What is fishing?

Danny wrote:
Oh, come on. I expected more defensive responses than that. You are
right though, I was trolling, as the group didn't have any posts for
3 days.

You got to admit though, it is strange when you think about it.
Spending all that money and time and even sitting out in all weather
conditions to catch a fish, which you put back. Must be instinct I
guess.

It's not instinct otherwise *everyone* would do it.
For seven months out of the year it is the most important thing in my life,
I'm single, healthy (ish!) and work so I can afford to spend a few quid on
bits and pieces although I dont spend a lot.
With having no ties I'm pretty much a free spirit, and when summer comes
around work takes a back seat - I fish 4 or 5 days a week.
It's a lot of different things to different anglers, to matchmen it's the
sport of competing, to the 'trophy hunters' it's the thrill of catching the
biggest, to the game angler it's the thrill of hunting a hunter...
To me, a pleasure angler it's just that - pure pleasure - whether I catch or
not (obvioulsy I'd rather catch, but if not it's still a pleasure to
fish...) being outside when nature is in all it's glory, the dragonflies,
the scent of wet grass, a still water like glass at dawn, and occasionally a
kingfisher (strange coincidence, I've only ever seen two kingfishers in my
life, one while fishing a water about fifty miles north of here and the
other at a local water just around the corner, but both within three days of
each other!!) and of course the feeling when the rod's bent double with a
carp steaming towards the weeds.....

Fresh maggots - you lucky, lucky bastar*s!!! All I can get is/are
mummified bluebottle lavae.....

And on the subject of "why fish"... if you need to ask the question,
you will never understand the answer (paraphrased)