G
Mrs.
English
October
What defines a True Fisherman?

Grouchy, bloody, tough, salty, and fish hungry, are all characteristics that come to mind when thinking about a salt water fisherman. To them, fishing isn’t a hobby, it’s a lifestyle; a tough, demanding, time consuming and lonely lifestyle. To me, even the sound of it is almost unbearable; however, I have witnessed someone fall completely in love with fishing and all of its craziness. It really made me reconsider my point of view, and made me believe that there is so much more to a true fisherman than meets the eye. When I was around twelve years old, my dad was offered a job on his best friends fishing boat. The job lasted the three months of our summer vacation; it was just off the coast of Alaska. I remember the day he told us that he was going to be taking the job; I didn’t really understand too much of what was going on, but I did understand that my mom was upset that my dad could possibly be missing the birth of my sister, and I sort of felt like I should be too, but I couldn’t find it in me to actually be mad. I mean three months didn’t seem too bad, and besides that was time that I planned on spending with all of my friends. The day before he left, he and I went to the store; I remember asking him: “why are you buying knee high boots?” “What’s with the overalls?” “Dad, are you dressing up as a pirate?” my dad just threw his head back and laughed “no son, I’m going to be a fisherman.” The next day he sat me down on the couch, “listen memo, this is at pretty dangerous job that I’m about to do; so I want you to take care of your mom, and sisters.” My dad then gave me a necklace that my grandfather gave to him. It didn’t really settle in that he was leaving until he was already gone. And when it finally did settle in I couldn’t help but cry. The next few months were pretty tough; my mom cried all of the time, and my older sister, Violet, would not stop asking for him. I didn’t really know how to deal with the fact that my dad was gone. I was sad that I didn’t get to see him everyday like before but I knew that id see him once school started again. Now, when I look back I don’t think that I ever really fully understood what was affected when my dad was gone. Not even when my mom went into labor a month early and my little sister was born without my dad even knowing. I never fully understood why my dad needed to be away for so long or what he was even doing! Most people think that my dad was a little crazy for leaving his family the way he did; but I believe that there is true beauty in this story. He was; fearless, reckless, and still had the undying will to get the things he set his mind to. Normal people may say that having the reckless undying passion is a tad bit crazy, but that is the reason there is such a select few that have this passion. There really isn’t anything in it for the fisherman besides being able to hook into that monster fish they have been dreaming about for so many years and feeling that surge of adrenaline run down their spine as they reel in that fish only imagined in their minds. If their heads were examined there would be something special found within their minds. If their heads were examined there would be something special found within the inner thoughts of each man out there fishing. There many things that one has to have in order to be categorized as a “true” fisherman. In the book True Stories of Main Fly Fisherman by J.H. Hall 2008, explains the characteristics of a true fisherman. The number one reason would have to be feeling that passion for the sport that they are involved in, and in this case it would be fishing. The number two reason would need to be a unique and unbelieveably strong mindset imbedded within one mind. The third and final reason would be their ability to be tunnel visioned or unable to be sidetracked from their objective. People are filled with the idea that fisherman for example Bruce Friedric