What do you find?

Part 1: Peace

I get asked a lot about why I fish so much. I find it’s actually a pretty tough question to answer. I mean, the basic “because I like to” works, but doesn’t capture what it really means to me. As I mentioned in “The Journey” I was a late bloomer to the fishing game but some might argue I’ve been making up lost time ever since.

So to answer the question, I fish for many reasons. One of which, I find peace. I often go out solo with no company other than my thoughts, and the fish. I find that being alone gives you a chance to reflect on your life and the choices you’ve made as well as those you’re faced with. It gives you a certain clarity that I have yet to obtain elsewhere. This may seem strange as it’s “just” fishing but when you are standing in the middle of the river, with water up to your waist, watching a fly float past waiting for that perfect moment where a fish rises and takes your offering, you realize something. You realize your life is not so different from the fly nor the fish. We all make choices and if you look at the picture I’m laying out, there are two choices being made. The fly choice, normally you try to “match the hatch” which is essentially just trying to emulate the insects around you. There’s also the fish who is trying to decide if he’s going to eat it or not. I mention this in hopes of bringing it full circle.

Sometimes when fishing you learn that “matching the hatch” just doesn’t work for some fish but instead you must throw out something they’ve never seen before. This was one of the most important lessons I’ve learned on the water. In a split moment I realized that I’m not a “match the hatch” type of fish but instead need something most have never seen before. I’ve realized I’m not the 9-5 type but instead need a steady stream of adventure and the unknown. It was that realization that led me on this journey.

This is the first installment of what I hope to be a long series of posts pertaining to what I find while out fishing. My hope is that others will share their experiences on here also as I’m sure everyone finds something different. If you’re not a fisherman or fisherwoman feel free to share what you find while doing something you love.