The Zen of Fishing

Author: Allen Bohart

One of the best ways to relieve stress is to take up a hobby. This is effective because it allows one to take his/her mind off the things that are stressing them such as work, family, and other life situations. Fishing is an outstanding hobby to take up if your aim is to relax and enjoy life a little.

Getting Started

Fishing gear can cost anywhere between $10 and $10,000. A novice can keep expenses down by buying combination outfits that include a rod and reel, line and lures. These are available at sporting good stores, tackle shops and online. A good resource for finding these items can be found at http://www.thefishingbobber.com.

The number choices available in fishing gear can be bewildering and intimidating. In just starting out, keep it simple. A spinning reel is versatile, easy to use and fun to cast. A baitcaster is mechanically different, but serves similar functions. With both types of reels, you can fish with artificial baits called spinners, spoons, and plugs, as well as with natural baits such as worms. Fly rods and reels used with artificial ""flies"" that mimic insects on which fish prey, present anglers with more of a challenge because of the greater difficulty of casting the line.

Remember, the measure of how successful a person is in fishing is whether they have a good time. The idea is to relax, and not necessarily to catch a whole bunch of fish. Actually catching fish, in fact, is a bonus and not an end in and of itself, at least not for the casual fisherman. According to the American Sportfishing Association, the most common reason people fish is to relax.

Imagine yourself out on the dock of a lake far from civilization with nobody around except you and the fish. It's early in the morning and the mist is still rising over the water and you can still see your breath in the air. There is no responsibility, no noise of traffic, no smell of pollution, and no boss to answer to for the time that you are escaping to your new hobby, fishing. Now is that a relaxing vision, or what? That, my friend, is the Zen of Fishing.

About the author: Allen Bohart is a fishing fan and enthusiastic writer for about any subject that interests him. He is also co-owner of The Fishing Bobber , a site for and about fishing enthusiasts of all levels.