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I've heard it said that fishing is nothing
more than a jerk on one end of a line waiting
for a jerk on the other. Now, I'll admit I
can be a jerk sometimes...I guess. But
I wouldn't classify myself as a jerk in the
general sense. Then again, would a real jerk
be aware of his jerkiness? But it is definitely
true that I await the sensation that comes with
the jerk on the other end of my line. It's what
I live for. It is why I fish. Yes, I live for
the hook up…that split second when the ephemeral
becomes tangible. Fish on!
I think there are nearly as many different
baseline reasons why men and women fish as
there are men and women who fish. Most of
us enjoy various aspects of fishing, but most
of us probably have one favorite element that
trumps all others. I enjoy the scenery, being
outdoors, the art of casting and of fly tying,
the solitude of just me and a stream, the gear
and gadgets, the camaraderie amongst fly anglers,
and many other aspects of the sport. I even
enjoy eating trout...especially if I caught
them myself. But I live for the feeling that
starts in my hand, moves up my arm and into my
brain, and says to my soul, "Ah-hah! Fooled
another one!"
Now, I wouldn't consider besting a fish to
be much of a challenge in my domain. I mean,
if the fish had to compete with me in business,
in a classroom, at a billiards table, or on a
tennis court, it really would be no great
accomplishment to beat him. But besting him
in his own environment is a thrill every time.
There is something special...and I imagine peculiar
to humans...about using logic and knowledge
to overcome an animal that relies solely on
instinct for his survival. It is the ultimate
validation of our humanity. We sit atop the
food chain for this very reason - the
overwhelming superiority of rational thought.
Yep. That's the bottom line. I fish for the
hook up. Bang! The instant the line goes tight.
In that instant I feel what the Japanese mystics
call "satori." It is that split second following
the perfect execution of some endeavor in which
the realization and appreciation of perfection
first dawns on the human consciousness. It is
a fleeting feeling, occupying only a fraction
of a second, in which immense self-satisfaction
floods the consciousness and then is gone. To
truly appreciate the full effect, one has to
have subdued the clutter and cacophony of all
the random thoughts which occupy our minds most
of the time and be intently focused on only that
one thing…anticipating the strike. I've heard
many anglers extol the mind-clearing virtue of
fishing...especially fly-fishing. It is true.
It does tend to focus one's thoughts with
laser-like precision and intensity upon the
task at hand; clearing the thoughts of work
and worry from the mind. Opening up the
opportunity to truly relish the hook up.
I get a different kind of satisfaction from
bringing a fish to hand. It's not as fleeting
as the hook up, but neither is it as intense.
It is a more mundane sense of accomplishment
without the attendant excitement that accompanies
the hook up. And we all know that sense of
satisfaction that comes with the end of a very
successful day of fishing. But this far more
subtle sense of satisfaction I believe to be
the residual "after-glow" of all those moments
of intense excitement and repeated feelings of
accomplishment that we felt throughout the
course of the day. Again, this feeling occupies
a somewhat lower position in my mind than the
hook up does. To me, nothing in the angling
world compares to the sensation of a suddenly
tightened line and that first shake of the
fishes head. Take some time to figure out
what your "satori" moment is. Restructure
your fishing around that fundamental reason
why you fish and I submit you will achieve a
new level of enjoyment in your fly-fishing.
As Curly explained to the "greenhorns" in the
movie "City Slickers," the secret to happiness
is figuring out the "one thing" - the single
thing which brings you the most joy - and
then building your life around it in such a
way as to nurture, protect, and enjoy it as
much as possible. Think about it... ~ Ken
About Ken:
Ken graduated from Southern Methodist University
in 1988, and spent the next several years serving
in the United States Navy as an intelligence analyst
and Russian Language translator. He is a veteran
of Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Leaving the
nation's service in 1993.
Ken is also a published outdoor writer and historian,
having penned articles and stories that have appeared
in several national hunting publications like North
American Hunter magazine, on GunMuse.com, in regional
and local newspapers, and historical and literary
journals. He has also provided hunting and dog
training seminars for Bass Pro Shops and other
sporting goods retailers nationwide. He volunteers
his time to Ducks Unlimited and Trout Unlimited,
as well as several local charitable organizations.
He is also a REALTOR with Coldwell Banker in
Branson, Missouri; where he lives with his wife,
Wilma, and their Weimaraner, Smoky Joe.
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