Fishing Is A Spiritual Activity
Fishing Is Spiritual
By
Russ Hobbs
Fishing is a spiritual activity. Well, it can be, it certainly is for me. A bright sunny day, a great fishing spot and a guy were made for each other. Now take today, for example. This morning was a gift from heaven meant for fishing! All of the right ingredients came together. There was lots of sunshine, a perfect temperature with a nice breeze.
I arrived at the “spot” just a short drive from the house to discover that a few others had the same idea about how to make the most of a beautiful spring morning. I pulled into the parking space, shut off the truck engine and watched a dad and his son catching a nice sized fish, probably a 12-15 inch Bass, the kind and size that make you proud to be a fisherman. I sat and watched the anglers for awhile, thinking they would tire of my spot and surrender it. I reasoned that they might want to check out some other “beautiful” spots on the lake. I was wrong. They remained glued to the spot. Hey, who could blame them, right? When you’re at the right place with your line wet and you’re waiting for the strike that’s gonna make your day, time, surroundings and people around you can get a little fuzzy.
As I continued to watch the serene lake setting I noticed another guy working his way along the shore line using a lure and casting with no apparent luck. Exiting the truck I grabbed my gear and headed in his direction where a little small talk took place. It was that kind of dialogue between two fisherman about the best “spots” on the lake. We both agreed that the apparent father and son team had chosen one of the best places to cast their lines. After a few more pleasantries I hiked to a place where a fallen tree was submerged in the water. I had not fished this spot before and there was a lot of marshy grass, a good place to snag your line. But, the thought of a monster bass lunging for my night crawler and filling my day with joy as man and fish engaged in a struggle stirred good feelings in the soul.
I baited my hook and cast..THAT’S WHEN IT HAPPENED! SPLASH! I glanced to my left to see a bass flying through the air as he leaped from his watery home near the submerged tree. I couldn’t help but notice during those air bound seconds that the fish looked at me AND winked! That FISH had to be more than 15 inches long. I know, fish story, right? You probably don’t believe in talking fish either! I thought as much. But, if you click over to the audio page of our website I have a talking fish story for you. Check it out and listen to a good story about learning how to be content with who you are and what you have!
Friend, a day of fishing isn’t just about catching and frying fish. Aw no, a day of fishing at the lake is about mastering the art of learning to slow the pace of a hectic life. It’s about taking a fresh look at ones surroundings and place in creation. It’s about accepting the challenge to seek and embrace the unexpected circumstances of life and learning how to communicate with God and man in His great outdoors! I think fishing is a spiritual exercise OR it should be for every lover of God and nature.