Why do you fish ?

[ellicat]

A non-fishing mate put to me what he saw as the pros and cons of recreational fishing and suggested that we are just looking to get away from the day to day of our lives. After I  had a think about it my response was a lot longer than I expected and I could have gone on a lot further than I did. To me the pros far outweigh the cons.

Why do you enjoy fishing so much ?

[Angry51]

Well I think your mate is pretty right, as I used to go fishing to get away from the hustle and bustle

many years ago. Now I go to catch crabs and enjoy the outdoors more.

Well have too much on my plate to go fishing much anymore, as well as living so far from the coast.

But it's good to get a feed of fresh fillets, nothing like fresh fish on the bbq. Anyone that's bought a crab from a seafood shop knows it's not the same as one caught yourself, just don't taste the same and fresh oysters off the rocks,

just can't beat it. Feel like hooking the boat on now.

[ellicat]

Yep, I agreed with him to a point but when I thought about it there was so much more to it. Probably 50/50.

Here is my response to him -

 

[Angry51]

Well yeah, I left out the talkin sh@t bit as I mostly go fishing with the missus.

Mostly we'd book a motel room and be out early fishing and setting pots.

We fish all day and run pots every 2 hours.

End of day we go to motel clean up and go out for dinner/have few coldie's.

Next day check pots and then fish till last available tide pull everything out of the water and do our 2 hour drive 

home. Always a good time out, mostly mid week so no hastles on the water. Never worry to much about hook/line size,

we just use what we've got. Crabbing was/is our forte.

[Sunny boy]

Fishing is a better addiction than most

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

I don’t really know why I like it so much, it just feels right to do! I don’t think I could live without going fishing now.

[Old Scaley]

Spent a while thinking about the cons. Couldn’t think of any.  Fishing is a strange mix of meditation and nervous anticipation. Before I retired, it was definitely an escape from the daily grind and I really enjoyed fishing solo. Now I like having company and shooting the breeze and taking a lazier approach.  When I am not fishing I am thinking about fishing or fiddling with the boat or fishing gear. Life would be dull without fishing.

[Leeroy]

First would be the relaxing getting out there part. Some special moments on the water that you don't get to experience without fishing. People pay good money to experience what we do on a regular basis.

2nd is the challenge of catching new or bigger fish or fishing new areas.

I loved the challenge of catching fish on the lightest line possible early on and some of the fish I've caught on 4lb or 6lb I probably won't better. But long hours. 

I originally started due to serious injuries that stopped me doing my current hobbies.

I needed something to do while recovering without injuries. By the time I healed I was hooked.

Fishing is a lifestyle not just something to do. Love it.

[Jono4500]

From chasing dingos from your bait bucket on Fraser, racing dolphins on kayak off bribie, nearly tripping over wildpigs at npd or spotting the big roos with my boys at deep water bend for me it's all about getting back to being a part of nature, slowing down and relaxing.  Occasionally a feed of fish if I'm lucky. 

[Leeroy]

6 hours ago, Old Scaley said:

Spent a while thinking about the cons. Couldn’t think of any.  Fishing is a strange mix of meditation and nervous anticipation. Before I retired, it was definitely an escape from the daily grind and I really enjoyed fishing solo. Now I like having company and shooting the breeze and taking a lazier approach.  When I am not fishing I am thinking about fishing or fiddling with the boat or fishing gear. Life would be dull without fishing.

The only Con in my view is the cost. You always want a bigger boat or the latest lure etc. Maintenance, Fuel, tow cars etc it never ends. 

But I think the positives outweigh that ten fold.

[Bob9863]

Funny thing is I don't eat fish, so fishing for me is a catch and release way to enjoy being out for the day or an afternoon. 

I like the challenge of catching them using different techniques and styles and I like mastering a new skill or technique. 

Most of this year and last has been trying out different finesse fishing techniques. 

But now I think I might give tenkara fishing a try in preparation for the next trout season. 

It's a very interesting method that to me is a natural extension from finesse fishing techniques. 

And that's why I do it, I like the challenge, I like to mix it up and like activity of actually getting out and mastering a new skill. 

[Old Scaley]

But now I think I might give tenkara fishing a try in preparation for the next trout season.  I had to look tenkara up on google. Looks like a challenge, but a lot of fun.

[Hweebe]

Why do I fish? I can think of a few things:

1) To replicate that high or feeling of ecstasy when you feel the bite on the rod tip change from a nibble to loading up and a reel screaming.

2) Not one day fishing is ever the same, each time is something different or new.

3) It's time away from a desk (Mon-Fri) on the water, back to nature, no time for a phone when you are holding onto a rod

4) A good days fishing is topped off by a feed so fresh that money can't buy and it taps into that primal need to "hunt and gather"

 

Cons:

1) The missus outfishes me 9 times out of 10 - so i get to hear about that everyday until the next time we fish

2) There is a fair bit of prep/cleanup involved especially when boat fishing.

3) It's getting more costly as a hobbie once you go down the rabbit hole of boats, fuel, gear, gadgets, tools

4) Fishing requires/takes a lot of spare time (it's not a short/quick activity)

 

 

 

[Bob9863]

That's one thing that has made me buy and sell about 7 or 8 boats over the last 6 or so years. 

I've had everything from modified kayaks to 5m cabin cruisers. 

The big boats are big effort to take out and expensive to run and the little ones are still effort and more specialised in how you use them. 

Now I prefer shore based fishing again just for the simplicity of being able to throw the rods in the car and go. 

As I enjoy the act of fishing I have moved away from bait, especially as I don't eat them. Lures are a more enjoyable way for me to fish, soft plastics especially. 

I used to just power fish hard bodies trying to maximise my water coverage but have learnt that fishing slower and maximising how I work the water then the amount of water I cover has produced more fish and more enjoyment from my fishing. 

Seeing how other people fish in other parts of the world has opened my eyes to a lot of new ways to fish both with bait and with lures. 

[benno573]

for me the benefits are:

- escapism

- fresh food where you know the whole process end to end (how the animal was treated etc)

- the challenge of the whole process

- time spent with mates

 

to only negatives would be:

- fishing time comes out of family time

- cost of gear/trips can be prohibitive

 

I was fortunate enough to have accumulated a fairly decent pile of fishing kit over the years prior to other responsibilities kicking in which thankfully has kept the ongoing costs fairly low for me and enabled me to continue my habit.  hopefully one day soonish fishing time and family time will become one in the same more regularly which will remove one negative for me.

 

[Junky]

It was something that my Grandad and I used to do. 

He taught me heaps. 

Fish is the best meat in the world. 

Crayfish don't walk on land. 

Same with crabs. 

My passion now is to head to the reef up north but the cost is why I don't at the moment due to setting up my own retirement fishing hub in the sandy straight. That's priority, and we don't take out loans so it's cash spending. Nearly there. 

 

My wife let's me go wherever I like. She gets a break too, although 2 kids isn't much of a break if you ask me. 

They'll come with me for a run in the bay to peel or inside Moreton but I'm yet to get them out to bunker group or heron reef. They come up and stay on the mainland but won't commit to the big run out. Soon though. 

 

There's nothing really like fishing for my persona. 

I love solo fishing right out wide. No land, no phones, just me and my tub. 

I used to ride dirt bikes and that had a similar feeling, just me and my bike although I had other riders with me most of the time. 

 

I get to see areas that most people only see in photos, particularly under the sea. 

I swim with big fish, whales when the opportunity arises. Always carry flippers and goggles in the boat for such occassions. 

 

It's my way of escaping all this technology garbage happening on land. 

No fools in drift cars driving like maniacs. 

 

 

 

 

Cons. 

No coffee shops out there. 

Sharks. 

[Hweebe]

On 01/08/2022 at 10:46 AM, Junky said:

 

Cons. 

No coffee shops out there. 

Sharks. 

Instant coffee? or one of those fancy portable / camping Nespresso devices?

https://www.tentworld.com.au/buy-sale/wacaco-minipresso-ns-nespresso 

[Angry51]

2 minutes ago, Hweebe said:

Instant coffee? or one of those fancy portable / camping Nespresso devices?

https://www.tentworld.com.au/buy-sale/wacaco-minipresso-ns-nespresso 

Jeez mate, if you'd suggested coffee 40 years ago you'd been over the side quick smart.

It was xxxx and only xxxx.

[GregN70]

For me these are pros and cons,

Pros

 - Get away from the house and chores

- Get to play with my toys, Fishing gear and Boats

- Spend time with family & mates

 

Cons

- It's a very very expensive hobby, big distances and lots of fuel to get to less abused spots

- Never any fish to catch, everywhere is already fished out

- Never any crabs left, everywhere is all crabbed out

- Can be very boring spending long hours on the water for not even a bite

- The family get cranky when we do a full day on the water and still have to buy frozen fish (Basa) for dinner from Coles

- One of my biggest cons is depression, developed from years of catching nothing I was diagnosed with depression and required medication.

 

 

 

 

[Tuna are fish]

First reason why i fish, For the adrenaline rush, there's only one thing that i have found that is close to the adrenaline rush from the first tuna of the day.

Second reason: i can just forget about everything and zoneout in the peace and quiet.

[Hweebe]

1 hour ago, Angry51 said:

Jeez mate, if you'd suggested coffee 40 years ago you'd been over the side quick smart.

It was xxxx and only xxxx.

How about some bananas then? 

[GregN70]

1 hour ago, Tuna are fish said:

First reason why i fish, For the adrenaline rush, there's only one thing that i have found that is close to the adrenaline rush from the first tuna of the day.

Second reason: i can just forget about everything and zoneout in the peace and quiet.

Nice, I guess a tuna would do that.

Can't seem to say i get that adrenaline with 250mm long catfish.

[Hweebe]

19 hours ago, GregN70 said:

Cons

- It's a very very expensive hobby, big distances and lots of fuel to get to less abused spots

- Never any fish to catch, everywhere is already fished out

- Never any crabs left, everywhere is all crabbed out

- Can be very boring spending long hours on the water for not even a bite

- The family get cranky when we do a full day on the water and still have to buy frozen fish (Basa) for dinner from Coles

- One of my biggest cons is depression, developed from years of catching nothing I was diagnosed with depression and required medication.

 

 

 

 

Sad too see the Cons are weighing quite heavily against the Pros for you.

I'm still very new to my fishing journey but for sure early on when i picked up my first boat my expectations why sky high. My assumption was that a boat would open up new areas and I'd be bagging out left right and centre. More often then not it would be donuts or less catches then what i would achieve land based over the years for a lot more time / expense.

What i realised is that land based fishing was also hard work at the start but as time (alot of it) /experience went by you started to learned which spots, species, tides, seasons to target fish. I'm going through this learning process with boat fishing which i think the learning curve is even steeper.

For me I've set my expectations in line with this learning process (my thought process is this will be decades of learning) and its more about time on the water (fish or no fish) with my family and friends.

It's never my "mission" to go out and catch a feed as I consider this the bonus. Sure i'll have a target species / area for the day and a bit of a plan but you could almost say boating is the main activity with a side of fishing, catching being desert

Depression - tell me more this, was it directly from not catching fish or were there also other factors at play before your diagnosis?

 

 

 

[GregN70]

50 minutes ago, Hweebe said:

 

Depression - tell me more this, was it directly from not catching fish or were there also other factors at play before your diagnosis?

 

 

 

Before I moved to Central Queensland, I lived in Adelaide, Nth NSW & Brisbane area. Fishing from a young age, I had exceptional success in those areas, always catching amazing fish, winning fishing club awards, photos in fishing mags, fish in the freezer always etc. Then when I moved to Yeppoon it was like a tap was turned off, I could not catch anything. I started to throw more time and money at it thinking I just need to learn more about this spot, go further, use a better sounder, and go every day off I have etc. But that didn't help either, 2 nice boats in the shed brimming with technology and gear, 100kms offshore hunting for new untouched grounds, upset wife as i was hardly ever home on the weekend. Over a couple of years of doing this with only maybe 2 or 3 legal fish on the board, i started to doubt myself, I started to feel cursed, i started to feel useless and that it was just me that was useless. I ended up just giving up on the fishing and started just drinking and staring at my boats in disgust. I broke a few rods in anger and frustration and yelled a lot, had a cry.

Went to the doctors, got diagnosed with depression, got on some meds and did some cognitive behaviour therapy. Changed my thinking, I got back into fishing about 18 months ago, I do like you say, I go boating, take the wife and daughter now. I still don't really catch anything, but I can handle those negative aspects or Cons much better and try not take it to heart anymore like i did. Eventually one day I might catch some good fish consistently. That mostly involves moving to a better fishing area, which will happen in the next couple of years hopefully. Until then I will go boating and if i catch something great, if not it's also great.

[Hweebe]

Thanks for sharing a bit more about yourself to us all - it can only be positive to talk and share your experience thus far.

I know there have be some disparaging comments / comments made in jest on this forum in the past but i hope this forum continues to be supportive.

I can definitely see how fishing can be and is an addiction - At times it is all consuming for me (with every spare thought / moment thinking about fishing or something i can do related to fishing). So glad your family has been supportive around you. For me its currently boat mods, then I go through phases for rods, reels, lures and the cycle continues.

For mind facebook, insta, youtube give us this mirage that fishing is all too easy. When was the last time someone posted donuts on these social platforms, however we all know as fishos it happens.

I don't get out on the water nearly as much as I'd like with work and family commitments however i'll always try and post a fishing report post trip (fish or no fish).

I'd recommend you writing a fishing report after each trip maybe not @AUS-BNE-FISHO level of detail but something that can help start the convo and get some ideas flowing from the forum to help crack the code in Yeppoon. The actual writeup of the report I find somewhat therapeutic and you will always get good words of wisdom from the forum regulars.

It's always good to see people go through the journey and fishing progression through a series of reports over time. Something to look back at fondly about how far you have gone and what has been achieved compared to the beginning.

It would be great for you to post about your past experiences when the fishing was amazing a bit of nostalgia always gets the fire flowing too  

 

[Bob9863]

22 hours ago, GregN70 said:

- The family get cranky when we do a full day on the water and still have to buy frozen fish (Basa) for dinner from Coles

 

 

 

 

A funny thing about Basa, that's, another name for Mekong giant catfish. 

In their home countries they are treated as a sport fish and nobody really eats them any more. 

As to depression, it's a hard thing to deal with, I've started to get that lure fishing. When every time you go out and every cast there's no expectation of a bight and your just going through the motions, it can get really disheartening. 

After the fires and the resulting fish kills in the rivers and lake I didn't fish for two years waiting to hear they bounced back. 

That's one reason I try different techniques and styles of fishing. 

Atm there are no fish biting around my local spots, too cold and the fish are too deep. 

So I'm swapping over gear for my long cast stuff and targeting different areas where I can hit the deep water but it's a struggle. 

Hopefully you find something that works for you as fishing is, suppose to recharge your batteries, not deplete them. 

Good luck. 

[GregN70]

1 hour ago, Bob9863 said:

A funny thing about Basa, that's, another name for Mekong giant catfish. 

In their home countries they are treated as a sport fish and nobody really eats them any more. 

 

My family love seafood. So we eat a lot of Basa. I probably but 1kg per week. Sometimes hoki as well when on special.

When we lived in Brisbane & NSW, I used to get a stacks of crabs, both sandys and muddies. The family, got used to a good feed of crabs once a month or so.

But up here in this Yeppoon area, there are very few crabs anywhere. Sand crabs are super rare, and mud crabs aren't much better.

We now keep a crab feed to a once a year special when I buy 3 or so from the FishO for easter or Christmas. Really miss the great crabs of Toorbul & Donnybrook, it's just to easy to get a feed there.

[Bob9863]

Man when I lived in Darwin I had some brilliant mud crab spots. 

Used to bring in a haul of em and eat 2-3 each for a meal. Big big buggers too, take a finger or toe off if your not careful tying the claws. 

[GregN70]

Oh nice Bob9863, crabbing in Northern NSW was like that too. The biggest crabs ive ever seen, and very abundant. Especially Wooli River. 2kg Bucks, 20cm across the back were the norm, not the exception.

[Daryl McPhee]

This about sums it up for me. I fished so had food to eat. 

How wetting a line changed a life (moretondaily.com.au)

[Hweebe]

On 5/8/2022 at 5:28 PM, Daryl McPhee said:

This about sums it up for me. I fished so had food to eat. 

How wetting a line changed a life (moretondaily.com.au)

Thanks for sharing @Daryl McPhee great article and not too shabby pose in the photo