot, or figuring where to cast, or imagining where that big fish is hiding -- not about my overdrawn bank account or that schmuck at the office who may fire me tomorrow.

[Squarebill79]

Absolutely! In 2012 I got really sick and could barely get out of bed for days at a time. I was off work for almost 2 years. I slowly started gaining some energy back and my doctor suggested a find a hobby that would be stress free and not physically taxing. 

 

So I started by taking a lawn chair to some fishing docks and fishing stationary all day. As I gained some more energy I slowly started walking 50 feet at a time and trying different spots, fast forward 6 years later I have a boat, kayak, baitcasters, probably $500 worth of crankbaits and Ive probably fished over 100 different bodies of water in my state.

 

For me it was therapy because it allowed my mind to focus on something positive instead of how bad I was feeling. I still feel that way now, when Im on the water all my problems dont seem like huge problems anymore. 

 

Plus, nothing works better at getting me through the workday when I know fishing is waiting for me that evening. 

[flbassmaster]

On ‎8‎/‎14‎/‎2018 at 3:21 PM, geo g said:

I feel the exact same way as Mobasser, and Scott F.  I spent 43 years teaching and coaching football in a highly competitive high school environment.   Fishing was always been a sense of relief, and relaxation, from the weekly grind.  With all the competition, I never wanted to get into competitive fishing because it would destroy the one reason I loved fishing in the first place.  I could always forget the stress of that week, and just focus on the fish, and the environment.  It was a sense of piece for at least a few hours.  Fishing has always been mind relief and relaxation, and much cheaper then a therapist!  Lol?  It's worked well all throughout my career.

couple years ago I did some BFL tournaments as a co angler and although I did catch some fish I didn't like the idea of competing to catch fish. fishing for me is therapy and relaxation.

[Ratherbfishing]

With the exception of fighting a strong wind from a boat, I am more patient with fishing than I am with just about anything else.  I don't understand it, really. But anyhooo, I HAVE a boat and while I use it pretty regularly, I find fishing from the bank (with as few complications as possible) to be the most relaxing.  It's nice to not have to do ANYTHING but fish.

[CassLaw]

I definitely fish as therapy. I have bass fished since I could walk according to some pictures I’ve found lately...stopped after I got Lyme Disease in 2008. I bought a bay boat and did the snook, trout, redfish thing but my Lyme got bad and all the toys had to go. 

 

My mom was diagnosed with lung cancer late 2015, it eventually spread to her brain. I was lucky enough as an attorney working at a large firm that I could basically walk away and take care of her for 14 months until she passed March 14, 2018....I was absolutely miserable. 

 

I had spent 14 months fishing off the dock at the house I grew up at and fell in love with bass fishing again. After a month or two my brother and I decided to expand so I bought my little aluminum Triton w a 90 Etec and we are now making memories!

 

Its been a godsend to be able to get back out on the water predawn and watch nature wake up; and it’s brought my brother and I closer than we have ever been....just wish my mom was here to see us getting along like we are since before she passed we were at each other’s throats almost constantly...I still feel guilty of depriving her the images of us fishing together and being brothers again. 

 

That boat, and my love of bass fishing is better than any therapy I’ve paid for!