Why do you do it?

[Cbad Mike]

First and foremost.... Addiction!!!
I'm addicted to the rush I get when I first feel my rod load up. I'm like a gambler with a problem.
Second reason is I love the tranquility and scenery.
Third reason is the challenge
Fourth reason is to pick up chicks.

[Dirty Curti]

I just really enjoy the experience, the time just being out on the water. The different life that happens out there. Catching a fish is just a bonus.

[Mr. NiceGuy]

It's like Waiting For Godot. Why ask why?

[Mr. NiceGuy]

It makes me moist

[WARRIORMIKE]

Great Question.

Because mentally you just need to. Any hobby is expensive. Fishing just so happens to be our vice. Some people will never get it and for me thats fine. I would rather spend $200 on some fishing equipment, rather then spend that money at a strip club for one night. I can always name my reel "Lola" and dance with her at La Jolla... lol

[Saba Slayer]

Surf fishing...kayak fishing...skiff fishing...charters...it's all AQUA THERAPY...!

[Vikingj]

Great thread! Enjoying the read which says it all. I'll just add the quote from A. Pope.."HOPE springs eternal"

[FullFlavorPike]

because mud marlin are so gosh darn tasty

[2-Stix]

some times i dont know. i have been catching lots of frustration the last 6 months. lots of time on the water, little to show. a friend and i were just talking about this today. "were not fishing anymore if theres not a bite on" then over lunch we planned to go out saturday to a new spot. go figure. and its an hour drive.

[M.P.H.B.]

It satisfies a primal reward system. Its a reminant of the hunter-gatherer lifestyle that was humanities universal experience for over 90% of our existense on Earth, that only began disappearing into settled society 5000 yrs ago. That happy juice that fires through your brain when you hook up with a fish served a life or death purpose back then (and still does for the few remaining hunter-gather peoples today). Its a drug that drove our distant ancestors to endure all kinds of hardships in order to bring meat back to the village and helped ensure the continuity of the species.

Observing from a macro level, it's possible that we're a species on the cusp of it's next step in evolution. Civilization and technology are propelling us towards an existence that is so utterly alien to our hunter-gatherer brains, and at a pace that compels constant adaptation. If this rate of change and adaptation continues, then at what point will we become something all together different from homo-sapiens? That point in time might be closer than we realize.

So simply put, if someone asks me why I fish, I say that it Keeps Me Human.

[smokie]

Originally Posted by Dirty Curti

I just really enjoy the experience, the time just being out on the water. The different life that happens out there. Catching a fish is just a bonus.

+1...Took the words right out of my mouth.

It also doesn't hurt to hear the line ripping off your spool.

[King Saba]

It's where I'm most happy, I think . When I'm out there the peacefulness, scenery, air, sun, water, life, all of it, makes the effort of packing and getting my lazy ass down to the coast worth it. Catching fish is great too. I'm also counting myself VERY fortunate to have not had a skunk day yet in the year and a half that I've been doing this!

[ful-rac]

Originally Posted by King Saba

It's where I'm most happy, I think . When I'm out there the peacefulness, scenery, air, sun, water, life, all of it, makes the effort of packing and getting my lazy ass down to the coast worth it. Catching fish is great too. I'm also counting myself VERY fortunate to have not had a skunk day yet in the year and a half that I've been doing this!

Oh pull-leeez....so you have not had a skunk day in a year in a half? So you catch a game fish everytime you go fishing..? Like: yellowtail, WSB, Halibut and or bass? If you do your the man! You should write a book!

[katchfish]

Originally Posted by ful-rac

Oh pull-leeez....so you have not had a skunk day in a year in a half? So you catch a game fish everytime you go fishing..? Like: yellowtail, WSB, Halibut and or bass? If you do your the man! You should write a book!

Ha! I thought the same thing.

If you catch a fish every time you go out, you're not fishing enough.

Props on your success rate though

[King Saba]

Originally Posted by ful-rac

Oh pull-leeez....so you have not had a skunk day in a year in a half? So you catch a game fish everytime you go fishing..? Like: yellowtail, WSB, Halibut and or bass? If you do your the man! You should write a book!

I'm not King Saba for nothing. I have yet to add those big game fish on my kayak, but it'll happen. Hopefully. lol! I can write a book on how to not lose a fish.

[theluckypig]

Originally Posted by King Saba

It's where I'm most happy, I think . When I'm out there the peacefulness, scenery, air, sun, water, life, all of it, makes the effort of packing and getting my lazy ass down to the coast worth it. Catching fish is great too. I'm also counting myself VERY fortunate to have not had a skunk day yet in the year and a half that I've been doing this!

bait counts in my book...

[driftwood]

Originally Posted by King Saba

It's where I'm most happy, I think . When I'm out there the peacefulness, scenery, air, sun, water, life, all of it, makes the effort of packing and getting my lazy ass down to the coast worth it. Catching fish is great too. I'm also counting myself VERY fortunate to have not had a skunk day yet in the year and a half that I've been doing this!

Ever thought about becoming a commercial fisherman? you would make tons of money.

Fishing is not easy, if it was, it wouldn't be called fishing. I'm happy getting skunked some days.

[King Saba]

Originally Posted by driftwood

Ever thought about becoming a commercial fisherman? you would make tons of money.

Fishing is not easy, if it was, it wouldn't be called fishing. I'm happy getting skunked some days.

lol big game fishing isn't anyways. I've tried for yellows several times, and blanked on them every time. Fortunately the Calicos and Greenies were always there to entertain me.

[Aznronin]

I like to fish for some of the following reasons:

1. I get to either be by myself and chill out or with friends and chat away
2. I get both excercise and some fresh air
3. It's a good change of pace for me. My personal activities are usually Brazilian jiu-jitsu related or martial arts, mma related so it can get boring or feel like a grind instead of fun sometimes.
4. I get to feed my OCD
5. I get to hang out with people that are not related to business, martial arts etc.
6. I get to have a beer in silence and occasionally get to catch a fish.

[straightrod]

Seven years ago I bought a used tandem Outfitter. I love the ocean and my wife loves to fish. We have been out hundreds of times offshore fishing in that kayak. I learned to love fishing and she loves the ocean while fishing.

The whole thing started with me just wanting some ocean adventure while coaxing my wife further and further out.

We are in our 60's and our family and friends don't have a clue. We did graduate to a Tandem Island - now we are considered dangerous.