Hi, I’m James, more popularly known as Abigail’s husband. My wife is a big foodie and has morphed into a food blogger. I love food, too, and am in the business of supplying fish and meat products to grocers and restaurants.
I got into that business by accident. I love hunting and fishing, and at some point, I was getting more than enough that I started selling it, and found it to be a lucrative business.
While I now have other sources of my products, I have not forgotten my first love of hunting and fishing. Today, I shall go back to fishing because I grew up by the lake, and caught my first fish at the age of 3.
Why Did We Love Fishing?
Fishing is a generic word that can be used not only to catch fish but even other aquatic animals like squids and other edibles. It also does not make distinctions as to where you fish – it can be a lake, sea or ocean.
There are also various methods of fishing – using hands, netting, angling, spearfishing, and trapping.
I mostly do recreational fishing, which means it’s for fun, but maybe at some point, I might try my hand in the commercial fishery as well, which means significant quantities and selling it for profit.
I have fond memories of fishing with my dad in our backyard in Oregon. Our fun days were running around in the yard naked, swimming and fishing in the lake.
The best part of the day would be cooking the fish over the grill and enjoying an outdoor dinner with the family.
Abigail has become rather fond of the sport as well. We have gone on trips together to hunt and fish. We have caught in sunny Florida and cold Alaska. We have joined chartered trips and staying on the boat for days.
She has a framed photo of her biggest catch – a 10.6 lb. trout in Lake Michigan. It was a beauty – both fisher and fish. Fishing is amazing!
The Benefits Of Fishing
Why fishing is good?
The most obvious is that fishing helps us to be happy and healthy. It is a great way to relieve the stress and anxiety of a busy life.
Gives your body a good workout
You would probably go, what?? Fishing means sitting down for a more extended period. In some cases, that’s true, but it can also mean standing for a long time.
And when you catch the fish and reel it in, oh boy, you have to be Superman to get it done.
It is a very strenuous exercise with man vs. fish. All muscles in your body are in full use because no matter the size of the fish, it will fight for its life.
Refreshes the spirit
Clean air, nothing but you, the skies and the waters. One can’t help but be in awe of nature. I have seen beautiful sunrises over mountains and majestic sunsets over oceans.
I have lived in the wild and had eaten only from the land and waters, no electricity, with the sound of birds and the swaying of trees providing the music. It is powerful in its simplicity.
While sitting on some rock, I would do deep breathing to just take in the fresh air. At night, the stars are so clear, and the moon seems to shine more brightly.
It really is a slice of heaven to be out there, and even the toughest of men can get poetic with the experience, just like me.
Provides fresh and delicious dinner
When I was a child in Oregon, we had a family tradition once a year when all men in our extended family would fish, and by the end of the day, we would divide into teams and have a cook fest.
We were of varied ages, cousins, uncles, grandfathers, and for that day alone, the women were queens, not lifting a finger to cook or wash up.
We would have all sorts of fishes, different sizes and kinds, and cooked differently.
Some were fried, others broiled, some with imported sauces from China, others used homegrown herbs.
It was a feast for the senses and palates, and a celebration of family and relationships. Fishing is fun!
Opportunity to bond
I remember I always loved whenever my Dad and I would fish without my other siblings. I cherish the intimacy of just the two of us, him teaching me the intricacies of the skill, interwoven with stories from his own childhood or raunchy stories of him fishing with his buddies that I am not to tell Mom about.
Abigail and I have had some great ideas about our relationship and our business just from our trips alone.
Saves money
In third world countries, they fish with no technology, using their hands and makeshift contraptions from bamboo. What they catch, they eat and live off it.
Once we caught a colossal salmon, and it lasted us for over a month. After cleaning it, Abigail cut and vacuum-sealed the fish in single-serve portions, and put it in the freezer.
A month after, it remained as fresh and beautiful like it was caught the day before. For some, they put salt on the fish and dry it out, and it lasts longer, too, even without refrigeration.
There is also no wasting fish. The head makes a delicious soup, and even the eyes can be a feast once you acquire the taste of it. Skin can be delicious when deep-fried.
Useful Tips For Fishing
Before we go to the tips, it is best we learn the common terms used. Here are a few:
If you are interested in fish and want to start on it, here are some fishing tips for beginners:
Get the proper equipment
You will need a rod, reel, tackle box, needle-nose pliers, net and a sharp fillet knife or an electric knife for the caught fish. Practice with your types of equipment to be familiar with the feel and use of them.
Learn about your fishing area
Aside from knowing the hot fishing spots, it would be good to know the general area especially for a new place, like the nearest house, or where the water dips deeper, or any danger zones.
Also, learn about fishing licenses or stamps you need.
Learn how to cast
Getting it wrong can be dangerous to one ’s body parts so buy your equipment early and learn to use it before you go fishing.
A good tip is to wear sunglasses, not only to protect your eyes from the sun but from wayward hooks as well.
If you can cast to the same spot every time, then it means you can control it. Practice using a cup, and landing your cast into the bowl.
Get cheap lures and don’t be afraid to use it
Don’t make the mistake of buying expensive ones and not wanting to lose it in the water.
Get a cheap one, and if you lose it, get another cheap one.
Use live baits
Localize it to the area, meaning if the fishes in the space usually get small-size forage, use small-size baits. It would be totally foreign for them to see huge baits that they will not take it at all.
Learn about fishes
Read up and store some knowledge that you might be of use. For instance, fishes like colder water so when it’s too hot, you will have to venture out to a broader area.
Towards evening, they would be abundant in shallow waters. Learn about the fishes from the locals or your guide who have years of experience in fishing in the area.
Take Action
Don’t you have days when you want to get away from it all? Get out of the city, leave your desk in the office, forget PTA responsibilities and just be still?
Sit on a big rock by the lake with a cold beer and a fishing rod? I should think that image alone would be enough to get you into fishing.
The best of nature, the thought of fresh fish on the grill for dinner… what are you waiting for? Go, fish!
I can relate to you when you said that you love recreational fishing. My husband is also an avid fan of fishing, and the benefits that you mentioned are the exact same reason why love fishing. He said it refreshes his moods and also a form of physical fitness. We are now looking for fishing gear to use for our his next fishing adventures.