Admittedly, I know very little about fishing beyond ordering it on a menu. My father-in-law on the other hand is an avid fisherman with the skills and knowledge to back up such a title.
He often regales me with stories of past fishing trips and tidbits of information regarding the sport itself, and while I find it interesting the idea of me actually partaking never really crossed my mind.
That was until a few weeks ago when I said to myself, “Craig, how do you know if you don’t like something until you at least give it a try?”
And so this weekend I boarded a 100 foot long fishing boat, with no skills to speak of, for a day out on the open water.
My father-in-law was kind enough to get me started with a few pointers. I’ll admit baiting the hook was a little gross (the hook went through the eyes of a tiny bait fish as well as a piece of cut up squid), but once I cast my line into the water I began to see why so many people find enjoyment in this sport.
It was a beautiful summer day and the sights all around us were like a picture postcard. I immediately felt relaxed and at ease – leaving all my cares and worries at the dock. Right now it was all about concentrating on my line and waiting for signs that I had caught something.
And before long I did (see photo) – a medium sized fluke which was too small to keep. What a feeling of accomplishment I felt – just like a little kid who caught his first fly ball or finally learned to ride his bike without the training wheels.
By the end of our four hour tour I was proud of myself for taking the opportunity to try something new – something just a few short years ago I probably would’ve shied away from after convincing myself it just wasn’t for me.
I think we do that a lot in life. We allow preconceived notions to prevent us from trying something new – exploring all that life has to offer us. In my case I can definitely say that when the next opportunity comes about, you’ll see me on the other end of a fishing pole.
We never know how long we have here on earth. Open your mind and take this day to try something you’ve been convincing yourself you won’t like. You might just be surprised.
