April 2013 24
There’s an old story about a group of fishermen out fishing on what proved to be truly a terrible day. The weather was cold and the wind was blowing. The fish were not biting. As the men looked at one another, they shared in their mutual complaints about their predicament. Each one seemed to complain louder than the last. But finally one of them said, “But it sure beats the heck out of shopping!” And they all heartily agreed!
What is the attraction between men and fishing? Why are men drawn into the sport when it would be cheaper, faster, and cleaner to simply go to the market and buy fish? No one seems to know, but that’s the way it is.
When my wife and I moved to the Texas Gulf Coast just over ten years ago, I never dreamed that I would enjoy salt water fishing like I do. I had grown up with my father and me fishing the inland waters of Lake Waco. However, at his death in 1969 I quickly lost interest in the sport. It was not the same. There were brief flurries when my interest in fishing was renewed, usually at times when I was around other men who enjoyed the sport. I could take it or leave it. But when the salt waters of the Gulf presented themselves, things changed!
Lighthouse Lakes Paddling Trails
Aransas Pass, TX
-TPWD
Now, ten plus years later, I have honed in on the unique type of fishing that I like best: redfishing out of a kayak. And I am not alone. I have read that it is the fastest growing sport in the coastal waters. There are several reasons why I like it so much.
One is the expense, or relative lack thereof. For a few years I owned a boat. Although I enjoyed it, there was the constant expense and work of keeping it running. Since I bought a used boat, it did not take too many years for the cost of the repairs to actually exceed what I had spent on the boat to begin with.
A second is the exercise. I have always enjoyed a good physical workout and kayaking gives you that. By the time I have completed a morning’s fishing, I often feel more tired than running a three mile run.