I’ve spent a whole professional career writing about fly fishing (at least most of it). And looking back, sometimes I wonder if it was worth it.
Sure, the ride has been fun. Who could argue against getting paid to write stories about fishing, and edit magazines and all the other stuff? I’ve seen places I would never have believed I’d experience when I was in high school or college.
My father-in-law was my fly-fishing mentor, and I joked to him that I was destined to perform surgeries at the Mayo Clinic, or argue cases in front of the Supreme Court, or be a captain of industry, had he not put this dang fly-fishing bug in my soul. But here I am, writing yet another column about fishing…
Then again, I can’t count the number of doctors, lawyers, and captains of industry who work their butts off many weeks a year for the mere opportunity to spend a few days fishing with me and doing what I do all the time.
Fly fishing brings purpose
I’ve learned, over the years, that there are many alternative ways to measure wealth. Or success. Or purpose.
Most important of all, I’ve learned that the act of fishing can pour wealth and purpose into the human spirit and soul, perhaps like nothing else can.
To wit:
I’ve seen it in the faces of people recovering from illness or injury radiating with excitement when they stand in a river and feel the cool currents sweep around their legs.
I’ve seen high-strung CEOs of Fortune 500 companies melt back into their inner souls and become childlike again when they feel the tug of a trout at the end of their lines.
I’ve seen broken bonds within families seemingly, instantaneously, repaired after fishing shoulder-to-shoulder on a wild trout river together.
I’ve seen clinically depressed people spark alive with smiles and laughter when they watch a trout inhale a dry fly.
I’ve seen battle-scarred and emotionally distraught veterans find solace and peace—in real time—as they’ve fished.
I’ve seen isolated and bullied kids come out of their shells, and beam with pride when their fly rod is bent.
I’ve seen folks of vastly different political ideologies high-five and hug each other after the big fish got landed.
I’ve seen many others who feel marginalized in one way or another find meaning through fly fishing.
And most often of all, I’ve seen the “average, everyday person” light up just a little bit more and perhaps feel a little bit closer to nature when they endeavor to catch trout with a fly rod.
Fishing is so worth it
You see, the real beauty of fly fishing is that the river and the fish don’t care who you are or where you’re from. The rivers couldn’t care less how much money you’re worth, where you came from, who your parents are, where you went to school, or any of that.
Anyone who steps into any trout river, anywhere in the world, is on equal footing.
Yeah… for some it may be just a game. Or a sport. Or a pastime, a hobby, or whatever you might choose to call it.
But at the end of the day, I’ve decided that fly fishing is exceptionally good for the human soul. Done with genuine purpose and respect for the resource (this shouldn’t be merely an extractive industry) the positives far outpace any negatives, by a factor of at least 10,000.
None of it happens if we don’t take care of the water. We owe that much to ourselves, each other, and future generations.
Because heck yeah… fishing is more than worth it. On so many levels. And, speaking personally, I wouldn’t change a dang thing, were I to do it all over again.