Is It Possible to Have Fun Without Fish?

The simple answer is “that depends”. It depends on attitude, not just yours, but of those you choose to fish with. Of course catching fish is what you want when you go fishing, but it doesn’t have to be the determining factor of whether or not you have fun. Having a good time can still be had even when the fish are not biting. First off choose a fishing partner whose demeanor is easy going. Someone who can have just as much fun on skunk days as on the days when the fish are active. This  means you need to know your fishing partner.

I have friends that I choose not to go fishing with. Why? Because what makes them happy on fishing trips is catching fish. I’m not saying that this is a bad thing as catching fish is the main reason to go fishing, but someone who has to catch fish in order to have a good time puts a lot of pressure on the fishing trip. It will be a long day indeed if this type of fishing partner is not catching fish. There is also the fishing partner who has “size happiness”. This type of fisherman needs to catch the “big one” in order to feel happy. Even if they are catching fish, if the fish is not the big one then they are not happy and there again the day becomes long because of their attitude.

The perfect fishing partner to have on the days when the fish aren’t biting is the fishing partner that you can tease, joke with and laugh with. Someone you can talk to. Someone whose attitude is such that they can have fun just being on the water enjoying the tranquility and admiring the views. If you’re lucky, you know of someone like this.

 

 

I have found two such people in my brother and my nephew. We went out this past weekend to go fishing and the fish were not active. Sure we caught a couple of fish. In fact, in the nine hours that we spent fishing, I only caught five fish and not one of them even came close to weighing in at a pound. My brother and nephew caught about the same with the biggest fish being pulled in by my nephew and weighed in at just about one and a half pounds. Now five fish in nine hours is not what most fisherman would call a successful day but guess what? Because my brother, nephew and I enjoy being out on the water regardless of how the fish are biting, we had a great day.

So the answer to the question… Is is possible to have fun without fish… is a definite yes, as long as you have the right attitude and you have chosen your fishing partner(s) well.

Tight lines, the Amateur Angler