?One of the great qualities of the sport is that it is noncompetitive. Americans, in particular, seem to me well enough supplied with competition not to include fishing as well. The least flavor of the competitive destroys its most charming qualities, lending it an atmosphere of sly haste, pervading its association with petty jealousies, envy, and resentments. The angler who is determined to catch the biggest fish or the most of them, by his own determination becomes a competitor and is self-poisoned.?
I’m not sure which I find more distasteful, the guy who has to compete against his fishing partners or the guy who, in catching big/lots of fish, thinks he’s won a competition against nature. I think the latter stinks more…TIM
This Quote is about Maturity. It’s not uncommon for a fisherman to be boastful in the beginning of his life, but I for instance calmed down and started to stop and smell the roses.
That’s why Fly Fishing is so wonderful, you get to see plenty of roses.
Doug
I do tend to keep track of the size, kind, and number of fish I catch along with what and where they are biting, time of year, etc., but this is for me to know what I am doing and how I am doing it, what I am doing right or maybe what I am doing wrong. I do admit that I sometimes lose track of a day’s fishing statistics and that’s fine with me too just so long as I have an idea of what worked that day and where. This is in no way meant to be competitive with any of my fishing partners if not fishing alone. Competition just ruins the enjoyment of fishing for me. If competition is put into fishing, then to me it would be work and not pleasure. Sometimes I just get skunked no matter what I do but I do learn from what kinds of fish, size, numbers, and where and what the fish are doing. So what I do by trying to keep some fishing statistics for the day is intended to be a learning experience, not to be confused with competition. Its also kind of hard not to keep track of fish numbers and sizes especially if I take some home to eat. I know there are some folks that don’t go to such measures or even care about those things when they fish as it might imply competition and just that even keeping track of those things may take away from their fishing enjoyment. I enjoy fishing but I also enjoy learning from it. We each enjoy fishing in our own way and I guess that sums it up.
