We generally try to keep things pretty positive around here. Fishing’s fun, right?
Every once in a while, though, it’s OK to vent…right?
Here are 4 things we hate about fishing.
- Finding trash on the river/lake/flat. Who would do that?
- No appreciation for ‘non-target species’. As in “you know, a million anglers in Washington would be thrilled to fight that chum you’re so mad about hooking…”
- Finding illegal fishing gear. In some ways worse than #1…the rules are there for a reason.
- Too much focus on the numbers. Counting fish is totally cool with us – but your 8-fish-day isn’t necessarily worse than your 10-fish-day, is it? When did you have more fun?
So…we know you’re all passionate about fishing too, so there have got to be some things that get your goat. Leave us a comment and let us know what you hate about fishing. It’s OK!
Things I hate about fishing:
1. Organized Fishing Tournaments.
2. IFGA World records.
3. Making an effort/expense to get to a remote spot and finding other fishermen there.
4. Grumpy guides.
5. Leaky waders.
6. Freezing fingers.
7. Doctor flies.
8. Treble hooks.
I hate it when guys fuss over the price of a fishing license. anyplace I go, the price is a deal when compared to the fun, excitement and great stories and fish you catch.
Corrolary to #4: Too much emphasis on size of the fish.
1: “How dare you disrespect these fish by chasing them with an Eagle Claw!”
2: Seeing someone catch a native species (like longnose gar) and dump them on the bank.
3: Poorly managed fisheries. Spend thousands of dollars stocking a river and nothing is spent on developing the habitat (bugs, plants, etc…) to support the fish.
4: People who walk through your backcast.
5: Cast netters who keep everything.
Great post!
Sea Lions
Excellent post. I don’t like it when the fish are out of the water too long, seeing ANY garbage, any slow death to any fish species and guys with too much testosterone – no road rage attitude allowed. Fishing is both exciting and relaxing at the same time. And, it can also be an artistic sport, in my opinion. 😉 Thanks, L.
Not making enough money to go fishing everywhere and anytime! So many adventures to be had but not enough time or money! Ornery than that fishing is one heck of a way to spend a day 🙂
The single most thing I hate about fishing is catching a fish that has a deformed jaw and/or missing eye(s). It makes me sad and pretty much ruins my day of fishing. I just feel bad for the fish.
When people focus too much on the catching and not on the fishing. If you can’t enjoy the fishing trip how can catching a fish make it that much better?
1. Gear snobs. Nice gear is cool, but having it doesn’t make you cooler than me.
2. Same as your #2. Power to the grass carp! And the ladyfish…
3. No TP/wet TP on the boat.
JB
I hate that I can’t do it more often.
Inadvertently killing a fish (hooking in gills, usually), then having the fishing regulations prevent me from at least eating it, or giving it to someone to eat.
I understand the reason for the regs, but it crushes me to place a belly-up fish back in the water and watch it spin off downstream.
When the place you’ve owned all fall and winter (not owned- but frequented so much even in harsh winter conditions for your love of fishing- it feels like a part of you) is over run June thru September with the party-cooing, cooler-toting, lawn chair leaving, no river respecting koo-koo birds occupying it in force.
So I guess that just really means I hate the longer walk to escape their presence.
They scare the fish!
See you on the high ground,
AirborneAngler
I hate when I get a leak in my waders and when I break off that last “go to” fly.
Things I Hate About Fishing:
1. I can’t do it every day of the year
2. Seeing the Indians use their nets to wipe out multiple runs, going over their limits and slaughtering incidental catches. (Just ask me how I know in WA state).
3. Snaggers!
4. Traveling 3,000 miles for solitude and seeing anyone with a yankee accent already there making noise.
5. Rain coming in sideways on 40 mph winds on your day to travel by float plane to the braids. The pilot just shaking his head and saying he is going back to bed.
6. Always being a single (no one I know has any money to make the trips or they don’t fish if they do) to the camps and being stuck with a 90 year old fisherman by the Guide Company which makes for short days when he needs to nap.
7. Guides not considering I don’t eat salmon although I love to catch them I release 90% of them and the 10% goes to my sister and brother to live off during the winter. I’m also a diabetic, so all the wonderful food provided other than meat is off limits. Damn!
8. Its hard to flyfish and take tons of pictures at the same time….something has to give.
9. I hate it when you break your back, shoulder, fracture your neck, break your leg, get caught in quick sand….it all slows down your fishing experience (These all happened to me, although I never stopped fishing).
10. Despite what I wrote and the high costs to fish, I wouldn’t trade one day of fishing up there in Alaska in the Katmai or outer reaches of the Pennisula for anything. Awesome and God’s gift to all of us.
About fishing I hate the melodious notes of birdsong at fishlight who would, if they had fingers like me, try to rub from their eyes sleep-dreams, theirs of giant worms, or insects, or small mammals, mine of the Monster I had no business catching for the lightness of the tackle, ground-chasing-losingly its darting underwater shadow downstream, exhilarating in the unlikeliness of finally netting, ephemerally admiring, releasing Him, to provide to another appreciator a such similar experience….to keep as only his to his last day here….
Landowners who think they own the river water and won’t allow boat or drift access to fish the river. Landowners who hate fishermen and discourage fishing by intentionally damaging fish habitat and by dumping fertilizer and other wastes into the rivers.
we have the same problems here in Australia I think that some have had people entering their properties by land without asking permission has made it bad for everyone but HONESTLY I THINK THAT THEY COULD LET GENUINE FISHERFOLK IN AS LONG AS THEY LEAVE THE PLACE AS THEY FOUND IT