Fishermen - Part 1

DateLine (2/28/07 – Nanuet, NY)

Some of the most passionate people I know are sport fisherman. Often within minutes of making their acquaintance, you know where their heart is. Give them a chance and they’ll work fishing into the conversation even if it doesn’t necessarily fit. Even if they are prone to exaggeration, it is fun to relive the experience with them. Chances are they have some fishing equipment close by ready to opportunistically sneak off to the closest “fishin hole.” Speaking of equipment, it’s not unusual to have invested thousands of dollars to support the “hobby;” rods, reels, lures, boats, depth finders, GPSs, etc.

Fishermen must possess social prowess; they often travel in pairs or groups. I suspect that the camaraderie is a big part of the allure. Their world is filled with clubs, tournaments, weekend trips, weeklong trips or any other excuse to “hit the water.” For some reason it’s important to be at the fishing hole with bait in the water at daybreak. I gotta believe that the average consumption of hot coffee by fisherman is twice the national average because so much of the preparation is before the cock crows.

Fishermen are the personification of persistence. They occasionally sit for hours in pursuit of the catch with limited results. It’s as if a few moments of success make the dedication worth the while. Flexibility and adaptation is a prerequisite for the sport. If the rig or the bait is wrong, they don’t hesitate to change. Sometimes what works in one location under one set of conditions doesn’t work at all in another set of conditions. Fishermen are experts at sensing what it takes to be successful and shifting the approach until success follows. A tackle box full of alternative gear and lures are never more than an arm’s length away.

Fishing is a lifestyle for some; complete with an attitude and a look. The love of fishing often runs in families; not exclusive to the male gender. I don’t believe it’s an inherited trait, but the love of fishing is so strong it must be pretty easy to pass it on. There must be a camera in every tackle box, because it seems as if fishing pictures are ubiquitous; you know the one with the proud fisherman posing with the “trophy.”

Jesus extends an invitation to anyone willing to listen, “Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” Matt. 4:19

Stay Tuned for Next Week: Fisherman - Part 2.