What does fishing mean to you?

The sun creeps over the horizon as the mist lifts away from the river. It’s early, and having krept from the house doing your best not to disturb anyone, there is nowhere else you’d rather be as you make your first cast into the water.

We’ve all been there, it’s a magical time when time almost stops and you sit in peace with nature all around you. The non angler often asks why we go; if only you could sit them with you now, they’d soon realise why.

As i sit and write this, it’s probably the first time in a while that i’ve actually sat and pondered why i go. But it’s that solace, that being out in nature and pitting my wits against the fish that i love. I, like many others, have a stressful job and a family at home that need and want my time. But when I get out for the day everything else is forgotten about, for the time being at least. The sound of the water relaxes me and the bird song gives me a sense of gratitude and joy. The task of actually trying to tempt the fish gives me a sense of purpose and drive to succeed. There are no money worries, no family disputes and no work stress. I am at total peace.

I’ve been fortunate to be present when Dave has taken people out on the river for the day. They all have different goals; pike in the winter, a spring salmon, barbel on the meat feeder or roach on the stick float. The sheer joy that people get from achieving their goals on the day is immense. I can imagine the car journey conversations on the way home, the tails in the local pub and the non angling families being bored to death of hard fighting barbel or pristine roach. The happiness and good vibes are passed on from angler and spread far and wide.

Of course, it’s important not to forget Dave in all of this. A Wye champion, big money commercial finalist, capture of monster winter pike and un-caught salmon. It would be fair to say that he’s pretty much done it all in angling, or close to. But the satisfaction he gets from giving another angler a red letter day is incredible. Watching someone learn and progress is an amazing thing. The cherry on the cake being when they send pictures of fish caught on their own water having put into practice what they have learned. Such a major buzz.

Seeing others enjoy their fishing is a massive buzz for Dave.

Based on this assessment of what my angling provides me, it's clear that it does wonders for my mental health. I’ve taken that for granted over the years. Along with the good mental vibes I get some physical exercise, a good dose of vitamin D and, if you’re anything like me, I sleep like a log after a full day out. So, I also have a physical gain from fishing too.

Finland, Denmark,Switzerland ,Iceland and Norway make up the top 5 happiest countries in the world. With the UK coming in at 13th. Why are these countries always at the top of the list? Well there are a number of reasons, but maybe the amount of time their people spend outdoors makes up a massive chunk of why. They can soak up nature, escape from the realities of life and spend time with the people they like best. Fishing gives us the same opportunities.

Whether it be Dads and lad’s or mates having a match, chasing that elusive big ‘un or using your grandad's old rod we can all get a sense of the good times when we go, and i would encourage you to do it as often as you can!

We are blessed in this country with magnificent waterways and lakes, both natural and commercial, with something to cater for everyone.

Sometimes we make it all too serious, we add the pressure of big money finals or fishing a lake with a mythical monster in it that must be caught. But we’d do well to remind ourselves to take a step back and think of what fishing really means to you, why you started in the first place.

With all that’s bad in the world at the moment; Covid-19, the potential for a massive economic downturn and the civil unrest, remind yourself of the fundamental reason you go fishing. Enjoy it, get away from it all and be worry free.

So, what does fishing mean to me? It means good times, zero negativity and a chance to escape reality and for that reason i’ll always go and i’ll never take it for granted!

So sit back and ask yourself; what does fishing mean to me?

What Does Fishing Mean To You?