By Stephen C. Schultz
Spring is in the air, and that familiar urge to get out of the house and go fishing is surging through my veins. Just the other day, I found myself wandering through the fishing lure aisle at a sporting goods store. Later, as I stood in the yard after mowing the lawn, I noticed my small 12-foot fishing boat still covered from winter and waiting for action.
Over the years, people have asked me, “What’s so fun about fishing?” They often follow it up with, “Isn’t it boring?” From my perspective, they couldn’t be more wrong.
Fishing is so much more than just a pastime. It’s about immersing yourself in nature, breathing fresh air, and enjoying solitude. It’s an opportunity to think deeply, reflect on life’s challenges, and express gratitude for your blessings. There’s also the joy of observing the water, identifying a hatch, and skillfully placing a lure or fly in just the right spot. Then comes the thrill of the fish striking—followed by that exhilarating twinge in your stomach as you instinctively set the hook.
For those who love fishing, you already understand. There’s something special about the time spent on the water. Even if you don’t catch anything, it still feels like time well spent. As the old saying goes: “A bad day fishing is still better than a good day at work.”
Below, you’ll find links to some articles on my blog about fishing. Some are childhood memories, while others are more recent. I hope that as you read these stories, they spark memories of your own and allow you to relive some of your cherished fishing experiences.
The Rescue – A McKenzie River Adventure
The Value of Relationships in Transition
The Tangled Bird’s Nest – A Fisherman’s Tale
Navigating Life’s Pathways with Gratitude
Jared’s Adams Fly – A Father’s Memory
“The One That Got Away” – A Tribute to My Father
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-Simply being outdoors on a beautiful lake, stream, or the ocean.
-What you call boring, I call relaxing. Clearing my mind of all other worries and it being just about me against the fish can be cathartic.
-Getting away from work and the responsibilities of family life for a while.
-The hunt. Using the skills I've developed over the years to figure out where the fish are and what they will bite on.
-The anticipation. Many Americans find soccer and baseball to be boring. I've always found them to exciting due to the anticipation. The constantly being on the edge of your seat knowing that a goal or run can come suddenly out of seemingly nowhere. Fishing is like that, it's filled with anticipation. You may make 100 casts and on any one of them you could suddenly find yourself battling a fish, sometimes a big one. You never know what is going to happen on any cast.
-The education. Learning about the habits of certain species, where they hang out under certain conditions and what they are likely to be feeding on.
-The camaraderie. Spending time with friends and family in an atmosphere you can chat about life, politics, fishing, whatever it is that friends talk about.
-The solitude. Fishing alone where it's just me, my thoughts, the fish and nature.
And some things that actually have to do with catching fish.
-The fight. When you get a big fish on your line it can very exciting and quite a battle to bring the fish in before it breaks your line or simply shakes off the hook.
-Occasionally keeping the catch and having a dinner of fish far fresher than anything you can get in the supermarket.