Fishing as a Sport and as an Occupation

People first began fishing to feed themselves once they realized fish were good to eat and could be caught from rivers, lakes and oceans. Fish are a healthy source of protein that have little fat, or mostly healthy fat. Since fish were first discovered as a food source, there has probably never been a time when people did not catch them to eat.

Fish are best eaten fresh soon after they are caught since they will soon spoil unless they are kept very cold. Native Americans and Eskimo peoples found fish could be preserved for later use when smoke was used to dry the meat. The cleaned fish were cut into strips and hung over a smoking fire until the meat was thoroughly cooked and dried. The smoked fish provided a healthy source of protein during the winter months when the lakes and rivers were frozen.

Commercial fishermen found they could make a fairly decent living by catching large quantities of fish for fish markets and grocery stores. The development of commercial and residential freezers made it possible to freeze fresh fish so they could be cooked and eaten at a later date. Refrigerated trucks also made it possible to ship frozen fish across country to stores and restaurants far from where they were caught. People who had never caught a fish in their life were able to enjoy the healthy food whenever they desired.

Anyone who has ever caught a fish knows how fun and exciting that can be. Fishing has become such a popular sport that an entire industry has been created to support it. There are various types of fishing ranging from simply attaching a baited hook to a pole and line and throwing it into the water. This is how many kids have begun their fishing hobby, and all it takes is catching the first fish for them to become "hooked" on the sport.

Fly fishing is a more challenging approach to the sport and requires considerable practice to handle the pole and line properly. So, be sure to get yourself a good fly fishing reel and rod before going out there. Really big fish can be caught from a deep sea fishing boat. Daring fishermen often go out on a chartered boat where they may catch a huge Marlin or Tuna.

Whether the fish on the menu has been caught fresh or purchased from the frozen food section of a grocery store, it is one of the healthiest foods available.

Don't Confuse Fishing With Phishing

I told my boyfriend I was going out fishing last weekend and he freaked out. He works in an IT department for a financial institution, and is constantly on the lookout for fraud among his services, machines, and clients. It took a short argument for me to figure out that he thought I said phishing instead of fishing. Once I realized it, I suddenly understood why he was so mad at me, but then I was kind of mad at him for thinking girls don't go fishing.

Somehow I doubt I'll ever get my boyfriend to come fishing with me. He's not the outdoors type. I personally have fun even on days I don't catch anything. It's great just being out on a boat in the water under the sun and sky. That's the kind of fishing I like. Angling from a boat.

My dad was a serious fisher. He didn't just do angling, but also spearing, netting, and trapping. My grandparents were kind of survivalist enthusiasts, so they taught him a lot, some of which he passed on to me.

My boyfriend actually tried to argue with me that I shouldn't be doing things like this, as the world is overfished and I'm helping destroy the environment. I laughed so hard it almost scared him. Of course I know some areas have that happen, but I go fish on land that is sustainably managed, and keep natural, preserving open spaces. He blew me off and suggested it was an ancient and now useless skill, given how much food is mass produced.

That's when I blew up in his face. I let him know in no uncertain terms that there's around forty million fishers around the world by trade, and in some developing countries, fishing and aquaculture provide direct and also indirect employment for half a billion people.

That shut him up, so I didn't let up. I told him that fishing has happened for more than forty thousand years, and our species wouldn't have evolved to computers and microwave food without fishing along the way, as it predates even basic agriculture.

I'm honestly not sure what we were really fighting about, but maybe it'll dawn on me while I'm out on the water with my rod and reel. The really quiet afternoons are almost meditative, and a great time for reflection and contemplation. I love it.

An Introduction To Kayak Fishing

As one of the oldest sports, fishing has experienced a lot of changes over the millennia. This has continued in the modern era, and one new wrinkle in fishing that's growing in popularity is the art of fishing from a kayak. Kayaks allow anglers to chase highly sought-after game fish in a healthy, environmentally-friendly way, and specialized equipment and kayaks can make this an extremely effective fishing method.

Historical Background

The kayak is one of the oldest boat designs in the world, with clear examples that are over 4,000 years old preserved in museums. The indigenous peoples who invented them used them for hunting rather than fishing, silently cruising along the banks of rivers and lakes to take game unawares. In modern times, fishers have discovered that the kayak makes an ideal base of operations for many different types of fishing. Kayaks are environmentally friendly, and their human-powered propulsion makes it easy to approach game fish that would be spooked away by motor-powered craft.

Modern Kayaks Designed For Fishing

While many kayak fishers use traditional kayaks with minimal alterations, manufacturers have also modified the basic kayak design to make them more useful for the sport. As noted on Outdoorsman Weekender, built-in equipment (including coolers, anchors, and rod mounts) is quite common. Many fishing kayaks are exceptionally wide when compared to ordinary kayaks, and twin-hull "W" models are even available. The width of a fishing kayak is important to increase stability and make it healthier and more comfortable for fishers who will be spending a long time in the boat. Sit-on-top kayaks make excellent fishing vessels, as do kayaks designed for standing up.

The Skills Of Kayak Fishing

While the small size of kayaks requires a little bit of additional prowess and balance on the part of the fishers that use them, the general principles of fishing are more or less the same. Kayaks make it easy to fish for bottom feeders or use jigs. Kayak fishers have even discovered that trolling is possible in a kayak; many species of fish respond well to towed lures even at the relatively low speed of a paddled kayak. Many kayak fishers ferry their kayaks to fertile fishing grounds on larger boats, allowing them to pursue large game fish.

Although fishing from a kayak isn't ideal for everyone (some prefer to use an iSUP for fishing!), anglers who are interested in getting plenty of exercise while they fish will enjoy using kayaks. They're eminently affordable when compared to motorized watercraft, and they enable their users to catch fish that would in many cases be impossible to reach otherwise.