Some people do yoga. Some meditate. Some pray. There are many many ways that we humans claim to talk to God. I fish. That's right, when I'm standing up to my midsection is a running river attempting to hook, land and then subsequently release a rainbow trout, I'm talking to God. Some of it is probably just being in Nature, as Emerson and Thoreau have each suggested, but whatever it is, it's true. Fishing, especially while wading in a flowing river, is how I talk to God.

And I swear, if I listen very closely, God talks back. Although I haven't quite figured out his dialect yet. I suppose that may take a lifetime to even attempt to figure out. I know I enlisted the help of my two and a half year old daughter not to long ago. As we were walking along the river, I said, "Cam, can you hear the river?" "Yes Dad", she said. "What's it saying, Cam?" I said. Then she broke into some jibberish that only she could understand. I guess being a little over two years removed from being with God; she still has a touch of the dialect herself. Oh well, hopefully she'll never lose it, and always be able to understand what the river may be saying.

So that's why I fish. To converse with God. But that's not why everyone wets a line. I suppose the most popular reason I hear about is relaxation. There are many people out there who fish because it relaxes them. And that's great. Anything that will help a person relax is a good thing. And fishing is relaxing to me as well, although I must admit that it probably causes me personally a bit more stress than relaxation. Losing a big fish for example, is far from relaxing. Even missing a strike, doesn't necessarily "relax" me. In fact, both of these experiences usually lead to a profanity laced tirade that would make a long shore man blush. Especially the former. Losing a big fish is probably one of the worst experiences that a person can have. If you've never had the pleasure, believe me, you don't want it. It's horrible.

But relaxation is a great reason to fish. Competition is another wonderful reason to fish. Whether the competition is between friends, enemies, or just you and the fish, competition is probably #2 reason for me. In a way, it's a competition between the fish and I. Who will win on a particular day? Me, by catching some nice fish, or the fish, by breaking me off, snagging me, making me miss, etc? Of course when the fish wins it sometimes sends me into a two year old like fit while standing on the edge of the river. You know, on most days it ends up being a draw. Or at least evens out almost completely. Oh, let's be honest, seeing as how I practice catch & release, we both win. To me it's the ultimate win-win relationship. Although if I were the one being yanked out of the water by my lip, I suppose I may have a different opinion.