Fishing as a sport.... good or bad idea.

[oldboot]

After reading a current post on negative attitudes & such this occured to me.

Is describing fishing as a sport a good or a bad thing.

It seems there is a drive to describe all sorts of things as something.... sport is used to describe lots of things that it doesn't realy fit.

Then the describing of this activity as a sport and all that comes with it influences how people conduct that activity and how people feel about it.

I don't think of fishing as a sport any more than cooking or gardening or even poultry keeping.

But then I'm not realy interested in catching something I can't eat.

as soon as we call fishing a sport it makes it "unnecessary" in the minds of some people.

If we call it a sport... it must be a blood sport.... which is most un politiclay correct.

so whats the difference between catching a fish and eating it and growing poultry and eating the eggs and the birds...... or for that matter growing vegitables and eating them....... plants have feelings too you know.

As soon as we call fishing a sport it is different from the other activities I mention.

Fishing is more important than sport.
For some people it is a source of good wholesome food.

fishing is not like football and golf.

sorry, to me fishing will never be a sport.

cheers

[finga]

Not a sport for me....just a pleasant past-time. A relaxant you may say

[DR]

Basically, i see it as a sport & a pastime & a hobbie & as stress relief etc. etc.

to those that spend a lot of money on gear & compete to be the best at that particular type of fishing, it's a sport! bream & bass & barra tournaments.

then you have the family type of comps that people participate in to spend time with friends having a good time & maybe winning some sort of prize...not sport

then there is the big one offs, like straddie classic etc. where a lot fish for the kudos of getting the biggest species, some, (allegedly) even cheat for the to get this, just sad or greedy. usually when big prizes come into it some will do anything to win, not a sport..

then there is those of us that just fish for the hell of it, we are over the whole gotta get a big one, & enjoy nothing more than drifting around on the water relaxing, fish are a bonus. we don't care if you take a feed, we sometimes do, just stay within the law, we don't care if you release your fish as we do that as well. not a sport, a good time..



i am sure there are others who can ad to my observations...

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sport

[blaze]

not sport (used to be an ANSA member), now seen as a feed, relaxation, time to watch the world go by (the benifet of bait), enjoyment etc.
Some of the most well known writers are also voicing the opinion that fish and sport should not be used in the same sentence because of the blood sport attachment.
cheers
blaze

[nigelr]

Have to agree with your point of view, old boot.
Fishing is not a sport to me, more like an addiction. After a while, I need a 'fix'.
As a surfer and spearfisher, I regard these as being more like sports.
However, the three pursuits are more the focal points of my beach lifestyle.
When I was younger I was almost totally obsessed with surfing.
These days, in my fifties, fishing is more my obsession!
Sounds like a personality disorder!
Fortunately I have family and work commitments to keep me on an even keel.
Cheers!

[tunaticer]

Fishing is my way of life outside all other things that keep me busy. It is the "MY" time i crave as we all do I suspect. The fish i encounter along the way are secondary rewards. I never ever go fishing to definitely bring home dinner, If my luck runs good there will be a meal at the end of the day for me and my family, if not I have still enjoyed "MY" time.

Jack.

[Flattie Assassin]

I think fishing goes a lot deeper than a pass time. We are hunters. There is something primal that speaks to us from deep within.

[cuzzamundi]

WAY beyond a sport for me! sport is trivial in my mind. fishing...phoar!

cuzza

[aussiefool]

I for one liketo call it a sport........ how else can I tell my Dr truthly that I partake in a sport almost eveyday as well as going rock climbing ( Ido fish off the rocks)

[imnotoriginal]

It's what you make it. It's only a sport if you choose to pursue it that way. I for one do see it that way when I fish, me versus the fish, but you can also fish just for the relaxation or just as an excuse to be out on the water.
Joel

[NAGG]

For me , fishing is much more than a sport ( & I've never really considered it as a true sport) .... I guess there is an element of sport , when you downsize your gear & actively target / hunt a given species ie : Walking mountain streams & targeting trout on fly
Aside from that .... Fishing is the complete experience for me .... It helps me relax , I use fishing as the focus of any travel ... & as such puts me into some magnificent environments , it provides a good feed ( when desired) , gives great satisfaction when it all comes together . You can adapt to different techniques , methods ..... & target a species with that technique (so its never boring) ...... I can be as active as I want (Lure & fly) or just sit back ... chill out with a beer in hand & just let time slide bysoaking a bait ! ........ Its just all good .... except the spending of way too much money in pursuit of said fishing .... Nagg

[kingtin]

It's a craving, that's why placcies will never catch on with me. I just love to cut the heads off pillies and squid and other wriggly things.............hang on............I'll be back in a minute.................there's a van outside with some men in white coats.

kev

Top Tip:

Don't worry about people stealing an idea. If it's original, you will have to ram it down their throats.

[Little grey men]

It's a craving, that's why placcies will never catch on with me. I just love to cut the heads off pillies and squid and other wriggly things.............hang on............I'll be back in a minute.................there's a van outside with some men in white coats.

kev

Top Tip:

Don't worry about people stealing an idea. If it's original, you will have to ram it down their throats.

RUN KEV RUN !!!

[charleville]

I have seen too many really fat fishos (including me) to know that it is not a sport.


I have never considered ballroom dancing a sport either but there is no doubt that when I watch "Dancing with the Stars", I see all of the fattie contestants lose weight over a series so I am willing to compromise on that one.


...but not fishin'.


Fishin' is just fishin'.


... and a bloody good stress reliever it is too.

[Little grey men]

So much more than a sport for me. It's been a part of my life for the last thirty years. I started freshwater fishing when I was five years old with my Grandfather, my Father and my Brothers. Fishing with these blokes, sharing experiences and learning from them was and still is pure gold.

When we all get together we talk about fishing. For instance I got a call from my Father a few nights ago, he's been talking to an old farmer who has a large property right on the Condamine. This old boy has befriended my Father and told him that he is welcome to fish there anytime, bring ya boy's too he said. Well Dad sussed the place out the other day, and it was like speaking to a young boy on the phone...The conversation contained the following statements .The tracks are all overgrown,nobodies been there for years,good cod hole, the river looks wide and deep and we saw at least three big fish hit the surface in the late afternoon, nice easy banks so you can bring Caleb( his Grandson..4th Generation fishing nut). What do ya reckon surface poppers for the top and spinners for the snags, gotta get hold of some crayfish.

Fishing is something that we treasure. and for someone to call it unecessary or a blood sport...well I guess they just don't get it.