What is the point of fishing?

The point of fishing?

Showing the world that ou are cleverer than a fish...

Anglers understand the answer...Non anglers don't...so each to their own!

Pete

I was not entirely serious about my answer!

Posts earlier in this thread took me back to kiving, broke, in Cornwall n the 60s, and borrowing a dinghy, motoring out to sea and catching mackerel and pollack - being hungry and feeling dinner hit the line was a real kick - atavastic, possibly, but it did feel good - clean them on the way back, with a cloud of gulls waiting for the guts, then straight into flour and hot fat...
magnificent! The mackerel anyway - I'm amazed to see pollack in the supermarkets today - bland and woolly I thought it.

Unfortunately, so much supermarket fish does taste bland and woolly - I bought arctic char from the supermarket recently - farmed of course; nothing like the fresh, wild variety. Very disappointing and not worth the money. Similarly, a trout, straight off your hook is a different fish to anything you will buy in a shop (unless it is from a muddy still water - then it would go straight back in). The best mackerel I ever tasted we caught off St Ives. It was my son's idea to fish for it but he was so sick while we were out he couldn't look at it afterwards! We still tease him about it now. I like the subtlety and mystique of fly angling - studying what the fish are eating on any given day and trying to fool them into thinking your little fly is the real deal; thinking about how the weather affects their activity; the joy of seeing them rise to take a natural fly, sometimes with enormous aggression, sometimes with just the merest sip that can be missed in an instant. I don't care if I don't catch anything. It's just being there on the water that gives the most pleasure - anything else is a bonus.

Sorry - too much waxing lyrical!

It takes much computing type skill to be an angler . They are usually frustrated computer nerds, or nerds on their recreation time.

Sounds like you're chucking out a line and waiting for a take, Daman! They're not rising today!

Well said arty your last sentence summed it perfectly..... on my last trip to the river I had to cross a farmer's field, and stood in something similar to what Daman is talking....

I thought more positive responses might be forthcoming - but then when you are used to only chucking the few fast loud words across a crowded Lil's ......

You're using the wrong bait, Daman.

Are there any catchers of fish about here,
or is it just cookers and eaters of same?

Anyway, does there have to be a point to fishing, or any other activity? There are lots of things I can't see the point of but people enjoy doing them so each unto his own!

Greatnan, interested to hear that you have visited Loch Sween. We go regularly to Loch Caolisport (Ellary) on the other side of the hill. Brought home a nice catch of finnock for the freezer a couple of weeks ago.

Perhaps some of you folks might like to read my ramblings on the following page of my personal web site:
www.flyonahook.me.uk/fishing.html

Behold the fisherman!
He riseth early in the morning and disturbeth the whole household.
HIS PREPARATIONS ARE MIGHTY!
He goeth forth full of hope, and returneth when the day is far spent,
Smelling of strong drink.
And the truth is not in him.

Never a truer word, artygran

artygran .......but he has had a good day!

Pete - always!

My brother lives with his wife and two adult daughters --need I say more--that's why he goes fishing, he says it gets him out of the house, he says it makes him feel relaxed that he can go somewhere were its peaceful!! but I am with you a bit as to why people go fishing to just throw the fish back into the water!! I would go fishing but somewhere were I catch an edible fish to take home and cook

I like fishing, but can't any more. I don't think Cunard would let me fish off the QE.
Can you imagine it, me in evening dress and pearls, dangling a line from my balcony, with the steward ready to unhook the fish for me?

Well according to my brother(and he lives in a house with three women, his wife and two daughters) the point of fishing is to keep him sane.

I haven't really been fishing but I think people enjoy the peace and quite and how relaxing it can be.

If I went fishing it would have to be in waters that if I did catch a fish I could go home and cook it, but that's just me

Ah, I can see it still. A peaceful canal towpath early on a clear summer's day. Mile after mile of men huddled over their rods, silent except for the occasional shout of abuse at an unwary boater who had strayed too close or caused a ripple .
Reject Gnomes, as the boaters used to call them

My grandad in Scotland used to tie flies and designed one that was named after him and became quite famous at the time. "Scott's Fancy" - anybody heard of it?

Eliza - why, of all the threads on Gransnet, did you choose to resurrect this one? I'm getting a strong sense of deja vu