Why Do I Fish?

As an electrical engineer I tend to see the world in two views: analog and digital. Digital electronics consists of sequences of only two voltages: 0's and 1's. Similarly, I consider a digital lifestyle as very predictable, redundant, and somewhat tiresome. For example, set the alarm for the same time every day, go to work, sit in on a few meetings, try to do some real work, go home, make dinner, do dishes and a few chores, go to bed, and then rinse an repeat tomorrow. Predictable. Redundant. Boring. Digital.

Conversely, analog electronics operate on a continuous spectrum of voltages not just two discreet values. I consider an analog lifestyle in a word as freedom. Freedom to live life on my terms not on terms dictated by an employer, spouse, or anyone else. This is the void in my life that fishing fills. Realistically, I can't live a gypsy lifestyle and still collect a paycheck to support my family and fishing addiction. Fishing is a prime opportunity for me to exist in the analog world at least for a few moments throughout my digital life.

Furthermore, stillwater fly fishing adds an element of mystique and intrigue to my fishing. Moving water fishing is also exciting, but the fish tend to be in fairly obviously holding lies which can begin to make fishing a river redundant. The mystique of stillwater fishing a lies beneath a vast featureless plane of water. Are there fish? If so where? And most importantly, how could I touch and marvel over one of these mysterious creatures, even if for just a few precious moments?

The intrigue comes when success is attained and a fish, against all odds, is hooked. Whether from the slight inflection of an indicator, a tiny amount of pressure on the line, or a full out Randy-The-Macho-Man body slam, once the fish is hooked the world comes into a singular focus. The Fish. The fight. The scream of a reel. The first view, oh that first sight of The Fish, how a single fish can be burned into memory for a lifetime! Finally, the landing and the quarry is restrained in our dry world for a few seconds before returning back to the unknown depths.

In a digital world, time is an unstoppable force that dictates the pace life. In my analog world, the only time that matters is the time between bites.