The author’s son Jake with a nice blue cat caught in Maryland’s Patuxent River. The smile on
this youngster’s face tells you he has not a worry in the world as he enjoys fishing with his dad.
Why We Catfish: A Guest Editorial
Story and photo by Brad Hierstetter
The challenges life throws at us are easier to handle after a day of catfishing.
Occasionally, I reread books that I find particularly enjoyable. Once such tome is “The Old Man and the Boy” by Robert Ruark. Over a period of years, a boy and his grandfather embark upon many outdoor adventures. Through these adventures and because of the Old Man’s wise tutelage, the boy learns to be a true sportsman and a gentleman, two fine qualities which personal experience has shown often go hand in hand.
As you might expect, this classic book is filled with countless gems that outdoorspeople will find memorable. In one chapter, the Old Man tells the boy about the benefits of fishing.
Fishing is the only way to really get away from “everything that’s complicated,” the Old Man says. It’s “a holiday from yourself and all the things a man gets mixed up in … Fishing gives a man some time to think. It gives him some time to collect his thoughts and to rearrange them kind of neat, in an orderly fashion.”
How true this is of catfishing! Catfishing can and often does provide a much-needed escape from the trials and tribulations of life. Even the shortest outing will do this—for adults and children alike. Whether from boat or from shore, alone or with others, catfishing serves as a sort of therapeutic reprieve, allowing us to enjoy just a little time free of life’s worries. Each of us returns from catfishing feeling renewed and better prepared to deal with and overcome life’s challenges. This is one of the best reasons why we catfish.
