Fishing is one of the most common hobbies worldwide, for good reasons. Fishing has had a long history from being a common profession to a multi-million dollar industry, thanks to how it makes you feel.
Fishing can make you feel happy, stress-free, and proud and put you in a better mood, thanks to that feeling of reeling in a fish and being outside. For the most part, the emotions you feel out fishing are worth chasing, although rarely, fishing can also be frustrating.
Below we expand on the best parts of the feelings you get from fishing and a couple of the negative emotions that fishing can cause so you know what to expect.
So How Does Fishing Make You Feel?
If fishing weren’t an enjoyable experience, nobody would be doing it, and the industry would have failed long ago.
Everyone has reasons for fishing, and you might experience different emotions while fishing than those outlined below.
However, fishing will probably make you feel at least some of the things listed in this article.
Whether you are wondering why people enjoy it so much or are debating getting into fishing, the feelings below will give you a good idea of what to expect.
Here are seven positive feelings related to fishing and two negative ones to know what to expect.
1. Fishing Can Relieve Stress And Anxiety
Personally, I find that fishing will relieve me of stress and anxiety, and I know many other fishermen feel the same way.
There’s nothing quite like getting out on the water and spending a few hours relaxing and casting away.
Something about being out in nature and having something familiar to do will help relieve the stress and calm me down.
Getting out and fishing when I am particularly anxious will help me calm down and forget about the real world for a while.
2. Fishing Can Give You A Sense Of Accomplishment
Fishing is a relaxing activity and can also fill you with a sense of accomplishment.
Whether you are getting a new technique down, learning how to use a spinning reel or baitcasting reel for the first time, or you catch a lunker, the feeling of accomplishment is unmatched.
This feeling of accomplishment applies to all levels of fishing, from a beginner catching their first fish to a professional winning a tournament and everyone in between.
And the best part is, reeling in a fish never gets old.
3. Focusing On One Task Can Clear Your Mind
While it might not seem like it initially, fishing is a form of meditation. Meditation basics focus on one simple task and nothing else.
By focusing on something simple, you can clear your mind except for the task. This mindfulness is one of the best parts of fishing, whether you are watching a bobber float or mindlessly casting out a lure.
This meditation-like behavior you get from fishing is most effective when you choose a simple technique or something you’ve practiced enough to do without messing up.
This technique or skill could be as simple as live bait fishing or throwing a classic Texas rig and slowly reeling it in.
4. Fishing Can Be Mentally Stimulating
While this may be the opposite of the previous point, fishing can be mentally stimulating.
Looking for structure and cover, choosing where to cast, and learning how to use new lures and techniques can be a mentally exciting addition to fishing.
The more technical part of fishing you choose, the more mentally stimulating it can be. This stimulation can also be a helpful way to help young kids focus on something and learn new things.
5. Fishing Can Cause A Boost In Self-Esteem
Fishing can make you feel good about yourself and boost your self-esteem. This boost can be from catching a new personal best or from the feeling of expertise in something.
It’s no secret that being good at something will make you feel better about yourself, and improving your fishing prowess will boost your confidence as you learn new techniques and skills.
Fishing for food can boost self-esteem by giving you confidence in being able to provide food for yourself and your family, which is a strong feeling.
Confidence in specific survival skills can boost self-esteem, and fishing can help.
6. Getting Sunlight Can Make You Feel Good
Some parts that help you feel good after fishing aren’t even due to the fishing itself.
Getting outside and being exposed to sunlight helps an individual feel happier and healthier, and there is plenty of research to back this up.
Vitamin D can improve your mood and help prevent you from getting sick, keeping you feeling the best you can be.
Being outside is also a great chance to slow down and reset your mind a bit, surrounded by nature instead of the everyday hustle and bustle of the city.
The more urban environment you live/work in, the more that fishing will help you connect with nature and enjoy being outside.
7. You Can Feel More Coordinated After Fishing
Fishing is a great way to help young kids improve their focus and hand-eye coordination. It can also help older adults retain their fine motor skills as aging deteriorates those muscles.
For young kids, fishing can be a great way to improve their fine motor skills and help them be more coordinated.
While fishing might be passed down from father to son as a tradition, the benefits of teaching your kid how to fish are also practical.
For older adults, fishing can be a great way to get them to exercise and retain those smaller muscles that start to go away as certain things become complicated.
Fishing can be one of the most accessible sports physically and is helpful for a wide range of people to stay in shape.
8. Fishing Can Be Frustrating
For most of us, fishing is a calming activity, and just being out in nature can be great, even if you don’t catch any fish. However, certain aspects of fishing can be frustrating at times.
Sometimes going out and getting skunked can cause a lot of frustration, especially after multiple bad trips. Or, getting snagged on that underwater branch and losing a new lure can worsen your day.
One of the worst feelings anyone can have when out fishing is having a big fish on, then losing it. While fishing is a gratifying sport, certain frustrating events can make it a little less fun in the short term.
9. Sometimes Something Will Go Wrong, And You’ll Feel Bad
Sometimes as a fisherman, something will go wrong, and you’ll unintentionally harm a fish. This experience can be unpleasant for both you and the fish.
For example, fishing catch and release, sometimes a fish will take the hook a bit too deep and get gut hooked, which never feels good as a fisherman if you are not planning on keeping a fish or if you can’t keep that fish for other reasons.
Or, an improper or damaged knot will result in a fish getting off with the hook still in its mouth.
While they can shake it out most of the time, we still want to preserve the waters we fish in, so other people can also enjoy fishing there.
Or, in some scenarios, you’ll feel bad because you physically get injured.
Getting spiked by fish, getting a hook in your hand, and bruises and scrapes happen all the time when fishing are risks for which you should be prepared.
Final Thoughts
Fishing is an easily accessible sport that can be enjoyed by a wide variety of people and give you plenty of different feelings.
Most of the feelings associated with fishing are positive and will make you happier and more fulfilled, but you should also be prepared for the bad days.
However, it is true when they say that even a bad day of fishing is better than a good day at work. After all the frustrations with getting skunked and snagged, a new personal best is around the corner.