One of the questions I get asked the most is "Do you ever get tired of fishing?" Without hesitation, I nod side to side with a bit of a smirk on my face. "Naw, I never get tired of fishing. I get tired, and I get frustrated, but I never get tired of fishing." Still not convinced, they press on with a similar inquiry. "Doesn't it ever feel like a job to you?" I try to explain the best I can, but if one has to ask, they truly don't understand the reason behind fishing.

Every man, woman, and child is born with traits and genes that separate them from the rest of the human genome, making them completely unique in their own special way. What we do share though, is something that cannot be changed, nor taught in any school. It can be embraced, honed, perfected, or completely ignored, but it never goes away. We have been given an instinctual calling that pushes beyond the bleeding hands, the hell bending wind, dehydration, lack of sleep, and the constant presence of failure. To live, we must eat, and to eat, we must fish. Our ancestors knew it, and though we are far removed from the perils of starvation, we still have to produce the bounty of the waters.

Fishing is not choice, it is everything. Fishing controls our lives, our moods, our well being, and frankly, we can�t live without it. If we don�t catch fish, we will not live the life as we have come to know it. We will wake up everyday, we will contribute to society, and we will sleep, but the space between point A and point B will be filled with very gray details. This brings me to the next, and most common reason, as to why we fish: happiness.

As Americans, we are granted the right to the pursuit of happiness. We are fortunate enough to pursue our prey with such passion and vigor, we come to the realization that there is no life without fishing. In order to be happy, we must fish.

Think of the reasons you put yourself up to the mercy of Mother Nature. At best, you get an educated guess, a mere chance at success, and it all depends on YOUR ability, and YOUR knowledge. A fishermen will do anything and everything to make the desired moment happen. Walk miles through the briars, post up on the bow with 3ft rollers, stare aimlessly at a Coleman lantern on a full moon night in mid March, cast one more time when you�re already too tired to care anyways. The bait is released from your hands, already chaffed from the cold and bleeding from a slice you took off the gills from a fish who just wouldn�t give up the fight. Always optimistic, and always searching, we continue to pursue.

And how many times must we fail? How many times must we fail? Thousands upon thousands of casts end up fruitless. We cast, we pitch, we shoot, we throw, we run lines, we cut bait, we tie lures, we make jigs, we purchase equipment, we take off work, we drive for hours, we put it all on the line. All of this for the chance to fail more times than we succeed, and all of this happens for the one moment we all lose sleep over.

A twitch of the line catches your eye, and your pole goes half moon. A hybrid slaps your bait, sending a sensation through the forearms of the battle to be waged. Tension in a hand full of trotline chord tells your brain that in .003 seconds, you better have it together because you�re about to get tied in knots with a fish half your size. Failure has taught you so much, and now in the moments of catching a fish, you will have been relieved of life for a few brief moments, and heaven is truly on earth. Grown men laugh uncontrollably at the site of surfacing and chaotic silver trains. Death and sickness is forgotten instantly in the seconds after the undeniable thump of a slab. Divorce and heartache are nowhere to be found as a baitclicker signals the inevitable. When there is a fish on the line, there is absolutely nothing but the fishermen, and the fish. And as the greatest Fisher of Men put it, when He had us all on the line many thousands of years ago, �It is Good.�

�Do you every get tired of fishing?� Well let�s see, yesterday, I caught fish. Today, I�m going to catch fish. Tomorrow, I�m going to catch more fish. And I will continue to do so until the Lord says I have caught enough of these fish, and then I�m going to catch a lot of fish! Join me brothers and sisters of the water, in this constant pursuit we call fishing.

Well said Lane
God Bless America
I too live for the anticipation of the next bite! We moved to the lake 22 yrs ago so that'd I'd be able to fish more often. I also am guilty of attempting to infect my Grandkids with the same fever!

LANE!!!! That is the absolute best answer I have ever seen to a buddy that says those 3-4 hours of fishing were a "waste of time". I have always responded "No, I learned something."

Outstanding article Lane!!!! You realy know how to express yourself. With you and Chuck on the water it gives all of us an insperation and target to shoot at. Hopefully one day I will also be able to catch fish with the consistency that you and Chuck do on a daily basis. But if everyone caught fish like you two, the population would be alot less and catching would be alot harder. That is why God makes a few great fisherman, a few intermediate fisherman, and a few novice fisherman. I personally am fine with just enjoying the day on the water with a few in the livewell, and not disappointed if I dont limit out each trip. No need for me to be gready and selfish.

That was greatness! Thanks Lane!

Very well said, indeed, Lane!

Very well put (said)

Absaloutly an A+ Made me want to leave work and go fishing.

Lane,
Well put friend. Couldn't have said it better myself.

Excellent!

The passion of the crappie.!!!

Preach on brother!!!AMEN AMEN Preach on!!!! ...........................................Now that the sermon has been preached, I'll collect the offering!!!

It will never be said any better than that Lane. In my humble opinion, this needs to be published in Crappie World, In-Fisherman, Playboy (which I 'read' just for the articles anyway), and any other publication that asks the age old question 'WHY'.

A very good read at the least. A testement of those of us that feel that emotion at the best. I've said to my wife often...and I really mean it; I live to fish. But yes, if they have to ask 'why', then they probably won't understand the answer anyway.