By catching fish, talking to friends and enjoying nature, fishermen of all ages enjoy the sport of fishing, especially with the warming weather.
According to lifelong fisherman Tom Bowles, catching a fish is secondary to the experiences that come with it.
“Fishing is more than just catching a fish. Catching the fish is the byproduct of the whole experience. It’s about getting out and getting in touch with nature,” Bowles said.
For Bowles, fishing teaches important skills that can be used throughout your entire life.
“[Fishing has] taught me many practical things in life: patience, learning and stuff like that are all applicable in real life,” Bowles said.
Saltwater fisherman David Lotier believes being outside and enjoying nature makes up for those days when you don’t catch as many fish.
“There’s nothing better even on days when I don’t catch any fish. Just being outside in nature is enough for me,” Lotier said. “Usually, my mind is clear. I’m not stressing about things that I stress about day to day, and I can just kind of enjoy being in the outdoors.”
For fisherman Patrick Rother, fishing is a great way to connect with others and remove stress from one’s life.
“Fishing with other people is a great escape because you can talk about whatever you want. If you want to destress and not think about problems, fishing is the perfect activity,” Rother said.
According to fisherman Ian Rother, strengthening connections with family and friends is the product of fishing with others.
“You form a relationship with the people you fish with and you can look back and reflect on things that you have done in the past,” Ian said. “It’s a great way to just have a good time with the people you care about.”
According to Patrick, fishing is way more enjoyable when the surrounding environment looks amazing.
“I went on a fishing trip to Alaska and it’s so easy to go outside to fish because it’s so beautiful. The scenery around me was amazing but being outside and looking around is great,” Patrick said.
For Bowles, fishing lets him slow down and enjoy himself so he is able to do something where he can destress and engage in something he loves.
“Fishing has been a crucial part of my life because it allows me to get in touch with nature which gets harder and harder as life goes on,” Bowles said. “It also gives me a chance to slow down and take a step back because life gets you caught up in all types of ways.”
According to Lotier, fishing is a great activity for anyone because everybody likes to hang out with their friends and fishing is just something that you can do while you are hanging out with with them.