I love sports and I love to fish, but I always wondered if fishing falls under the category of a sport. I decided to find out for myself and share my findings with you.
So is fishing a sport? Fishing is a sport and not just an outdoor activity. A sport is something that requires skill, physical exertion, and is competitive. The act of fishing falls under all of these requirements and there are many tournaments and competitions throughout the world.
So the main answer is yes. But sometimes it’s hard to see how is sitting on a dock, drinking a cold one, and reeling in a few small rainbow fish takes as much skill or physical effort as a sport? Well, there’s a little more to it than that.
Fishing For Sport and Fishing for Fun
Let’s look at some other activities that may or may not be considered a sport to help you compare. Bowling, sport or not? Is it competitive? Yes. Does it require skill? Sure does. Is it physically draining? Well, it can be!
How about Poker. Skill? Yes. Competitive? Yes. Physical? No. Technically Poker isn’t a sport no matter how much it is on ESPN. As long as it can answer yes to these three questions, it is considered a sport. Some might say that fishing doesn’t answer yes to those questions though.
Well maybe not to that person, but try telling that to the guy who just spent 3 hours searching and reeled in a huge 100-pound swordfish.
I think it’s safe to say we have all seen the movie Jaws, or at least know what it’s about. Now no one is out there reeling in a shark like that, but fish get really big, and reeling in a 60-pound tuna isn’t easy. It takes a lot of work, sometimes hours to get a good catch. And the reeling in part is sometimes considered the easiest thing about fishing.
Figuring out where to go for the fish you are looking for, what bait to use, how much to use, how to hook it, the best way to cast and where to cast, how slow and how fast to real in, how long to wait to recast, etc. If you really want to get good at fishing, there is a lot to it. To become a master fisherman requires time and technique.
However, a lot of people just want to go out to relax and have a good time.
It’s great to go out by yourself or with some friends to do whatever you want. If things go well, you’ll get a few bites too. I think its awesome to riverside fishing and hopefully, catch a couple of brown trout, or go ice fishing to just
In this context, fishing isn’t much of a sport. You can have no idea what you are doing and still catch something if they are hungry enough. Many people consider it more of a sport when its competitive or more deep sea fishing. It gets very intense and skill level is really important at that point.
There are so many different types of fishing that can change how people look at it as a sport or not as well. There’s fresh water, ice fishing, riverside, deep fishing… You get the point. Many people enjoy fishing off of a dock and I think that even the most competitive fishers enjoy some recreational fishing that as well. So really it comes down to perspective.
Fishing can be competitive in many ways too. In tournaments, they have to try and catch certain fish a certain way and whoever has the nicest, biggest, best fish may win. It is usually on a time crunch too, and it really puts the pressure on.
Fishing can really be the most perfect combination of relaxing and a sport. You can really make it whatever you want and can be both for most people that are really into it.
Not only is fishing physically exciting at points, but it can actually be really good for our health. Besides burning unwanted calories, it helps with stress and keeps you moving for hours.
Physical fitness is something I think most sports actually help with and I would put it in the definition to make something a sport. Well, maybe not, but it is a benefit of fishing for sure.
Different Types of Fishing
As I explained before, there are a ton of different types of fishing such as ice fishing, fly fishing, recreational fishing, deep sea fishing, bass fishing, trophy fishing, and more. When you’re doing different types of fishing, there are different strategies and ways of casting, baiting, etc.
For instance, fly fishing involves a ton of casting. You need to move your arms back and forth a lot and there is a rhythm to it that is very hard to get down. Ice fishing is more relaxed. You usually drop the line in and just wait. Once again, there are many strategies to it as far as bait, the number of holes to drill, the location of the holes and the surroundings.
With every type of fishing comes a new strategy and a new style. A lot of people that are just getting into it will focus on one type of fishing and try to learn that. I started off small, fishing off of my aunt’s dock trying to catch rockfish and skate fish.
Skates look like a stingray and are super interesting. When I was young I used to just sit there and wait for something to happen. As I got older I learned the different tactics to use to help me get more bites and eventually catch more fish.
Typically there are different types of fishing that are best for different fish. So while one tactic might work well in one situaiton, you might need to learn a totally different one if you try something new.
Benefits of Fishing
Fishing is good for the mind, body, and soul. It helps teach discipline, leadership, and perseverance. I’m not going to lie, fishing can be really frustrating at times. When you are out there for hours and don’t catch anything, it can bother a lot of people.
However, would you rather teach your son or daughter how to be patient, improve their hand-eye coordination, or learn how to be the best Xbox player? Fishing requires kids and adults to step out of their comfort zone and learn some strategy, along with kindness as most of the time they will be releasing the fish after they catch them.
Life skills are so important to learn, even though many people think they will have food put in front of them their whole lives. And maybe they will, but I think it’s great to teach kids ways to get their own food if the need ever arises.
Learning the proper way to fish not only helps when you are stranded on an island but when you are stressed or having a hard time. Fishing is known to help those that have high blood pressure calm down. If you tend to be a more stressed out person, fishing can help relax you.
Learning new skills is also a plus. Even if you don’t end up liking it or never use it, at least you now know.
Related Questions:
When Did Fishing Become a Sport?Fishing dates back to ancient times when people fished for their food. It adapted along the way for many many years and in the later 15th century was when began to gain popularity as a sport and not just a way to get food.
When is the best time to fish? Seasonally the best time to fish is in the summer. However, you can usually find fish at any time of the year. Day to day the best time is in early mornings and late evenings. This is why many fisherman need to start their days early.